That jaw fatigue from chewing on one side is all too familiar. After my root canal, I felt like I was starring in my own lopsided eating contest—everything went to the “good” side, and even then, it felt like my mouth just didn’t line up right. My dentist gave me the classic “give it time” line too, but when I pressed for specifics, he finally admitted it could be a couple weeks before things start feeling normal again. Honestly, would’ve appreciated that heads-up sooner.
Cheek biting was a thing for me as well, especially the first week. Apparently your bite can shift a bit after the procedure or if you’re swollen at all. The weirdest part was how my jaw just got tired so fast—like I’d been chewing gum for hours after just a few bites of oatmeal. I did try alternating sides, but then both sides were sore... not ideal.
Saltwater rinses definitely helped with soreness, but yeah, soft foods and cold stuff were basically my diet for days. It’s wild how much dental work can throw off your whole routine. At least now I know to ask more pointed questions next time—like exactly how long “a while” might be.
I totally get what you mean about the jaw fatigue—after my own root canal, I was surprised by how much just eating wore me out. No one warned me that my bite might feel “off” for a while, either. I wish I’d asked more about things like temporary swelling and how to handle soreness beyond just painkillers. Ice packs helped with my swelling, and I probably stuck with smoothies longer than necessary just because chewing felt so odd. Next time, I’d want clearer info about the timeline for getting back to normal, not just a vague “soon.”
The jaw fatigue is real—felt like I’d just chewed through a car tire after mine. I actually kept worrying my bite was permanently weird, but turns out it just took a couple weeks to settle down. I wish someone had told me that, instead of the classic “you’ll be fine soon.” Curious—did you get any advice about when to go back for adjustments? My dentist was super vague about that, and I ended up calling back twice just to double-check if what I was feeling was normal.
I actually kept worrying my bite was permanently weird, but turns out it just took a couple weeks to settle down.
That’s exactly what freaked me out after mine, too. I kept biting my tongue because things felt “off” for a while. Wish dentists were more upfront about how long that adjustment period can drag on. Mine just said, “If it still feels weird after a few days, call us.” Super vague. I ended up getting a second opinion because I couldn’t shake the feeling something was wrong—turns out, it was just my jaw getting used to the new normal. Sometimes I think they underestimate how much we notice even small changes in our bite.
I totally relate to that weird bite feeling—after my root canal, everything felt off for at least a couple weeks. I kept second-guessing myself, thinking maybe they’d missed something. Turns out, it’s just your mouth being dramatic while it adjusts. It really is wild how even tiny changes feel massive in there.
