3 Tips For Reducing Pain During Your Root Canal Treatment
If you are facing a root canal, you are probably feeling pretty worried about the pain. The truth is that root canals often aren't as bad as people make them out to be, but following a few tips before your procedure can help you stay as comfortable as possible while it's being done.
1. Choose an Experienced Dentist
Although any dentist will probably provide you with a root canal treatment, it can be worthwhile to look for a dentist who performs them regularly. Then, you will have your procedure done by a more experienced dentist who may be able to help reduce the pain. An endodontist typically specializes in these types of treatments. If you are thinking about going to your regular dentist, make sure that you ask him or her how frequently he or she does root canals. If it's not that often, you might want to look for someone with a little more recent experience.
2. Avoid Alcohol
Some people think it's a good idea to have a drink to calm their nerves before their appointment. Some even think it will help with the pain. Drinking alcohol before your root canal, however, can actually make the situation worse. Not only can it interact poorly with your medication during the procedure, but it can also cause a lot more bleeding due to your blood being thinned from the alcohol. In fact, it's a good idea to avoid heavy alcohol use the night before your procedure if you want to prevent any problems.
3. Take a Mild Pain Reliever
Talk to your dentist to find out if you can take a mild over-the-counter pain reliever and anti-inflammatory before your procedure. Although it's not a good idea to do so without talking to your dental professional first, this can be a good way to help prevent pain and inflammation during and directly after your procedure. You may also be able to take an over-the-counter pain reliever after your appointment to help manage any discomfort, but again, this is something that you will want to discuss with your dentist first.
As you can see, there are things that you can do before your root canal to help prevent any additional pain. Although it's totally common and understandable to be nervous about experiencing any pain during your procedure, following these tips -- and asking your dental professional for advice -- can help make things a lot better on the day of your treatment.
For a local dentist, contact a doctor such as Samuel D Knight, DDS.
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