Root canals have a long-standing reputation for being scary, painful, and hard to recover from. Thankfully, friendly experts from your local dental office in Victory Plaza are happy to tell you that those things couldn’t be further from the truth. If you have ever asked, “How painful is a root canal, and why would I get one?” then you’ve come to the right place. Today we will review some of the biggest benefits of root canals and describe the process so you can see how it actually heals pain rather than causing it.
How Painful is a Root Canal?
How Root Canals Work
The root canal procedure has been streamlined over the years to be a quick, effective, and almost painless process. If you are dealing with dental decay that has spread throughout your mouth, you may not be able to fix it with a simple cavity filling. Once infections spread to the root of the tooth, the root must be scooped out and the tooth “deadened” to prevent the further spread of decay.
During the process itself, your dentist will numb the area so you do not feel anything while the process takes place. Once you are numb, the dentist will use a drill to make a hole and then remove the decayed tissue. You will then be patched up and sent home to recover.
Do Root Canals Actually Hurt?
Root canals do not cause pain; in fact, this procedure is the best way to prevent some of the more extreme feelings of pain that may come from unchecked tooth decay. Infections cause several negative symptoms that can spread quickly across the mouth, such as sensitivity, pain, chipping, and discoloration. A root canal will work to remove the source of pain so you can begin the road to recovery.
Your dentist will make sure that you are comfortable and pain-free while the procedure is taking place. Once you are sent home to recover, you may feel a little bit of swelling and soreness as your mouth recovers from inflammation. You might be given some pain medication to manage this as your mouth goes back to normal. But when it comes to the procedure itself, it will never be a source of additional pain.
Avoid a Root Canal with Good Dental Health!
Root canals can be avoided by catching sight of infection as early as you can. If you cannot receive a filling, the decay will continue to progress until it warrants a root canal. If you still leave the infection unchecked, you may not be able to save your tooth with a root canal. Then the only resort left ends up as total extraction.
You can avoid all of these treatments altogether by changing your habits and investing in better dental health.
Top Tips to Follow
There are several tips and tricks you can follow to improve your oral health on a regular basis:
- Brush and floss every day. You should brush at least twice per day after you eat a meal. And try to floss in between teeth to remove leftover food particles.
- Visit your dentist for a cleaning. When you get regular checkups and screenings, you can detect any sort of dental problem early enough to fix it before it causes major issues in your life. You can also get a deep clean which keeps your teeth protected against future damage.
- Take note of sensitive teeth. If you are reacting to hot or cold foods, make sure to take note of it. You may have a growing cavity of infection. And the sooner you can have it checked, the easier it will prove to avoid a root canal procedure.
If you are having an issue with your dental health, don’t hesitate to reach out for help. Contact your dentist immediately for a helpful root canal treatment, and we can schedule your appointment ASAP.