The infected or inflamed nerve inside your tooth has been cleaned out and sealed. It is normal for the tooth to feel tender for a few days.
After your visit
- Avoid chewing, hot drinks and biting your cheek, lip or tongue until the numbness wears off, usually within 2–5 hours. Watch children closely.
- The tooth and gum may feel sore or tender to biting for several days. This should improve steadily.
Eating
- Chew on the other side until your permanent filling or crown is placed. A treated tooth can be brittle and may crack.
- Avoid hard, crunchy, sticky, spicy or very hot foods (chips, nuts, seeds, popcorn, toffee) until your dentist says it is OK.
Temporary filling
- You may have a temporary filling. A thin layer wearing away is normal; if it falls out completely, call us.
- Avoid sticky foods and gum, which can pull the temporary out.
Cleaning
- Keep brushing and flossing the rest of your mouth as usual. A clean mouth heals better. Brush and floss the treated tooth gently.
Medicine
- Take pain relievers or any prescribed medicine exactly as your dentist or pharmacist directed. Do not take more than the label or prescription allows, and tell us about any allergies or other medicines you take.
- If you were prescribed antibiotics, take every dose until they are finished unless your dentist tells you otherwise.
Next step
- Most back teeth need a crown after a root canal to protect them. Book that visit as recommended; delaying it raises the risk of the tooth breaking.
Call our office right away if
- Swelling inside or outside your mouth
- Pain that is severe, lasts more than a few days or gets worse
- Your bite feels uneven
- The temporary filling falls out completely
- Rash, itching, or any other reaction to a medicine (stop it and call; for trouble breathing call 911)
This handout is general information. Always follow the specific instructions your dentist gives you, which may differ from this sheet. For a medical emergency, such as trouble breathing or swallowing, swelling spreading toward the eye or neck, or bleeding that will not stop, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency department. Content last reviewed: 2026-10.