When a nasty toothache goes away, it’s easy to think your smile is in the clear. Most folks associate a lack of pain with good or decent health. However, the truth is that you may need a root canal even if your tooth stops hurting. The treatment does more than relieve sore teeth; it also makes your grin stronger in the long term. For more relevant details, please keep reading for your Marysville dentist’s explanation.
Root Canals Treat Infections, Not Pain
While a root canal can help with a toothache, “pain relief” isn’t its main job. It can (and would) help your tooth even when the soreness is gone.
You see, the root canal’s role is to remove your tooth’s infected tissue. Treatment only relieves aches when the removed pulp was previously sending pain signals to your brain. If your infection has “killed” the nerves in your tooth, a root canal won’t have any ache-relieving effects. Even so, the removal work would still save your pearly white from harmful bacteria.
Root Canals Help with Other Symptoms
Whether your infected tooth aches or not, a root canal would help with other symptoms your grin is facing. Some common examples include the following:
- Sensitive Teeth
- Swollen Gums
- Halitosis (i.e., Bad Breath)
- Swollen Lymph Nodes
- A Persistent Fever
- Facial Swelling
If you experience any of the above, such signs won’t go away on their own. You’ll need a root canal from your dentist to put a permanent end to them.
Root Canals Prevent Worse Outcomes
Even if your tooth doesn’t hurt now, failing to treat its infection is a bad idea. Going without a root canal will simply cause problems for your whole body later.
Remember, a tooth’s infection doesn’t just disappear after a while. It’ll slowly (but surely) worsen as it goes untreated, eroding your gum and jaw tissue in the process. Its bacteria will also spread to the rest of your body and increase your risk of sepsis – a highly life-threatening problem.
In the end, a root canal is helpful even when a tooth stops hurting. Keep that in mind as you consider your future treatment options.
About the Practice
Northwest Family Dental of Marysville is based in Marysville, OH. Led by Dr. Barry Miller, our practice is eager to make your smile thrive for a lifetime! We thus offer preventive, cosmetic, and restorative dental work, all tailored to your mouth’s specific oral needs. Our team is even able to treat dental emergencies with root canals and tooth extractions. For more details or to book a visit, please contact us on our website or by phone at (937)-642-3434.