Thought I was chewing on a pencil eraser for a day or two, but it faded pretty quick.
That’s exactly how I described it to my family—like gnawing on a rubber band. I stuck to yogurt and scrambled eggs for a bit, couldn’t even face toast. Honestly, the weird aftertaste was nothing compared to that throbbing pain before. Did you end up needing a crown after? I had to go back a couple weeks later for mine, and biting down felt odd for a while. Curious if you had the same thing or if it settled faster for you.
That rubbery feeling is spot on—mine lasted maybe three days, then things felt pretty normal again. I did end up needing a crown, but honestly, the adjustment period was shorter than I expected. Biting down felt weird at first, but after a week or so, I barely noticed it. The relief from that constant ache made everything else seem pretty minor. Glad you’re on the other side of it too.
That “rubbery” sensation is such a weird one, right? I remember thinking my bite would never feel normal again, but it really does settle in. For me, the crown part was more awkward than the root canal itself—just getting used to that slightly different texture and fit. Like you said, though, the relief from that nagging pain made the whole process worthwhile. I actually forgot about the tooth most days after a couple weeks.
One thing I noticed was being super cautious about chewing on that side at first, just out of habit. Took a bit to trust it again. I did have some sensitivity for a few days after the crown went on, but it faded pretty quick. All in all, not nearly as scary as I’d built up in my head. It’s funny how much we can stress about dental stuff, then look back and wonder what all the fuss was about...
Reading this makes me feel a little less freaked out, honestly. I’ve been dreading my upcoming root canal for weeks—like, losing sleep and Googling every possible “what could go wrong” scenario. I keep thinking about that weird bite feeling you mentioned. Does it really just sort of... go away? I can’t imagine not noticing it all the time.
I get what you mean about the crown being more awkward than the actual root canal. My dentist said something similar, but I didn’t totally believe her. The idea of having a different texture in my mouth is just so bizarre to me—like, will I always notice it when I’m eating? Or do you just kind of forget after a while?
The part about being cautious chewing on that side sounds super relatable. I feel like I already avoid chewing on the “bad tooth” side even though nothing’s happened yet. Not sure if that’s just anxiety or what, but it’s like my brain’s already trying to protect me from stuff that isn’t real (yet). The sensitivity thing after the crown is another thing I keep worrying about—I have friends who said they had lingering pain for months, which obviously sent me into another spiral.
But hearing you say you forgot about the tooth after a couple weeks actually gives me some hope. Maybe it really is just one of those things where your body adjusts and then you stop thinking about it constantly. It’s funny how our brains can make dental stuff seem like such a huge deal, and then it turns out to be way less dramatic than we imagined.
Anyway, thanks for sharing your experience—it helps to hear someone say it was worth it in the end and that life does go back to normal (or at least close enough). Still nervous, but maybe not as terrified as before reading this.
I totally get the nerves. My kid had to get a root canal last year (he’s 10, so you can imagine the drama), and honestly, I was way more anxious than he was. I spent days reading horror stories online, which... yeah, not my best move. But it really wasn’t as wild as I’d built it up in my head.
About that weird bite feeling—my son kept poking at his tooth with his tongue for the first week, swearing it felt “giant” and “weirdly bouncy,” but then he just stopped mentioning it. I think your mouth just gets used to it. Now he doesn’t even remember which tooth it was unless I remind him. The only time he notices is if he’s chewing something super sticky, and even then it’s just a quick “oh right.”
The crown part was actually more awkward for him than the root canal itself. He said it felt like a lego brick at first (his words, not mine), but after a couple weeks, it was just... normal. I was worried he’d always be aware of it when eating, but nope, he’s back to devouring popcorn like nothing happened.
I totally relate to avoiding chewing on the “bad side.” I do that too when I have a sore spot, even if nothing’s actually wrong yet. Brains are weird—sometimes they’re just trying to keep us safe, but they go a bit overboard.
As for sensitivity, my son had some for maybe two weeks? He said cold stuff felt “zingy,” but it faded out. I know everyone’s different though. A friend of mine had some soreness for a couple months, but she said it was manageable and eventually went away.
It’s wild how much headspace dental stuff can take up. For us, once it was over, we barely thought about it again. I hope yours goes smoothly and you get to the “forgetting about it” stage fast. Hang in there—it really does get better than all those Google results make it seem.
