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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To stay off the rest of the afternoon after root canal treatment?

40 replies

HelpIcantfindaname · 24/04/2021 12:44

I have root canal treatment next week, never had it before so not too sure what to expect.

My appointment is at 12.20. They said it would be long, but didn't specify how long.

I'm a teacher, & wondering if it would be OK to stay off the whole afternoon. (I don't have my own class at mo so cover isn't an issue). I'm thinking anaesthetic would probably still be working so I wouldn't be in pain at school. But would I be uncomfortable & have a massively swollen face?

My school are really good if you need to be off, but I have just returned after wfh for over 3 months.

Luckily my 2nd root canal app is at half term.

WIBU to stay off all pm if I feel I need to?
Does anyone have experience of root canal please?

I'm not keen on going to the dentist, so I'm a bit anxious.

OP posts:
IndigoSkye · 24/04/2021 12:51

I had root canal recently, whilst i didn't have the pain I was in before the root canal, once the anaesthetic wore off I felt very sore in the gum and mouth area around the tooth. I also had been very anxious and tense throughout and was exhausted, I think I went to sleep when I came home and slept the anaesthetic off. If you can take it easy for the afternoon I would recommend it but if you can have a quietish afternoon planned at work that would be manageable

Aprilx · 24/04/2021 12:58

I have had a couple of root canal treatments over the years. It would not occur to me to take the rest of the day off! It is more involved than having a filling whilst you are in the chair, but once it is finished it is finished and the rest of the day is much the same as it is when you have had a filling, in that you are numb for a few hours.

Alfaix · 24/04/2021 12:59

It will be at least an hour. At point going back to school at 2pm?

DIshedUp · 24/04/2021 13:01

You will be numb for a few hours so I'd probably just take the afternoon off. Sometimes you might have a slight droop to your lip or you can dribble and not know because of the numbness, or lisp so its probably not ideal as a teacher.

UCOinanOCG · 24/04/2021 13:01

I started root canal treatment yesterday. It is mostly just a lot of poking and prodding. I went to M&S straight afterwards then on for a dog walk in the park plus an ice cream. The numbness wore off quickly. You won't need the afternoon off afterwards!

msbevvy · 24/04/2021 13:04

I don't recall feeling at all rough following root canal treatment.

In fact, many in years ago I had 4 root canal appointments in one week during my 1 hour lunchtime. My office was handily only 5 mins walk from the dentist.

Going back to teaching a load of kids might be a different prospect. How busy is your timetable for the afternoon?

SionnachRua · 24/04/2021 13:10

Teachers are devils for not prioritising themselves. Stay off! Put yourself first!

You'll be numbed to the gills so won't be in any pain but a root canal is a long treatment and when you work in a job that relies heavily on your voice, it can be hard to go into the classroom with mouth numbed. Plus if you're anxious an afternoon off might be needed to settle yourself again.

Beetlewing · 24/04/2021 13:30

If you feel you ought to, then do it. I always book a time out after dental work as I have TMJ and find it exhausting. Even the hygienist, if they take too long, kicks off all sorts of issues that last for weeks

FictionalCharacter · 24/04/2021 13:55

I’d stay off. You could still be numb for hours and your speech could be quite badly affected (depending on which tooth it is).

Buffy81 · 24/04/2021 13:58

I have had a number of root cannels done, I find that for me, it takes about 1hr from start to finish ( thats if they can complete it in one go, most of mine have been two.

They will keep looking at the x-ray that they would have taken and they will do another one during it

It can be uncomfortable when they are doing the work, but that is more to the pressure that they are applying when either removing bits of the tooth or refilling it. They may also put a bit of rubber around the tooth and that is so that you cant touch it with you tongue when they are working on it

I would take the rest of the day off as I also hate the dentist. Also you will be numb for a couple of hours after might dribble and find that people might not able able to understand you.

See below the link for a funny Michael Mcintyre about a trip to the dentist

I find my self getting into a state and crying when I get in the chair dispite doing some deep breathing before hand. I have to listen to music as loud as can through headphones on my phone and between me and the dentist we have a code, if they need to talk to me, they tap my right shoulder, if i need to talk to them or its getting to much, i lift my right arm

ViciousJackdaw · 24/04/2021 14:50

If I was your boss, I'd tell you to go straight home afterwards anyway. Make sure you have got a hot water bottle (for the side of your face) and some good, strong painkillers - just in case.

