I Had A Root Canal 3 Years Ago And A Crown Put On The Tooth. Now The Tooth Is Giving Me Excruciating Pain. Could you suggest some remedies?

Since you have not specified the exact reasons for your root canal and the placement of the crown, it is not possible for me to give you the exact reasons for the recurring pain. However, in most cases teeth that suffer from decay or cracks and fractures and require root canals are weak and susceptible to further damage. While performing the root canal or placement of the crown is necessary at the time to remedy the problem or halt it, it is no guarantee that the symptoms it was meant to alleviate will go away completely or be prevented from recurring. In many scenarios the symptoms like aches or pain in the surrounding gum when biting and chewing may not go away completely or they may return later. In some cases even though the problem may be resolved successfully there could be a recurrence at a later point of time, as teeth that undergo root canals are weaker and vulnerable to cracks and fractures. If the crack or fracture is below the gum line, or deep in the roots extraction is the only option to solving the problem.

Cracks are unfortunately hard to detect and diagnose as they do not show up even in x-rays, thus making the treatment equally tough with uncertain outcomes.

answered by G M

It is difficult to say for certain if it is the same tooth that is causing you pain now. You should visit a dentist at the earliest in order to determine the actual cause of your pain.

You can heat a towel on a hot pan and use this to heat the side of your face that hurts. Keep the towel as hot as your skin can bear it. You can also try dipping a towel in hot water and using this to give you some relief from the pain. In some cases cold packs are also effective in numbing and reducing the pain. Pack a handful of ice cubes in a bag and hold it to the painful tooth.

You can use some clove oil to give you relief. Apply the clove oil on a clean cotton swab and place this on the painful tooth. A wet tea bag is also believed to be effective in drawing out the pain from a painful tooth.  Use warm water with a pinch of salt mixed in it to gargle.

Eating hot food is sure to cause you pain and should be avoided. You should also avoid eating hard food. Opt for soft, well cooked food. Bread dipped in milk or even well cooked rice are good options. Very cold drinks should also be avoided.

answered by M W