Yeah, the dentist narrating every single step just made me more tense, honestly. I’d rather just zone out and get it over with. The numbness after is the worst part—tried eating soup and it went everywhere. I was super careful not to bite my cheek, but still ended up sore for a couple days. Pain relief was worth it though, especially considering how much I’d been spending on painkillers before. I waited almost a week before chewing on that side too... just didn’t want to risk messing it up.
The numbness after is the worst part—tried eating soup and it went everywhere.
That made me chuckle—I’ve had that same soup disaster more than once. You’d think after all these years, I’d remember not to try anything with a spoon until the feeling comes back. I agree, the dentist talking through every step isn’t always helpful. Sometimes I just want to close my eyes and pretend I’m somewhere else.
You did the right thing waiting before chewing on that side. I’ve rushed it before and paid the price. It’s amazing how much pain relief you get, though, compared to dealing with a bad tooth for weeks. Even if there’s a bit of soreness, it’s nothing like the constant ache I used to have. Good for you for sticking it out—gets easier each time, I promise.
You did the right thing waiting before chewing on that side. I’ve rushed it before and paid the price.
That’s actually really reassuring to read, because I always second-guess myself about when it’s “safe” to eat normally again after dental work. I’ve tried to be methodical—waiting until the numbness wears off, then testing with something soft first—but sometimes it’s hard to tell if the soreness is just normal healing or if I’m pushing things too fast. Like, last time, I thought I was fine and bit into a sandwich way too soon… definitely regretted that.
I agree about the pain relief. Even though there’s some lingering sensitivity, it’s so much better than the throbbing pain I had before. Honestly, I wish I hadn’t waited so long to get the root canal done. The anxiety beforehand was worse than the procedure itself, which surprised me. Still not a fan of the dentist narrating every single tool, but at least now I know what to expect and can plan for that weird post-op numbness (no soup for me next time).
Waiting until the numbness wears off is such a good call—I learned that the hard way after biting my cheek once. Even now, I still get a bit paranoid about chewing on the “fixed” side too soon. It’s tricky because some soreness just lingers, and it’s not always obvious what’s normal. I totally get what you mean about the anxiety being worse than the actual root canal. I put mine off for months, and honestly, the relief after was almost instant. The dentist narrating every move cracks me up too... sometimes I just want to zone out and not know!
That cheek-biting thing is way too relatable… I did the same after my first root canal, and it was so weird not realizing I’d done it until hours later. I’m still super cautious about chewing on that side for a while—probably overkill, but better safe than sorry. The lingering soreness threw me too; I kept poking at it with my tongue to see if it was “normal.” Turns out, a little tenderness is totally expected.
Honestly, the anxiety leading up to the appointment was way worse than the actual procedure for me too. It’s wild how much our brains hype things up. And yeah, dentists narrating every step cracks me up—I know they’re trying to be reassuring, but sometimes I’d rather just zone out and pretend I’m somewhere else. Glad you got relief after yours!