Also, if you go back with a numb face, you run a real risk of telling your pupils to 'shit down'!

sunflowersandbuttercups · 24/04/2021 14:53

Definitely have some time off. Nobody wins any awards for being a martyr.

When I had a wisdom tooth out I needed 48 hours off - I was slammed on here for saying so! The day after the surgery I was bruised, swollen and in a lot of pain - going into work wouldn't have been remotely productive or worthwhile.

Honestly, just take the time off and rest.

DrFoxtrot · 24/04/2021 14:56

Take the afternoon off. I had root canal treatment and the pain was so bad afterwards that I was in floods of tears until I'd had a high dose of codeine. And then I was too drowsy to function normally anyway. I've had others that weren't too bad but you don't know how you'll be until it's done.

Unsuremover · 24/04/2021 14:59

No way of knowing so take the afternoon off. My sis needed root canal on 1 tooth and was on the chair 2 hours. I saw her that evening and honestly thought she had been beaten up. She was doped up so couldn’t feel it but was black and blue, eye swollen shut and massive cheek.

I’m not trying to scare you, you likely not be as bad but there’s no way to know right now.

lanthanum · 24/04/2021 15:01

Take the whole afternoon; I'm sure nobody will mind, and then if you feel grotty afterwards you're not having to make a new decision then.
You can always mention when booking the time off that you've managed to get the second appointment in half-term and get some brownie points for that!

(I don't know about root canals, but wisdom teeth are extremely variable, from a quick pull at the dentists to general anaesthetic at the hospital. Unfortunately some people have had the former and try to tell others that they're unreasonable to take time off. I've had both extremes - the hospital one I would have been off for a week and a half (If I hadn't booked it the week before half-term). )

spicysechuan · 24/04/2021 15:03

I had one last year. Also a teacher, went back to work. Kids thought my frozen face was hilarious!

(My appointment was first thing in the morning though.)

HunterHearstHelmsley · 24/04/2021 15:06

Whenever I have had a root canal (two or three times, I think), I have booked the appointment for 8am and gone straight to work after. Its never been a problem.

HunterHearstHelmsley · 24/04/2021 15:10

@sunflowersandbuttercups

Definitely have some time off. Nobody wins any awards for being a martyr.

When I had a wisdom tooth out I needed 48 hours off - I was slammed on here for saying so! The day after the surgery I was bruised, swollen and in a lot of pain - going into work wouldn't have been remotely productive or worthwhile.

Honestly, just take the time off and rest.

I took a week and a half off when I had my wisdom teeth out - all four, general anaesthetic. I went to work the day after they were removed, passed out, had to be driven home.
Original poster
HelpIcantfindaname · 24/04/2021 15:26

Thank you very much for your replies everyone.

OP posts:
percheron67 · 24/04/2021 15:43

I have had two root canal treatments and they were a doddle! I didn't realise that they might be troublesome until I read about them on Mumsnet.

OwlBeThere · 24/04/2021 15:48

I’d stay home, dental anaesthetic always makes me feel weird and woozy so I’d go home and have a nap if you can.

Cindy87 · 24/04/2021 15:52

Dh went straight back to work after root canal yesterday (he works from home) - hasn't had any discomfort at all.

Dulcinae · 24/04/2021 15:57

Like others, I felt fine after root canal but was slurring my words.

It depends what you will be doing in the afternoon. If you have to speak clearly, that might not be possible.

TreadSoftlyOnMyDreams · 24/04/2021 16:03

I've had three. All were molars with complicated root structures. I've had some slight lip swelling for one as it was an awkward angle so had a number of injections around it. Mostly you look normal until you try to smile. It's 1-2 hrs apt, they often allow for 2 but it takes about 1-1.5.
I've never heard of anyone being black and blue afterwards - wisdom teeth removal is a different story.

In my experience you can feel tired and headachey afterwards. It's a long time to have your mouth open. Ask for a wedge to help - rubber thing like a door stop between your back teeth basically.
They will put a rubber sheet around the tooth so they can work more easily. Sometimes that's not terribly comfy.
Put tonnes of Vaseline around your lips before you start and take some paracetamol.

As a teacher I'd arrange cover, it's only an hour for someone to keep an eye on your class. If you can come back then do so.

year5teacher · 24/04/2021 16:06

I had a root canal recently. Would have been fine to go and teach afterwards if it hadn’t been on a weekend.

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