After a recent dental checkup, did your dentist inform you that you need a root canal? If you are like a lot of people, hearing you need a root canal can be a little off-putting or scary. However, this highly beneficial dental procedure is not as bad as the prevailing myths would imply.
Myth: You will lose the tooth even if you get a root canal.
Root canals are designed to preserve a tooth that has issues. Without a root canal, you will likely have to get the tooth extracted or it will simply continue to deteriorate. However, if you have a root canal done by a professional and then follow good oral hygiene plans afterward, you will likely keep the tooth for many years. In fact, a root canal could potentially last a lifetime with the proper care.
Myth: You don't need a root canal if your tooth is not causing you any pain.
Not all teeth will cause pain when they are in the process of breaking down due to decay or damage. What you feel in your mouth where your teeth are concerned has a great deal to do with where the tooth is located in your mouth, how sensitive the nerves are that surround that tooth, and more. Some people will actually have a tooth that is breaking down from the inside out and will have no idea they have a problem.
Myth: Root canals are bad for your overall health.
Root canals can actually be beneficial for your health. The procedure only involves mending an issue inside of your tooth by using materials to rebuild the parts of the root that are breaking down. Without the proper attention to the ailing tooth, you could face a number of health risks. For example, if the root of the tooth becomes infected, the infection could spread to your bloodstream and put your overall health at risk.
Myth: When you get a root canal, the dentist takes out the roots of the tooth.
Contrary to what the name may seem to imply, a root canal does not involve fully removing the entire root system of your tooth. In most cases, the dentist will be drilling tiny canals through the damaged tooth interior and into the root or multiple roots if the tooth has more severe issues. The canal that is created will then be filled with a dental filling material and the healthy root system will stay intact.
Share23 March 2021
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