Eating After Dental Work

If you’ve recently had dental work done, you might be wondering when you can eat again. In most cases, you are able to eat as soon as the numbing agent wears off. Chewing while your tongue is numb is never a good idea. The Novocain should wear off within about three hours, but can sometimes take longer. Just because you can eat, doesn’t mean you should consume whatever you want. Here are some guidelines.

 

 

These set before you leave the dentist. Resume a normal diet when the numbness wears off.

 

 

The appointment for a crown will last over two visits. After the first one, you’ll have a temporary crown. Avoid eating anything sticky or hard for the life of the temporary crown. The permanent crown is bonded to your tooth and sets before you leave. Go ahead and resume your diet when the numbness wears off.

 

 

If you’ve had extractions done, you need to be careful of what goes into your mouth. First at least the first few days, you must avoid hot beverages. These dissolve the clot and lead to a dry socket. You also must avoid straws for the same reason. 

 

During the first couple days, don’t consume anything acidic or spicy. These will sting. In addition, sharp and hard foods might injure the area, so you don’t want to eat tortilla chips. Your best bet is to eat a soft diet for at least the first few days.

 

 

Your tooth is weakened after a root canal and easily fractures. You need to get a crown on it soon after you root canal is completed. In the meantime, there is a temporary filling placed on the tooth. Avoid any hard foods during this time. 

 

If you need further direction about eating after your dental procedures, talk to your Muncie, IN dentist at your next visit.