There are several reasons you may not get to the dentist every six months: You may have a packed schedule, you may feel nervous about oral health care, or you may have an actual fear of procedures that involve someone putting needles or dental drills in your mouth.
But that hesitation or fear can also affect your dental health and your overall well-being.
Root canal treatment is a safe, routine dental procedure that’s often misunderstood and feared because it’s widely associated with pain and discomfort in the dental chair. However, a root canal is actually a tooth-saving treatment that supports improved oral health — and avoiding or delaying it can make problems worse, leading to eventual tooth loss.
If you live in the San Jose, California, area and you need a root canal, Dr. Roge Jacob, Dr. Magdalena Azzarrelli, and our expert team at Hillsdale Dental Care are here to help.
Pulpitis — or a deep decay and infection in the interior “root canal” of your tooth — happens when bacteria get into the middle of your tooth through holes in your enamel (cavities), gum infection (periodontal disease), or dental trauma (a cracked or broken tooth). It can cause:
Root canals treat pulpitis by removing the diseased pulp inside. To perform a root canal, we numb the affected area completely, drill a hole in the affected tooth, and use special tools to remove the nerves and tissue in the pulp.
Then, we clean and seal the tooth to keep bacteria out, and restore full strength and function by capping the treated tooth with a crown.
The myths that persist about root canals play a big role in making people hesitant to get one when it’s needed. Common misconceptions include believing that root canals are very painful or can cause illness, that removing the tooth (extraction) is preferable, and that lack of tooth pain means treatment isn’t really necessary.
Of course, none of these myths are true. Modern root canal techniques are virtually painless, and getting the treatment done as recommended helps resolve infection and deep decay, prevent the spread of infection and illness (i.e, sepsis), and preserve your natural tooth. And when possible, it’s always better to preserve your natural teeth.
Delaying a root canal treatment means that the infection inside your tooth — along with co-existing conditions like gum disease and cavities — are allowed to worsen, and that can lead to a range of other health issues.
With cavities, symptoms will only progress, leading to decay in the other parts of the tooth (enamel and dentin) and abscess (infection). With gum disease, a lingering root canal infection can contribute to further gum recession, bleeding, pain, deterioration of the bones and tissues around your teeth, and tooth loss.
Other complications can occur in the rest of your body as well; poor oral health and untreated deep decay and infection are associated with pregnancy complications (i.e., preeclampsia, low birth weight) and an increased risk of diabetes, respiratory problems, and heart disease.
Having a recommended root canal can help you safeguard your oral health for life. To find out how we can help, schedule an appointment with our team at Hillsdale Dental Care in San Jose, California, today.
