A Colorado Springs Dentist Discusses Misconceptions About Root Canals

If you ask people to rate the pain of a toothache from a scale of 1 to 10, many would probably give it an 8 or 9–and quite a few will give it a 10. As they say, it’s the type of hurt that can make grown men cry. The intense discomfort has a lot to do with human anatomy; long story short, your teeth are connected to the trigeminal nerve, a type of cranial nerve that’s directly patched to the brain instead of to the spinal cord, which makes the facial area an especially sensitive region.

In many cases, though, toothaches are associated with cavities or infections that can be effectively treated by a trusted dentist in Colorado, Springs. However, when the infection reaches the tooth’s pulp–its blood and nerve supply–the only way to rid the pain is to undergo a root canal treatment.

Unfortunately, patients often think the pain of a root canal is worse than any toothache they may be experiencing. To shed light on this oft-misunderstood procedure, the section below answers some of the most common misconceptions about root canals:

It’s the Most Painful Thing Ever!

It’s time to put this myth to rest: thanks to modern technology and anesthetics, getting a root canal is not much more painful than getting a tooth filling. This misconception probably occurred because people only get a root canal when their tooth has become incredibly infected and consequently, very painful. In reality, the procedure simply removes the damaged tissue from a tooth, thereby relieving discomfort.

Won’t It Make Me Sick?

A certain Dr. Weston Price conducted a study, which supposedly found that root canals cause a variety of illnesses like arthritis, heart disease, and kidney ailments because the procedure traps bacteria inside a treated tooth. The catch? Said study was conducted in the early 1900s. Recent attempts to verify these findings have yielded no proof whatsoever, so you can safely treat this assumption as ancient history.

Well, I’ll Just Have My Teeth Pulled Out

If a tooth is pulled out, the remaining teeth will shift towards the gap that was created. This can cause a variety of problems, including a misaligned bite and difficulty in cleaning the teeth properly. When it comes to your oral health, a dentist will never resort to pulling out your tooth as a first option; if there is any way to save it, he will do everything he can to do so.

Hopefully, your qualms and fears about root canals have been alleviated by this piece. If you have more questions, never hesitate to discuss the procedure with a reputable Colorado Springs dentist who can explain the process to you in further detail.

Sources:

Why God Why: The Science of a Toothache, motherboard.vice.com

Routine Treatment › Root canal treatment, www.dentalhealth.org

Root Canal Myths, dentistry.about.com

Myths About Root Canals and Root Canal Pain, www.aae.org

Common myths about root canals debunked, www.mississauga.com