A root canal can be described as the treatment you get when the soft tissue inside your tooth that contains connective tissues, nerves, and blood vessels is infected. It usually occurs when you get a severe infection, chip or crack on the tooth, or injury. A root canal treatment involves making an opening to remove the infected part and sealing the space to prevent it from future infections.

Your last visit to the dentist may have indicated that you have a root canal. Maybe you have not gotten it yet because you were busy, or perhaps you could not afford it. But what could go wrong if you don’t get the root canal you so urgently need? Unfortunately, the infection cannot heal itself and you and needs to be appropriately treated. Patients usually think that the tooth may heal on its own, and the pain will eventually disappear. We agree that the pain may subside, but this means that the nerves have died, and the infection will still be present in the tooth. If the infection remains untreated, it may end spreading to your jaws, your blood, your body, or even your brain.

Dentist at North York Dental Clinic always wants to keep your teeth in their best health. This not only keeps your mouth feeling great but also keeps your jawbone from deteriorating and stimulates it. Although sometimes it is not ideal, the tooth with the infection can be wholly removed. Sometimes if the infection is not properly taken care of, the entire tooth could be lost due to decay and the infection.

Signs You May Need a Root Canal

It is advisable not to procrastinate and visit your dentist as soon as possible. This procedure could be the determiner of whether you may end up losing your tooth or not. You may be looking for an affordable dentist, but you have to consider the seriousness of the pulp infection. This is a time-sensitive situation, as we mentioned earlier, due to the severity of the results if left untreated. If you ever experience the following signs, you will need a root canal:

  • Pain in the tooth.
  • Sensitivity to hot and cold drinks.
  • Pain when you bite something or chew.
  • If you notice a swelling on the gum.
  • If your tooth loosens.
  • If you have pus oozing around the infected area.
  • Swelling on your face on the part where the infected tooth is.

You may not find any of these signs in sporadic cases, but a root canal can be identified through X-rays when you go for your routine dental check-ups or treat another issue. This process is not painful; most patients feel very little or no pain during the root canal procedure. Normally, before the dentist starts the procedure, the tooth’s surrounding area is numbed to eradicate the sensation of pain. After the procedure, patients often experience minor pain and sensitivity. Your dentist may prescribe over-the-counter medications to ease any pain or discomfort. If the pain and sensitivity persist, it is advisable to visit your dentist.

Alternatives to Root Canal

A root canal is considered expensive by most individuals, and your insurance cover may not be able to cover the total cost of the procedure. There are many theories to treating root canals, but be careful; most of them may not be that effective.

The most popular alternative to a root canal is extraction, where the whole tooth is removed, as we mentioned earlier. But when this is not possible, there are other options.

Another well-known alternative is natural remedies; it is a known fact that the types of food we choose to eat always affect our oral health. Thus, one is advised to stick to a diet plan that serves as a natural remedy. This means that you will remove all processed sugar, grain products from your diet and stick to high-quality proteins. Keeping a healthy lifestyle is never a bad idea. But then eating healthy cannot restore a damaged tooth.

The use of ozone gas is another alternative. This is where the gas is used to irrigate the cavity on the roots. The gas penetrates the tubes of the tooth through a drilled area. This basically kills the infection and gives the dentist a chance to save the tooth instead of extraction. This could possibly remove the need for a root canal. But often, there is a chance that the infection may recur after a while.