One of the common dental procedures is the root canal infection. According to statistics hundreds and thousands of root canal are done every year in the United Kingdom alone. The British Endodontic Society assures that the success rate of a properly conducted root canal treatment is almost 90. In the midst of all this information something important seems to be missing out. What is a root canal? Who needs this treatment and why? How is the treatment done?
Let us explore factual information about Tooth Infection Treatment in the following sections of this blog post.
Understanding the root canal infection
Our tooth is not a solid chunk as it may seem from outside. It has layers inside; the hardest and outermost layer is the protective covering which we see above the gum line. It is called the enamel. Next to it is the dentin layer which is a porous tissue much similar to the sponge. At the centre is the pulp which is a collection of soft tissues. The pulp houses the nerves and the blood vessels that are essential for the tooth to stay alive and retain its health. The innermost pulp chamber contains cells called odontoblasts which help keeping the tooth strong and healthy.
The pulp chamber of the tooth is prone to get infected and even damaged. This may happen because of several reasons including tooth decay, injuries and others. Root canal is the procedure of clearing away the infected or diseased pulp. The procedure saves and retains a tooth that is otherwise likely to lose out making you suffer from tooth loss. Root canal procedure is by and large a safe and reliable procedure assure dentists who possess years of experience in providing successful treatment to tooth infection. It is relevant to mention in this context that there is a slight possibility of the tooth again becoming infected even after undergoing a root canal.
Symptoms of root canal infection
Immediately following a root canal procedure, a little pain is absolutely normal. There could even be little tenderness and discomfort for a few days following the procedure. These are quite common and should not concern you at all. Presence of a mild pain for about a week after the procedure should not raise any alarm.
But if you experience severe pain beyond a week following the procedure then it is better to see your dentist again. Going back to the dentist is more relevant if the pain is just as severe and uncomfortable than before the procedure or even worse than it.
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There are instances when a root canal infection is little delayed. In this type of cases the affected tooth stays pain-free for quite some time during the initial days. A tooth that has already undergone root canal treatment may or may not heal completely explains a dentist who handles a large number of root canal infection cases in London round the year. Even after months or years following the treatment it may become diseased and painful
Signs and symptoms to revisit your dentist
In the following section of this post let us explore few signs and symptoms that are common in root canal cases. If you ever experience these symptoms then you should better understand that it is time again to revisit your dentist for a repeat treatment.
- Pain or discomfort which may range from mild tenderness to unbearable and torturous experience, especially while applying pressure on the tooth or having anything either cold or hot.
- Discharge of pus is another tell-tale sign and the pus could be yellowish, greenish or even colourless.
- Reddish, swollen tissue which feels warm near the tooth is another typical symptom for you to be aware about. As a matter of fact, this symptom affects the tissues of the gum surrounding the tooth. In severe cases the swelling may even spread to the face and the neck.
- A consistent bad taste in your mouth or bad smell in your breath is another common thing for these patients. The bad smell or taste originates from the infected tissue in the mouth.
- Many patients suffering from this dental infection also complains about discomfort or tenderness in the area of swelling or the affected tissues especially when you touch or apply pressure to it.
Is it possible for the infection to spread to the gums and the other teeth?
Like many other infections that occur in various parts of the body, an infection of the root canal can also spread to the surrounding tissues. This is how the problem of root canal affects the face, cheek and the mouth including the other teeth and the gums. This infection never clears away on its own. It only goes away when your dentist provides the right treatment to it and the longer you leave it untreated, the further it may spread and more complications it can bring up.
How soon the right treatment is provided (after noticing the symptoms of course) to the infection determines how far it can spread. The earlier the treatment starts the spread of the infection can be expected to be minimal and thus there are lesser chances of getting the surrounding teeth and the tissues affected. On the other hand, when an infected root canal is left untreated, it can easily spread much beyond the tooth. There are innumerable instances of the infection in the tooth spreading to the jaws, the face and even the bloodstream when left ignored and untreated.
Reasons behind root canal infection
There can be numerous reasons for a tooth to develop an infection in its root canal. Some of the reasons include the following –
- The shape of the root canal can be quite complicated and because of that the areas where the infection may remain hidden could go undetected during the previous treatment.
- A narrow a curved canal of an infected tooth could not be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected during the previous treatment.
- The tooth could have additional canals where the bacteria could have holed up. In course of time the bacteria come out of their hiding and infect the tooth once again.
- Dental restoration following the previous root canal (like crown) could have been fitted late after the previous treatment and that could provide the harmful bacteria to return back into the tooth.
- The tooth may even succumb to a new cavity after the treatment; the tooth may also suffer crack or damage which in turn leads to a fresh infection in the root canal.
Even revisit of the infection after extraction of the tooth is not unknown. However, in any case you can be rest assured about the fact that root canal infections do not lead to cancer in any way. You can book the appointment at Thousand Smiles for the better treatment as well.