Infected Root Canal Symptoms
By being aware of the symptoms of an infected Root Canal, you will be able to seek medical advice sooner. It is strongly recommended to do this as doing so will minimise the potential problems the infection can cause.
It is usually very easy to spot if your root canal is infected because this is usually a painful experience. If in doubt you should always contact a dentist who will be able to let you know for certain if you have an infected root canal.
Early Symptoms of a Pulp Infection
If the pulp, the soft tissue in the centre of the tooth is infected you will experience discomfort in your teeth. Day to day activities will become more difficult if you have a pulp infection. Specific issues pulp infections can cause include:
- Difficulty eating and drinking hot or cold food and drink
- Difficulty biting and chewing
- A loose tooth
The development of a Pulp Infection
When the pulp infection develops the pulp may die. When this happens it is possible for the symptoms to appear to have been healed. However, this usually means that the infection has spread to the rest of the root canal system. You may experience the following symptoms when this happens:
- Difficulty biting and chewing
- The gum surrounding the infected tooth may begin to swell
- Pus may come out the affected tooth
- Your face may become swollen
- The colour of the tooth may become darker
The quicker you seek help for Root Canal issues the easier it is to fix the problem. Being aware of the symptoms will help you do this.
There is a lot of information available regarding pulp infections and the different ways that root canal treatments can be used to help clear them.
Why is it essential to spot the problem early?
Bacteria can spread rapidly in the tooth. This leads to the problem worsening. If the infection has progressed to a certain point the chance of failure of a normal root canal treatment becomes much higher. You may need to rely on other methods such as extraction in this situation.
Apart from fixing the problem earlier the other essential thing to do to stop the bacteria spreading rapidly is to maintain good oral hygiene. However, this is not enough to clean out a pulp infection and there it is therefore no replacement for root canal treatment.
Why do some people ignore the symptoms of pulp infections?
So many people avoid seeing their dentist when their teeth hurt. There are many possible reasons for this. Many people are worried that if they go to their dentist then more serious problems will be uncovered. However, the biggest problem with this attitude is that leaving the problem untreated can cause the problem to worsen.
In addition, many people are scared of having root canal treatment done. In reality, there is probably nothing to worry about. Most people who have the procedure done say that the surgery doesn’t hurt any more then a filling does. As with any other dental treatment, early treatment is the best treatment. Leaving the problem to deteriorate can only cause a more painful experience at the dentist.
Not only can leaving the problem have a more painful outcome, it can be much more expensive. Some people avoid going to the dentist because they are worried about the costs that might arise. However, if more serious procedures are required because the patient waited for the problem to fix itself then the patient would certainly not have been saving money.
Using Medi-compare to compare different dentists is one of many ways to help make dentistry more affordable.
Fear of the dentist
You should not be embarrassed if you are afraid of the dentist. Many people have a medical fear of going to the dentist. You may be too embarrassed to seek help for this. However, there is no need for this.
Fortunately, there are many services and resources available for those with a fear of the dentist.
The British Dental Health Treatment provide many services and advice to those who become anxious at the dentist. They have a list of frequently asked questions on their website designed for those who are too embarrassed to ask their dentist about their fear and seek advice.