What Leads To a Root Canal?

Here at Forestside Dental, we protect the smiles of our patients by providing a wide range of dental treatments. If you have decaying or rotting teeth, you may benefit from root canal surgery. Endodontic services are available at our highly recommended dental practice, but what leads to root canal treatment being needed? Is it possible to reduce your risk of requiring this kind of dental treatment? Our experts have all the answers to your root canal questions right here in this article.

Why Does a Tooth Need Root Canal Treatment?

Root canal surgery is performed to treat infections located in the centre of a tooth. Without root canal treatment, infected teeth can become extremely painful and may need to be extracted. Our expert specialists can save your natural teeth by cleaning out the decay and treating the infection.

The centre of a tooth is known as the root canal, and infections in this area are caused by bacteria inside of the mouth. The main issues that can lead to root canal surgery include:

• Leaky fillings
• Tooth decay
• Tooth damage - cracks and chips

All teeth are made up of enamel, dentine, cementum and dental pulp. When the dental pulp inside the root canal has become damaged by an infection, treatment may be needed to restore the health of your tooth.

When the dental pulp is infected, it can lead to inflammation and painful symptoms. You may notice your tooth hurts when exposed to hot or cold substances, and it may be painful to chew.

The team here at Forestside will perform an assessment of your teeth to determine whether you are suffering from a root canal infection. If we discover that your pulp is infected or has already died due to the spread of bacteria, we will develop a bespoke treatment plan and schedule your root canal treatment.

Signs You May Need a Root Canal

Tooth pain is never a good sign, but if you find your teeth are persistently painful, there’s likely something going on that needs to be checked over by a dentist. Keeping up to date on your regular dental checkups is essential; dentists are trained to spot the early signs of any gum or teeth problems and provide treatment before symptoms get any worse.

If you have missed your recent appointments and are not sure if you now need a root canal, here are some common symptoms:

• Tooth discolouration
• Sensitive (to both hot and cold)
• Constant tooth pain
• Swollen gums
• Loose tooth
• Chipped or cracked tooth
• Pain during eating/when a tooth is touched
  

If a root canal infection is left to spread, the symptoms may initially ease - this is not a good sign. This type of infection will not go away on its own, and if you feel like your symptoms have vanished, it likely means the dental pulp has died. When left untreated, severe root canal infections can lead to the following symptoms:

• Tooth discolouration
• Puss coming out of the infected tooth
• Swelling of the gum surrounding the tooth
• Pain when chewing/biting

Benefits of Root Canal Treatment

For anyone suffering from tooth pain, we urge you to get in touch with us at Forestside Dental. Teeth are not meant to hurt, and when an infected root canal is ignored, the infection can spread and eventually lead to tooth loss. We are a friendly team and aim to make every one of our patients feel completely at ease during their appointments.

During root canal treatment, our dentists use an antibacterial solution to successfully clean the pulp and fit a filling or crown to repair any damage caused by the infection. We offer local anaesthetic and effective sedation, ensuring every stage of your treatment is as pain free as possible.

Root canal treatment can have the following benefits:

• No more pain
• Prevents tooth loss
• Fresher breath
• A healthier smile
• Improves oral hygiene now and in the future
  

How To Prevent a Root Canal

Root canal treatment is an effective way to heal an infection in the centre of your tooth, but preventing bacteria in the first place should be a priority. An infected tooth can cause severe pain, but there are many things you can do to reduce your risk of harmful bacteria entering the root canal.

To keep your teeth healthy, follow these hygiene hacks:

• Brush your teeth twice a day
• Use mouthwash
• Floss between your teeth
• Limit the amount of sugar you consume
• Quit smoking
• Always attend your scheduled dental check ups

Repair Your Smile With Forestside Dental

Don’t put off booking your root canal consultation. The longer you leave it, the more damage the infection can cause. This type of bacteria can not be treated with antibiotics from the GP. You will need to visit a dentist for effective root canal treatment.

At Forestside, we are committed to helping our patients get their healthy smiles back. Our leading private practice is based in Dibden Purlieu, and we offer various endodontic services to people in Southampton, the New Forest and surrounding areas.

Call our team today on 023 8087 9088 to learn more about our root canal treatments. Alternatively, you can get in touch via our online contact form.