As a dentist in the Holistic Family Dental practice of National Integrated Health Associates I meet several patients every day with root canal or potential root canal issues.  Most patients presenting with potential root canal issues have great misunderstandings of the issues surrounding root canals, or how a root canal can impact health.

The Simple Truth About Root Canals

The nerve and blood vessels within all teeth are collectively referred to as the pulp and provides the vitality and immune resistance to the tooth in which they reside.  Most people and even some dentists may mistakenly believe that a toothache necessarily means that the tooth requires a root canal but that is not necessarily the case.

If a tooth is decayed, traumatized or exposed to microbes the nerve will first become inflamed.  This is called a pulpitis or inflammation of the pulp.  The first stage of pulpitis is termed acute pulpitis and if left untreated will become a chronic pulpitis.

Both acute and chronic pulpitis can have symptoms (pain) or be asymptomatic (i.e., no pain).   What most dentists may not understand or do not have the tools to accomplish is to reverse acute and chronic pulpitis.   This reversal needs homeopathic anti-inflammatories plus healing lasers.

What You Need to Know Before Going to the Dentist

If a pulpitis is not treated it usually becomes a dead, necrotic tooth.  The necrotic tooth may or may not have symptoms.  Once a tooth becomes necrotic it will attract microbial infection.  The ways to stop this infection within a necrotic tooth is either extractions or to perform a root canal.

A root canal cleans out the pulp chamber and disinfects the chamber before filling the canal with a plastic material intended to seal out any microbes / bacteria.  Unfortunately, the walls of a tooth around this central canal are porous and will be the space in which dangerous (anaerobic) microbes may grow even if the root canal is perfectly completed.

Root Canals and Your Health

These microbes produce a nerve toxin in the root canal tooth which seeps into the blood outside the root canal tooth and circulates to the rest of the body.  This is the danger to health which root canals may pose and which some traditional dentists may not recognize.

If a tooth needs to be saved (e.g. central incisor of an 18 year old woman) and it needs a root canal to save it, the dentists at NIHA generally will infuse concentrated oxygen into the root canal before filling the canal.   This kills the microbes.  We do not know how long this antimicrobial action will last but it gives the root canal a fighting chance to be healthy.

It you are experiencing a symptomatic tooth,  have been told you need a root canal or have existing root canals with which you are concerned please contact me to discuss your particular situation.