If your diet is high in sugar, you’re setting yourself up for a host of health issues, such as hyperglycemia. Hyperglycemia can lead to diabetes and other dental health problems, including cracked teeth.
When you have cracked teeth, they have a higher risk of pulp inflammation. Endodontists in Highlands Ranch, CO and other parts of Colorado remind patients that an infected pulp can cause severe pain and tooth sensitivity. If your diet leads to an infected pulp, you may need to undergo a root canal treatment.
Many people cringe when they hear “root canal treatment.” This is because of the many misconceptions that surround the treatment. Here are the facts you should know about root canal treatment.
Root canal treatment is not painful, and it doesn’t lead to sickness
Root canal treatment was painful before modern technology and anesthetics became available. You may experience a severe toothache because of the serious damage in the tissues surrounding the problem area. But, during the treatment, you will not feel a thing. To give you a point of reference, a root canal treatment is just like having a dental filling.
For decades, people also believed that a root canal treatment leads to illnesses. This may have stemmed from a study conducted by Dr. Weston Price nearly a century ago. According to Price, dead teeth that have undergone a root canal treatment have harmful toxins, which are potential breeding grounds for infective agents that can cause sickness.
The American Association of Endodontists (AAE) debunks this belief. According to the AAE, there is no scientific evidence that links root canal-treated teeth and any human disease.
You don’t have to feel pain before undergoing root canal therapy
A severe toothache is one of the telltale signs of pulp inflammation. However, even when you don’t feel any pain, if you have a dead tooth, you are still advised to go to an endodontist. Undergoing root canal treatment prevents your dead or dying tooth from becoming infected. Dentists run different tests to identify a dead tooth.
The roots and tooth are not removed during the treatment
Many people believe that undergoing root canal treatment means having their tooth and roots removed. This is not true. Endodontists save an infected tooth by cleaning the root canal. The dental professionals only remove the nerve tissue, the pulp, and any area that may harbor bacteria before sealing the tooth with a temporary filling.
You still have to go to the dentist even after the treatment
Although root canal therapy often takes one to two sessions only, it doesn’t mean you are free not to visit your dentist for a while. After the treatment, you are required to return to the dental office for follow-up appointments for your permanent filling or crown. When you underwent the treatment, the endodontist placed only a temporary filling on your tooth for short-term protection from infection. A permanent filling makes sure that bacteria do not leak into the canal.
There’s no reason to be afraid of root canal treatment, despite its reputation. Endodontists will help you save your tooth and restore dental health through this procedure. But to make sure you don’t have to go through it, visit your dentist regularly and limit your sugar intake. Watch your diet so that you not only save your teeth but your health, as well.
