Tens of millions of root canals are performed every year, quite unfortunately. When the nerve of a tooth becomes infected or abscessed due to decay, a crack or trauma, Root Canal Therapy (RCT) has long been thought to be the only way to treat the tooth. The infected nerve is removed and replaced with a filling substance called gutta percha. Made brittle, the tooth is often crowned.
Even though RCT may allow you to keep your tooth for quite some time, it is not a treatment that our dentists fully endorse.
And this is why: in a root canal-treated tooth, most of the nerve is removed; however, countless minute tubules leading from the central nerve canal remain untreated. When you consider that the average tooth contains over three miles of these tubules, you can see that it is impossible to reach and clean them all! Debris collects, tissue putrefies and becomes infected, and bacteria flourish. The resultant production of toxic gases and solutions from these chronic infections challenge the immune system and can lead to illness.
Alternatives to root canals can be an important part of avoiding serious health consequences. Contact us for more information or to set up an initial appointment to discuss your options.
In holistic, whole health-focused dentistry, root canals are to be avoided whenever possible. They represent a stress on the immune system that can manifest in many ways throughout the body. If a root canal is the only treatment available to save a tooth, you will be educated about what a root canal is, and the possible consequences of living with the root canaled tooth.
How can I tell if I’m being affected by a toxic root canal?
If you have a healthy diet and lifestyle and a strong immune system, you may be able to tolerate keeping a tooth that has been root canaled.
But you need to know that a root canaled tooth that is currently being tolerated may become intolerable in the future due to age, illness, or breakdown of the root canal materials. A full discussion about your medical history along with testing can often be great aids in making the decision to keep or extract a root canaled tooth. The Meridian Tooth Chart is a helpful tool to understand the direct relationship between our teeth and the systems in our bodies.
“Just realized as I am driving home from work tonight that every bit of inflammation and pain in my finger joints is gone. It has been years since I could make a tight fist. There had to have been a connection to the root canaled teeth that were removed 5 days ago. The teeth are gone now and it appears the joint pain all over my body is gone too. :):):):):):):):) I am a believer!” – Catherine L.