The dreaded root canal: something people fear when they walk into the dentist, it conjures up images of a nightmarish dentist drilling away at their tooth. If you were living a hundred years ago, those fears might still be pretty rational, but advancements in dental technology have come a long way since the olden days. Here are some myths about root canals that cause many people to worry:
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Root Canals are painful. When you need a root canal, you may experience pain already, but that doesn’t mean it’s going to get worse before it gets better. When you have a root canal procedure done, it will be painless, and when you’re done, you will no longer have to suffer through your everyday toothache.
Some people need root canal therapy for broken teeth, a dying nerve, damaged tissue, or other reasons. Local anesthesia and faster procedure times make it seem like just a cavity filling, because it is virtually painless.
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A root canal can cause illness. The studies which this theory sprouted from are almost 100 years old at this point, and considered poorly researched. The idea was that bacteria trapped in the teeth could seep out and cause diseases.
Like other areas of the body, there is always bacterium in the mouth; even the healthiest teeth have some. The body’s immune system can usually take care of the nasty kind and leave the good bacteria, but if not a root canal can remove the infected areas, and also potential future infections.
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Instead of a root canal, you should just get it extracted (pulled). Natural teeth are the best kind, even though science is making even more advances. An artificial replacement tooth is more prone to issues such as food sensitivity. Your natural tooth will allow you to chew naturally, blend in with the rest of your teeth, and last a lifetime. Root canals are a great alternative to getting your tooth extracted.
