Bacteria produce acid, which causes tooth decay. The acid dissolves the enamel, causing holes or cavities. If not controlled here, it will reach the tooth’s innermost layers affecting the nerves and blood vessels. Eventually, it will infect the underlying bones. Therefore, the root canal treatment will stop the infection instead of spreading further.
Does the root canal cause health problems?
Root canals save teeth, and the dentist finds it necessary in many cases. So does a root canal cause health problems? Various theories are available, but there is no such evidence of the point. Even recently, studies have shown that root canal reduces the risk of a few fatal diseases. The vital element to consider is the procedure should be done correctly at the proper dental clinic.
What is a root canal?
A root canal treatment is a procedure that repairs infected or damaged teeth. Through this treatment, your dentist removes bacteria from the infected root canal, prevents reinfection of the tooth, and saves your natural tooth along with your beautiful smile.
Who can treat root canals?
Endodontists undergo training to perform root canal treatments. They won’t do it at the cost of your health. Moreover, Endodontists are dentistry professionals who study and treat tooth root pulp diseases. Contributing factors for an individual’s health are diet, stress, trauma, and lifestyle. These together also affect oral health and healing time after root canal treatment.
What causes root canal cancer risk?
Bad habits can also affect oral health and healing time. One of the commonest is bruxism. Bruxism is when one develops the habit of grinding teeth and even continues it in sleep. It becomes something unconscious and damages the teeth severely. Hence root canal treatment itself is not linked with health problems, but other factors contribute.
When do you need a root canal?
Root canals are required for a damaged tooth or infection. Patients usually need a root canal when they experience these symptoms:
- severe pain when talking or chewing
- pimples on the gums
- a chipped tooth
- persistent sensitivity to hot or cold foods
- swollen gums
- darkening of the gums
Does a root canal hurt?
People often wonder whether there are any dangerous side effects of a root canal. A root canal isn’t more painful than regular oral surgery, such as dental implants. Thanks to sedation dentistry that uses local anesthesia to get patients through complex surgeries with ease. But yes, a root canal generally causes mild discomfort for a few days after the procedure.
Three Common Myths
Myth 1: Root canal treatment is painful
Some people falsely claim that the treatment is painful. That is why root canals are dangerous according to them. However, that’s not the case. While undergoing a root canal treatment, the pain you will experience is similar to a cavity filling. This pain is minimal, thanks to modern technology and anesthetics.
The pain caused by a severe toothache can be quickly relieved when an endodontist removes the damaged tissue by root canal treatment. Besides, endodontists are professionals in pain management, and most cases are treated swiftly.
As per the American Association of Endodontists, the perception of painful root canal treatment began decades ago when these treatments were painful. However, this is not the case in modern times. Nowadays, this treatment is no more painful than having a cavity filling.
Myth 2: Root canal is bad for your health
This is the most common misconception you may find on the internet or elsewhere. This false claim was put forward by Price’s research a century ago, which was long-debunked and was too unreliable. According to the American Association of Endodontists and other reliable sources, no valid, scientific evidence is linked with root canal treatment’s dangerous side effects.
Myth 3: pulling a tooth is better than having a root canal treatment
Saving your original teeth for as long as possible is very important for proper biting and chewing functions. Likewise, endodontic treatment has 95% success rate and many root canals treated teeth last a lifetime. Replacing an extracted tooth with a dental crown requires more time and expense than saving your tooth with a root canal treatment.
So if someone asks, “Are root canal dangerous?” clear the misconception by discussing the need and benefits of the treatment. At Pearl Shine Dental, our experts’ team is always ready to treat all your oral health issues. We give quality care to all our patients. So, if you are looking for any dental concerns, give us a call at 281-477-7200.