My tooth after a root canal hurts when I chew or press on it

A tooth that hurts right after a root canal is so common and should not be a cause for concern. In fact, what triggers the pain is not the tooth itself, but the tissues around it. These might be slightly injured during the procedure, resulting in mild inflammation.

You might feel pain when chewing or biting down because this puts pressure on the healing tissue underneath.

However, some types of pain are abnormal and can signal an infection, especially if the pain is long-lasting, persistent, or intensely throbbing. Talk to your dentist if you are experiencing these symptoms.

We will break down the different types of pain after root canal treatment, when to be concerned, and how to manage it.

Mild tooth pain that worsens when chewing or biting down

Tips to relieve post-operative pain?

• Avoid hard or crunchy foods and stick to a softer diet for the first week.


• Eat in small bites and avoid chewing in the affected area until you feel able to do so.


• Take any pain medication exactly as prescribed by your dentist.


• Brush and floss your teeth gently.


• Rinse your mouth with salt water several times a day, which is known to reduce inflammation.


• Apply clove oil to the painful area. Cloves contain eugenol, which has anti-inflammatory, soothing, and antibacterial properties. This means it can help relieve pain, reduce inflammation and prevent bacteria from growing.

Severe, unbearable pain a few hours or days after root canal treatment

Intense pain after root canal treatment can also be caused by other problems, including:

• Missed canal: Sometimes, an extra root canal can go unnoticed by your dentist. If missed, the same pain will persist even after treatment. At your next visit, your dentist may suggest a more advanced 3D dental X-ray to get a clearer picture of the inside of the tooth and rule out this possibility.


• Tooth fracture: A tooth with after a root canal treatment is more brittle and more prone to crack or break. If the tooth is fractured, the surrounding gum tissue may become irritated and form an abscess. Another typical sign of a fracture, especially at the roots, is a sharp pain the moment you release the bite.


• Filling flows past the root tip: If the filling material extends beyond the root canal, pain may occur as soon as the numbing effect wears off. Rarely, an allergic reaction may occur (if you are allergic to zinc oxide-eugenol-based dental materials), resulting in pain and swelling of the gums, lips, or cheeks.

Long-lasting (chronic) pain after root canal treatment

Chronic pain refers to discomfort that lasts unusually long—several weeks or even months. It can still occur even if the procedure and the healing process went well, which can be frustrating.

Before assuming that the treated tooth is the actual cause of the pain, other dental problems must first be ruled out. In many cases, other nearby structures, such as the gums, sinuses, jaw muscles, joints, or nearby teeth, are the real source of the pain, not the treated tooth itself.

When the tooth is the source of the pain, a dental X-ray can reveal hidden problems, such as deep decay, fracture, or infection, and check whether there is something wrong with the root canal filling.

Other times, even if the pain feels like a toothache, it's actually caused by other problems unrelated to the tooth, such as sinus infections, joint or muscle disorders, or nerve damage. These conditions can cause pain to spread throughout the jaw, including the teeth.

Chronic pain requires a thorough examination to determine the exact source of the pain and avoid unnecessary treatments that can only make the issue worse.

👉 You can read a more detailed article here about pain that lasts months after a root canal.

Takeaway

It's normal to experience some pain after a root canal procedure. It may feel worse when you bite down, but this discomfort should remain mild and manageable.

This usually points to a mild inflammation of the tissue around the root tip, which is the first step in the healing process. It should quickly go down during the first week.

However, pain is not normal if it's longer-lasting, persistent, too intense, or does not get better with over-the-counter medications. If this is the case, don't wait to see your dentist. It could be a sign of a post-operative complication, such as a flare-up or infection.