Root canal treatment is a very common dental procedure many patients undergo worldwide.
There are some oral side effects of root canals, such as pain when the anesthesia wears off.
Many people think there are only oral side effects of root canal treatment, but they are wrong because there are some systemic side effects, such as headaches after a root canal.
If you also suffer from headaches after a root canal and want to get rid of them, this article is the perfect guide because here we will discuss the cause and how to treat it.
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Headache After Root Canal
You usually don’t feel a headache after the root canal. You will feel dizzy because of anesthesia, but it is very rare to feel a headache.
If you are feeling a headache, there can be multiple causes, which we will discuss here, and then we will discuss treatment for treating dental problems related to headaches.
Severity Of Root Canal Pain
Root canal headaches can be extremely painful and even deprive you of proper sleep. They are mostly because of a defective root canal treatment or the beginning of a new infection after placing the crown or completing the root canal treatment.
How Can A Root Canal Treatment Result In Headache?
If you don’t know about root canal treatment, it is a procedure that helps cure the infection that penetrates deep into the root of human teeth. Moreover, if you’re curious about how much cavities cost, you can read our guide.
Gingivitis The Main Cause Of Headache
The infection can be because by untreated cavity gingivitis or any trauma to the teeth, but if it is left untreated, then, in the long run, it can kill the nerves and spread into the whole jaw.
The jaw bone will become infected, and it will cause further complications and even life-threatening conditions.
To learn more about root canal treatment, you should also go through Do I Need A Root Canal? Everything You Must Know
What Complications During A Root Canal Procedure Results In A Headache?
To know the exact cause of headaches due to root canal treatment, you first need to understand how a root canal is performed.
Root Canal Procedure
In a root canal treatment, the dentist will remove all the affected pulp, bacteria, pus, and any other decay, which can be because of cavities or any trauma.
After that, a cavity filling or a medicated dental material such as GIC can be used so that the tooth can survive and function normally, just like an alive tooth can.
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The root canal procedure will take 3 to 4 dental visits and cost around 100 to 1000 dollars, depending on the situation’s complexity. If it is only for one tooth, it will cost you 200 to 300 dollars, while if your whole arch is affected, it will cost you a lot.
Recovery Timeline After Root Canal
If your endodontist has performed the procedure accurately, then the infection will cure within a week, and affected teeth will function normally as any other teeth can do
But if your dentist or endodontist messes up cleaning a root canal, it can result in different complications, including headaches.
Is A Failed Root Canal Dentist Mistake?
Sometimes dentists may fail to clean the canals completely or miss any canal by accident. If a Canal is left untreated or not cleaned appropriately, the bacteria or infection within the canal will multiply rapidly.
Within just a few days, the infection will spread to the whole jaw resulting in uncontrollable pain in the jaw. The pain intensity will be so strong that you will start to feel a headache because of oral pain.
One of the main causes of root canal failure is dentist negligence. Many other causes can also fail root canals. Let’s look at some of the causes of root canal failure.
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Causes Of Root Canal Failure
If a root canal treatment fails, you will feel severe headaches. It can be because of a Dentist error, structural abnormalities, or maybe due to any unexpected development of bacteria.
Other culprits of a failed root canal can be dental injuries, obstruction, or salivary contamination.
Sudden Trauma To Mouth:
If, after the root canal, there is any sudden trauma to the affected teeth, then it can lead to infection development in the root.
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Root Structure
Most patients have a normal root shape, but some patients have complex ones, such as curved ones with narrow canals. Sometimes a patient may have more canals than a dentist can perceive.
If the dentist misses any of the canals or doesn’t clean them well, infection will develop again.
Obstruction
Sometimes obstructions such as another tooth filling material or sealants can get in the dentist’s way. If the affected canal is not cleaned properly, it also develops an infection. If you’re struggling to brighten your teeth you can see our guide about how to whiten your teeth with baking soda.
Salivary Contamination:
Saliva allows bacterial growth in the mouth; if it is penetrated inside the root canal, a second infection will develop even if the canal is cleaned properly.
Restoration Placement
After root canal treatment, a crown must be placed on time. If your dentist has delayed the Crown placement, the bacteria will get a chance to enter the open hole and develop an infection again. Also, if the crown is loose or broken, it will expose the teeth to another infection.
Treatment For Root Canal Headache
First Treatment Option
The most common treatment for root canal headaches is again going for a root canal treatment and taking antibiotics and painkillers. You can take antibiotics which your doctor suggests, while for painKillers, you can go for over-the-counter painkillers such as Synflex.
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Second Treatment Option
The headache is severe, and you may start taking a regular dose of painkiller for some relief; however, consuming painkillers for too long is never recommended, and in this case, a second root canal is performed. You must seek medical attention quickly instead of taking painkillers regularly.
FAQs
Does a root canal headache go away on its own?
No, it will not go away on its own. You will have to visit a Health Care professional or dentist because the root cause of this pain is an infected root canal. When the cause is treated, you will feel your pain will automatically vanish.
What are the oral symptoms of root canal failure?
The systemic side effect of a failed root canal is a headache. On the other hand, the oral side effects of the root canal include hypersensitivity, a pimple near the gum, and pain in the teeth.
Conclusion
Little dizziness and headache for 1 to 2 hours after root canal treatment are normal. Still, if you are experiencing severe headache, which doesn’t go away without taking pain Killers, it is a symptom of a failed root canal.
Root canal headaches are not common. Only 4 to 5% of patients experience them, so make sure to visit your dentist or Health Care professional immediately if you feel severe pain even after days of the root canal.
