A root canal is a dental procedure to clean the decay in a tooth’s pulp and root. Root canals are used to repair and save teeth that have become badly decayed or infected. When the tooth’s pulp, composed of blood vessels and nerves, gets damaged, they need to be removed and the inside of the tooth will be cleaned and sealed.
In case you also suspect a problem with one or more of your teeth, then check out the signs indicating a root canal.
A root canal procedure consists of cleaning out the decay and preserving the infected tooth. The dentist doing root canal treatment will extract bacteria and decay from the tooth pulp, root, and nerve before disinfecting the area with antibiotics; filling the empty roots and at last, will seal the area to prevent new decay
Both your general dentist and an endodontist can do a root canal.
A root canal infection can happen due to several reasons, out of which a few are mentioned below:
Persistent or severe tooth pain: If you experience an intense toothache, especially while eating something or while applying pressure to the tooth, it could be a sign of an infected tooth that requires a root canal.
Your dentist will examine the cause of your aching tooth and check whether your blood vessels or nerves have become inflamed due to infection or not. After evaluating the condition, your dentist might suggest a root canal to ease the pain. Though severe tooth pain can also happen due to gum disease, cavity, a damaged filling, etc. No matter what the cause, it’s a good idea to consult a dentist if you have tooth pain, especially if the pain is persistent.
Sensitivity to hot and cold: Sensitivity to hot or cold foods and beverages that increase much after consuming something hot or cold is a clear indicator of a damaged tooth. Cold foods and drinks can also cause much of pain for those with an infected tooth. On consuming ice cream, if you are experiencing pain, then your dentist might conclude that a root canal is needed to fix the problem with your sensitive tooth.
Gum swelling and tenderness: Swollen or tender gums around a particular tooth can indicate an infection in the tooth’s root. The area might also appear red or exhibit a small bump or pimple-like swelling.
The main cause of swelling is the collection of acidic waste products of dead pulp tissues, thus resulting in swelling outside the root tip area.
Tooth discoloration: Discoloration of a tooth, particularly a darkening or graying, may indicate that the tooth’s nerve is damaged or dead. A root canal might be required to address the underlying issue. Tooth pulps can die due to inadequate blood supply, thus indicating the need for a root canal. Although tooth discoloration can happen due to many other reasons as well, so make sure to consult a dentist before coming to a conclusion.
Prolonged sensitivity to touch: If a tooth is sensitive to touch or feels painful when you tap or apply pressure to it, it could be a sign of infected pulp. Prolonged tooth sensitivity happens due to a damaged root, and thus requires immediate treatment. If you want to get rid of the pain for good and keep contamination from spreading, book a consultation with your dentist.
Cracked or fractured tooth: When a tooth is cracked or fractured, the pulp can become exposed to bacteria, leading to infection. A root canal may be necessary to cure the damaged pulp. If you have an injured tooth, but it doesn’t chip or crack, the injury will still damage the nerves of the tooth. The inflamed nerve causes pain and sensitivity, which may require root canal treatment.
If you suspect that you have a dental issue that can be resolved with a root canal treatment only, get it done at the earliest. Damaged teeth in most cases don’t get noticed until the problem has become more advanced, thus people are advised to visit the dentist regularly.
With the right dentist, the root canal experience will not be daunting.
