Everyone appreciates the benefits of good oral health. Not only will proper dental care help you to retain an attractive smile and a functional set of chompers, but good oral hygiene will ensure that you avoid mouth disease, pain, and costly dental procedures.
Of course, your oral health is not entirely in your hands. Even if you brush, floss, and rinse after every meal, avoid sugary sodas and tobacco products, and visit your dentist in Birmingham AL regularly, you may still end up dealing with some oral health issues.
Tooth decay can be linked to heredity, other diseases, and even old age. So eventually you might have to face a procedure like a root canal in order to restore your oral health and preserve your teeth.
For many people, this news is cause for concern, not only because such procedures are rather serious, but also because there is a host of misinformation surrounding dental procedures, and root canals in particular. If you’re worried about an upcoming root canal, it’s always best to speak with your trusted Birmingham dentist, but here are a few common myths debunked to put your mind at ease.
1. Root Canals are Painful
In generations past, this may have been the case. But modern dentistry has advanced to the point that you no longer have to concern yourself with the pain of this intensive procedure.
In fact, this procedure is often intended to alleviate the pain of a dying nerve, infected pulp, or a broken tooth. Your dentist Birmingham AL will not recommend this procedure if it isn’t absolutely necessary, and he/she will work hard to ensure that you have the best experience possible.
This means taking steps to keep you calm and eliminate pain during the procedure, and any pain you felt before the root canal should be gone once the procedure is complete. In most cases, patients feel a lot better following a root canal.
2. You Don’t Need One Unless You’re in Pain
If you’re experiencing tooth pain there’s a good chance you’re suffering from a serious condition that may or may not require a root canal to correct. You should see your dentist Birmingham AL immediately for a diagnosis and treatment.
That said, a dead tooth may not cause you any pain, but you’ll likely still need a root canal to stave off further decay and potentially more serious problems. Just because you have no pain doesn’t mean you can afford to ignore your dentist’s expert advice to have a root canal.
3. The Procedure Causes More Harm than Good
This pervasive myth can be attributed to a single study that is almost a century old at this point. Dr. Westin Price presented his findings based on poorly executed case studies, claiming that root canals could cause illnesses like heart and kidney disease and even arthritis due to lingering bacteria.
He used his research to promote the practice of tooth removal. The research presented has long since been debunked and no further supporting evidence for the argument has been published, and yet, the myth persists. All you have to do is speak with a reputable Birmingham dentist to discover the falsehood of this myth.
4. Problems will Recur
There is no guarantee that you won’t have additional oral health issues following a root canal, but this procedure has proven to be a lasting solution for many conditions for which it is prescribed as a treatment. A root canal, followed up with the fitting of a crown, can help to preserve the integrity of a damaged or diseased tooth for many years to come.
5. It’s Better to Have a Tooth Pulled
As any good dentist in Birmingham AL will tell you, pulling a tooth is a measure of last resort. For starters, this trauma can take weeks to recover from, and having a gap can lead to additional risk for surrounding teeth thanks to difficulty of cleaning and the a resulting increase in bacteria, plaque, and tartar buildup.
Once you’re over the age of about 30, it takes much longer to heal from having a tooth pulled, and if you’re not keen to have an unsightly gap in your smile, you’ll have to replace your missing tooth with a false one, which can be uncomfortable and expensive. In other words, a root canal is almost certainly preferable to having a tooth pulled.