That “hollow” feeling is so familiar—my daughter said almost the same thing after her root canal, and I honestly didn’t know what to tell her at first. I kept wondering if it meant something was wrong, but when we called the dentist, they said it’s pretty normal for the tooth to feel different for a while. Apparently, it can take weeks (or longer) before that sensation fades. Did your kid’s dentist mention how long those twinges might last? Ours just said to watch for anything getting worse, like swelling or major pain, but otherwise not to worry.
I wish they’d been clearer about the jaw soreness too. My kid could barely open her mouth wide enough to eat, and I thought maybe something had gone wrong with her jaw joint. Turns out, holding your mouth open for so long during the procedure just makes everything ache after. She lived on yogurt and mashed potatoes for a few days. Did you end up giving your kid any pain meds, or just let them ride it out with soft foods?
I totally get what you mean about needing more info on what’s “normal.” Next time (if there is a next time), I think I’d ask: How long should we expect weird sensations? What’s actually a red flag? And is it normal for the tooth to feel different forever? It would’ve saved me a lot of anxious Googling at 2am.
Did your dentist give you any kind of aftercare sheet or checklist? Ours was pretty vague—just “call us if there’s swelling or fever.” Not super helpful when you’re dealing with a worried kid who keeps poking her tooth and asking if it’s supposed to feel weird. Maybe dentists assume parents already know this stuff, but honestly, I felt clueless.
If you ever need reassurance—it seems like most of this is par for the course. But yeah, I wish they’d spell it out better too...
That hollow feeling really does mess with your head, doesn’t it? When I had mine, I kept poking at the tooth with my tongue for weeks, convinced something was off. My dentist just said, “It’ll settle down,” but didn’t give much detail. I ended up taking ibuprofen for a couple of days and stuck to soup and scrambled eggs. Did your daughter’s dentist say anything about avoiding crunchy foods or when she could start chewing normally again? I always wonder if I rushed that part too soon.
That tongue-poking thing is so real—almost like your brain can’t accept the new “hollow” feeling. In terms of food, I usually tell people to stick with soft stuff until the numbness wears off and then avoid chewing on that side until the permanent filling or crown’s in place. Crunchy foods can crack a temp filling, which just leads to more hassle. Did they mention if your daughter’s tooth was getting a crown after? That timing can change things a bit.
That hollow feeling is wild, isn’t it? I kept poking at mine with my tongue for like a week after my root canal—couldn’t help it. The whole “don’t chew on that side” advice is spot on, though. I got a temp filling and thought I’d be fine with soft bread, but even that felt weird, like it could just fall out. I was so anxious about messing something up before the crown went on.
Honestly, I wish I’d asked more about what to expect between appointments. My dentist didn’t really mention how careful I needed to be with the temp filling, and I ended up worrying about every little twinge. And yeah, the timing for the crown matters a lot. Mine took two weeks and I felt like I was living with a fragile tooth the whole time.
If your daughter’s getting a crown, maybe just double check when she can eat normally again. I was way too paranoid, but better safe than sorry…I’d rather annoy my dentist than need another appointment.
Man, I totally get that weird urge to poke at the spot with your tongue—couldn’t stop myself either. The temp filling paranoia is real. I wish I’d asked about what foods were safe, too; even mashed potatoes felt risky at one point. My dentist was chill but not super detailed on aftercare, which left me Googling way too much. Next time, I’d probably annoy them with more questions about pain, eating, and how fragile things really are in between. Better to feel a little silly than end up back in the chair, right?
