Taking care of your teeth is just as important as taking the best skincare products for your skin. You cannot pull off the best smile, eat and speak confidently, or exhale a fresh breath if there’s a problem with your dentition.
And if you’re struggling with a dental issue, you should seek professional dental services to help you with a dental procedure. Our previous article explored what dental crowns are and why you may need one. In this article, we will be discussing everything you need to know about root canals.
What are Root Canals?
A root canal is a restorative dental treatment administered to salvage a damaged or badly infected tooth or set of teeth. This typically happens when the soft tissue containing blood vessels, nerves, and other tissues inside the tooth gets infected due to tooth exposure.
Root canal treatment involves the removal of the soft tissue that has been infected and sealing the teeth shut to prevent infection in the future. If the soft tissue isn’t treated on time, it could result in bone loss, leading to the loss of the entire tooth.
This dental procedure is only used when the case is severe. But you’ve nothing to worry about, as the procedure is simple and less painful.
Causes of Root Canals
Root canals do not happen overnight. They are caused by some factors, and we will look at them.
- Failure to brush or floss regularly. It is highly recommended to brush your teeth at least twice daily. Brushing your teeth helps to remove residue from meals which are called biofilms. Biofilms turn into plaques which causes the tooth to degenerate. You should floss your teeth to remove residues that your toothbrush cannot remove.
- Failure to carry out dental checkups. As much as regular medical checkups are essential to ascertain the nature of your physical health, it is also necessary to go for dental checkups. Your dentist can critically monitor and treat any dental ailment before a root canal is ever done.
- Prolonged gum disease. Another cause of tooth decay or infection that would require root canal treatment is long-term gum disease that is left untreated. This gum disease – called periodontal disease – attacks the soft tissue inside the teeth. That’s why it is important to seek dental attention regularly to monitor your dental health.
Need for Root Canal Treatment
You may notice some red flags that you may need a root canal treatment. Some of these warning signs include:
- Tooth bleeding. If you’re bleeding from your gums, there’s a possibility that you’d need a root canal treatment. Bleeding from the gum could mean that the soft tissue has been damaged.
- Gum discoloration/swelling. If you notice that a particular gum of the tooth is colored differently from the rest and/or is swollen, it could mean that the soft tissue in the tooth has been infected. You should seek dental attention.
- Spontaneous toothache. If you experience a toothache at the most random times, you may need a root canal treatment.
- A crack, hole, or chip in your tooth. If you notice that your tooth is cracked, chipped, or revealing cavities, you may need a root canal treatment.
- Pain when chewing or biting. Another reason why you may need a root canal treatment is if you experience pain either when biting or chewing.
- Loosened tooth. If your tooth is loosened, it could mean it is infected, and you may need a root canal procedure.
- Sensitive to cold or hot food or drinks. Have you ever experienced a sensation when eating hot or cold food? You may need a root canal.
- Facial swelling. You should seek dental attention if your face is swollen.
In some rare cases, you may not experience any of the mentioned symptoms. A dental x-ray could spot the infected tooth. That’s why it is recommended to carry dental checkups regularly.
Is Root Canal Treatment Necessary?
If you’ve got infected soft tissue in your teeth, it is essential to seek professional dental service to receive root canal treatments. Why? Damage tissues tend to spread, which may damage your tooth ultimately. In that case, extraction or dental implants will then be recommended.
Root canal treatment is necessary if you don’t want your tooth to degenerate completely.
Is Root Canal Treatments Painful?
One of the major misconceptions about dental procedures is that most people assume it is painful. In reality, these procedures aren’t as scary as they make them to be.
Particularly, you’re going to experience zero to mild pains during root canal procedure, as the treatment is snappy and straightforward.
What Do You Do if You Need a Root Canal Treatment?
If you’re struggling with the symptoms above, it is recommended to seek dental attention. Nunyara Dental is an industry-leading professional clinic that offers top-notch dental care to patients.
Our services include protective, restorative, preventative, sedation, and emergency dental assistance. We are located in Greenwood, Perth, Western Australia, and operate from 7am – 5pm on weekdays.
You can either reach out to us to book online or physically schedule an appointment when you pay a visit to us.