Root canals are designed to remove injured or infected soft tissue and seal it inside a tooth. This enables the tooth to heal and can be restored with a dental crown.
However, bacteria that live inside dead and filled teeth, such as anaerobic streptococcus, spirochetes, staphylococcus, and even fungi, leak into the bloodstream and damage several organ systems, causing various illnesses. This is known as focal infection. Call the pros at boca Dental and Braces now.
Gum disease is caused by bacteria in the mouth that, if left unchecked, leads to severe gum recession and tooth loss. Root canals are a common treatment for this condition, so knowing the risks of having one done is important.
The first thing to consider is the bacteria killed in a root canal. When a dentist drills and files the inside of your tooth, she also creates a small hole in the surface. This allows bacteria to escape the cavity and enter the bloodstream, infecting other body parts. The bacteria can also infect the gums and bone, which causes the periodontal ligament to pull the tooth from the socket. Despite these dangers, dentists and their trade associations insist that root canal therapy is safe.
Another thing to consider is the bacteria created in a root canal. When the dental pulp in a dead tooth dies, bacteria begin to grow in the bone surrounding it. These bacteria are known as anaerobic bacteria, and they produce powerful toxins. Researchers found approximately 400 percent more anaerobic bacteria in the blood adjacent to a tooth with a root canal than in the tooth itself. The researchers determined that this increase in bacteria was because the dead tooth offered an array of bacterial nutrients unavailable elsewhere in the body.
Lastly, bacteria in a root canal can cause problems with the sinuses. The liquid oozes from the root canal near the sinus cavities. This can cause irritation and inflammation, leading to headaches and congestion.
Other possible complications of having a root canal include an imperfect seal, which increases the chance that bacteria can penetrate the tooth and cause another infection. In addition, it’s important to understand that a root canal can make the tooth more brittle because some of the tooth structure is removed during the procedure. A root canal-treated tooth is also more likely to fracture, especially when subjected to excessive chewing force.
Researchers have found that the bacteria in root canals can enter the bloodstream and cause serious health issues. A common oral bacteria called Fusobacterium nucleatum has a special trick to open little doors in the blood vessels surrounding the dead tooth and then release the bacteria into the body. These bacteria can reach major organs and attack them directly. Research shows that of the eight bacteria most prevalent in the blood adjacent to a root canal tooth, five target the heart, three target the nervous system, and two target each the kidneys and liver.
Bacteria released into the bloodstream by a root canal tooth cause inflammation in the joints and other areas of the body. This can be the source of chronic pain, fatigue, and a wide range of other health problems.
Anaerobic bacteria that do not require oxygen thrive in the side canals of dead teeth and excrete toxins from digesting the decaying tissue. These toxins invade the blood supply and lymphatics surrounding these teeth and spread toxicity to every organ in the body. This toxicity is linked to the development of many health conditions, including cancers, autoimmune diseases, musculoskeletal diseases, and inflammatory diseases.
Root canal infection can cause pain, swelling, and fever and can recur in some patients. If you are experiencing these symptoms, you should visit your dentist as soon as possible to get the infection treated.
If you choose to have a root canal, make sure to visit a biological dentist who will be able to provide alternative, toxin-free forms of dentistry. This type of dentist will also be able to offer advice on how to protect your teeth and gums.
Avoiding root canal infections is important to preserve your natural teeth for as long as possible. Infection from a root canal can lead to various health complications that can be difficult to treat. Infection from a root canal can be very serious, and it should be treated as soon as possible to prevent further health problems.
The bacteria released from these contamination sites can damage your cardiovascular, endocrine, immune, and nervous systems. They can also cause dental abscesses and a host of other health problems. This is why it’s so important to treat your root canal infection promptly, especially if you have amalgam fillings.
When a root canal is done correctly by a specialist endodontist, it is completely disinfected before it is sealed. However, if an expert doesn’t perform the procedure, there are many ways that it can be mishandled or otherwise fail. For example, empty root canals are made up of small, winding passageways that an endodontist can miss if they’re not properly assessed and cleaned. Also, if the seal fails, bacteria can reinfect the tooth and re-inflame it.
Root canal infections can be painful and dangerous if left untreated. If they spread to the jawbone or gum tissue, they can cause a dental abscess that can destroy the bone and even erupt from the gum. This can lead to tooth loss or require more extensive treatment, such as an implant or bridge.
A dentist who offers root canal therapy can help you regain full use of your teeth. In addition to removing the infected part of your tooth, they can shape, fill, and seal it to fortify it and prevent future infections. They can also treat the gums to prevent them from reinfecting the tooth.
In the 1920s, Dr. Weston Price presented research demonstrating that nearly all root canals harbor pathological bacteria. While culturing these anaerobic bacteria was difficult with 1920s technology, DNA analysis can easily identify them today. His studies found that if these bacteria were transferred from a human’s extracted root canal to a rabbit’s bloodstream, they would induce heart disease in the animal. While modern dentistry has shifted from his original conclusions, it is still possible for bacteria-laden root canals to leak into the bloodstream and cause serious health problems, even death. Fortunately, prompt treatment of infected teeth is the only thing that can prevent this from happening.
When a tooth is broken, infected, or abscessed, dentists can sometimes save it with root canal treatment. The procedure involves cleaning and disinfecting the inner nerve tissue before removing it and filling the cavity with dental fillers. But it’s not without risks. Some patients develop recurrent infections after root canals, and some researchers have linked this to other health problems.
A Netflix documentary is causing many people to reconsider their decision to get a root canal. Titled “The Toxic Tooth,” it cites numerous examples of illnesses whose roots can be traced back to an infected tooth in the mouth. The film’s author, Robert Kulacz, is a former endodontist, and his research is changing how the field perceives root canal therapy.
During his research, he found that anaerobic bacteria, which do not need oxygen to thrive, live in the empty side canals of dead teeth. These bacteria exude toxins into the blood supply and lymphatics that surround the dead teeth. This toxicity invades the body’s tissues and organ systems, resulting in many diseases, such as autoimmune disorders, cancers, musculoskeletal diseases, and even fibromyalgia.
In addition, Kulacz found that the bacteria harbored in the teeth can transfer to other parts of the body. He also did a series of experiments where he shared the bacteria from a dead, root-canalized tooth with rabbits, and in most cases, the transfer worked perfectly. He found that heart disease was one of the diseases that could be transferred, doubling or tripling the incidence in the rabbits within a few weeks.
While he admits that not everyone who gets a root canal suffers from these effects, Kulacz believes it is important to recognize the dangers of this common dental procedure. Ideally, root canal therapy should only be carried out when a damaged tooth can’t be saved by other means.
It’s also important to note that complications can occur for any dental procedure, including tooth extractions. Fortunately, these complications can be prevented with proper preparation and the help of a skilled dentist.