Root canal procedure may have a bad reputation, but it is usually seamless and painless.
The main side effect of missing a root canal procedure is worsening teeth health.
Usually, a dentist will recommend root canal surgery when your pulp has infections. If not treated early, the issue will spread to other parts of your tooth, and you will likely need a complete tooth removal.
The rest of this guide discusses the side effects of not doing root canal surgery. Keep reading to discover the effects of missing this surgery and what to do.
What Happens Without Root Canal Treatment?
You don’t need to worry much if you miss your initial root canal surgery treatment. You’re good to go if you’re scheduling another root canal appointment.
However, your oral health is at risk if you decide not to undergo the root canal process.
Some of the things that can occur when you need a root canal procedure include the following;
The Condition Will Get Worse
The most apparent reason to get a root canal treatment immediately is the condition worsening. You’ve probably ignored the early signs of the tooth infection, which is why you need a root canal treatment. If you cojtinue to ignore it, the pulp will deteriorate, causing more pain.
The outer part of your tooth may seem hard and strong; however, the pulp is soft and weak. The affected pulp can’t heal itself of any infection. The pain caused by the infection is bad and can spread to other teeth.
Heart Disease
In research involving five hundred people, snubbing an infection in your tooth can cause the acute coronary syndrome. This condition describes when your heart arteries clog together, triggering a heart attack. According to the study, the risks of having this condition increase by 300% if you have an existing bacterial infection in your tooth.
If you have an existing heart problem, it can cause endocarditis. Endocarditis is a severe medical condition causing inflammation in the inner parts of the heart chambers and valves.
Other body parts that can get affected if you avoid or delay root canal treatment include:
- Stomach
- Jaw bone
- Neck
Related Article: What are the Benefits of Getting a Root Canal Done?
Increased Pain
Toothache is one of the most severe pains you can experience. You may not feel the pain as much during the day due to different activities. But at night, when you lie down, your head gets a rush of blood flow, which may increase the pain.
Toothache from tooth decay comes in stages, from low to unbearable pains. Some of the stages of tooth pain include;
- Sensitivity: This is a mild pain you feel when taking in hot or cold food or beverages. This pain is the first sign that something is wrong with your tooth.
- Sharp pain at intervals: This type of pain isn’t consistent, but you mostly can’t bear it when it comes. You’ll feel it in the gum of the affected tooth.
- Severe pain: These pains are the most unbearable and consistent. For most of us, it’s when we feel this pain that we visit the dentist.
The pains of a tooth infection are usually sharp and inconsistent, causing you to downplay the importance of the root canal procedure. The warning bells should go off if you suddenly stop feeling pain in your tooth.
Toothaches are a sign your tissues are struggling with an infection. The pain suddenly disappears when the infection has killed the tooth tissues. It also insinuates that the infection has spread to your gums, surrounding teeth, and other body parts.
Usually, it takes several months before tooth decay kills your tooth tissues. So you have a lot of time to take care of the situation before it spreads.
You Will Lose Natural Tooth
Part of your dentist’s job is to keep your natural teeth intact for as long as possible. A dentist only recommends tooth removal when the tissues are dead or an infection can spread.
You shouldn’t miss a tooth canal procedure if a dentist recommends it. The treatment may be the last chance to save the tooth from removal.
There are five stages of tooth decay, and needing a root canal means you’re close to losing the teeth. Here are the five stages of tooth decay;
- Demineralization
- Enamel decay
- Dentin decay
- Pulp damage
- Abscess
- Tooth removal
A root canal procedure involves pulp removal and tooth cleaning. So you’ll only need a root canal when the decay reaches the pulp.
If you undergo root canal surgery early, you will most likely save your tooth from removal.
It Will Cost More Money
Bacteria spreading to other teeth and organs in the body is the scariest of all side effects of not doing root canals. Apart from causing tooth removal, your other teeth aren’t safe, especially the surrounding ones.
Most times, if you delay the root canal, the bacteria may have spread. That means that you’ll be requiring more than the necessary root canal visits to the dentist. Have it in mind that you’ll pay for every visit to the dentist.
Related Article: What Is Root Canal Surgery?
Book a Root Canal Treatment Today
Root canals have a false reputation of being painful and causing tooth cancer. In reality, it’s a safe dental procedure. And the associated pain is bearable. Your dentist will primarily administer anesthesia, reducing the pain you’ll feel throughout the root canal procedure.
At Osmin Denture, our dental team is ready to assist you with root canal surgery. We have experience treating tooth decay without causing you pain or alleviating issues. Check out our dental clinic for safe root canal treatment with a comprehensive aftercare procedure.