Root Canal or Pull the tooth?

[lilyalic]

Hey guys, I'm worrying a little as I've got an issue with another tooth (what a surprise). I've been using the mouthwash and toothpaste suggested, also using hydrogen peroxide to clean the tooth brush, sometimes I use it as mouthwash also. The temporary filling seems to be going strong, and sensitivity in the mouth has improved.

One of my tooth close to the front teeth at the bottom, the bottom lining of the back of it has cracked off, due to tooth decay I assume as part of it was grey. As I brushed my teeth the rest of the "line" fell away. There's no sensitivity coming from the tooth, there's just a part of chipped tooth. I'm not sure whether this might require a trip to the dentist?

FWIW I am planning to do the Autoimmune protocol when I'm able to fund it.

 

[Ollie]

Hey guys, I'm worrying a little as I've got an issue with another tooth (what a surprise). I've been using the mouthwash and toothpaste suggested, also using hydrogen peroxide to clean the tooth brush, sometimes I use it as mouthwash also. The temporary filling seems to be going strong, and sensitivity in the mouth has improved.

One of my tooth close to the front teeth at the bottom, the bottom lining of the back of it has cracked off, due to tooth decay I assume as part of it was grey. As I brushed my teeth the rest of the "line" fell away. There's no sensitivity coming from the tooth, there's just a part of chipped tooth. I'm not sure whether this might require a trip to the dentist?

FWIW I am planning to do the Autoimmune protocol when I'm able to fund it.

A dentist will fill in the chip for you, or if necessary pull the tooth.

 

[lilyalic]

Hi guys, my temporary filling that I got last year has already given in.
I've got ANOTHER ABSCESS. and I'm buying that damb book about curing tooth decay.

I'm trying to see if I can just take the medication and swill DMSO/iodine/Amoxicillin (I've been doing the DMSO/ Iodine swilling for around 4 weeks since it was suggested because my teeth were aching) but it looks as if this tooth is turning more grey everyday so I think it might be dying :/
I cannot afford a root canal, so if in a few days it gets worse and the pain doesn't subside then I think I may have to get it removed by a private dentist as the NHS said they can't do it because of where it is and how complex the root formation is.

I'm just pretty scared tbh, I'm had such a terrible time with my teeth for years and I'm sick of getting abscesses - I don't want to lose yet another tooth because of an infection. :/

 

[beewalk]

ROOT CANAL

I have severe dental pain for the last few months. It intensifies during a night and lessens during the day time. I have lost my sleep because of this pain. I consulted a dentist at Toronto and he recommended for an emergency root canal treatment (_http://www.emergency-dental-365.com/procedures/emergency-root-canal/ ). Is root canal treatment painful? Will it have any side effect? Should I follow a strict diet after the surgery?

 

[PerfectCircle]

Not really related to problem of the topic, but I suggest everyone (even if teeth and throat are healthy) to gargle sage tea from time to time.
It is very very good for oral hygiene and really helps preserving your teeth.

 

[Ant22]

I didn't want to start a separate thread so I thought I'd post in this one as the issue is similar to the topic of the thread. I was wondering if someone could advise me on this.

I recently had a bottom wisdom tooth extracted and this resulted in another tooth becoming very painful. That tooth is on the same side as the one that was removed was, but it's an upper jaw tooth.

The pain was excruciating and I was on very strong prescription pain killers until I could open my jaw sufficiently to see my dentist again. They did an X-Ray and there's no reason for the pain: there is an old and large filling that ends 1 millimetre away from the nerve but the filling is in tact. There is no hole or cavity there.

The dentist suspected the (quite severe) drilling to remove the wisdom tooth must have stirred the filling up, resulting in a pinched nerve. I had a 2ml steroid injection on Thursday that eased the pain significantly but it didn't completely go away. It was still slightly painful yesterday but - today I hardly feel it anymore, there's only a small amount of discomfort left.

Thing is, having heard that the tooth was still slightly painful a day after the steroid injection the dentist said the tooth was most likely in the process of dying and it needed a root canal. She booked me in for Monday morning - but given that the pain is pretty much gone now I'm not so sure I should go ahead with it.

I'd much prefer to avoid a root canal if I can but my biggest worry is that the tooth starts playing up again and there's another lockdown. This was why I had the wisdom tooth extracted in the first place as I had two infections during the lockdown and dental services weren't allowed during that time. Needless to say that was a bit traumatising.

And I can't be sure if the steroids solved the problem or if the problem returns once the effect of the injection wears off. The dentist's initial advice was to leave the tooth for now and just observe it. It it becomes painful again I could have the root canal done then.

But I start a new job in a week's time and taking time off will be tricky. They've already postponed my start date so I can have the tooth sorted so taking time off for that tooth later will not be too professional. Additionally, I'm currently in my home country where I can get this done much quicker and cheaper than in the UK so if I don't have the root canal done now I'll have to rely on a much slower service resulting in having to put up with pain for much longer before I can be seen.

I haven't even used that side of my mouth for chewing because the extraction wound is still too painful so I don't know how the tooth will act if constant pressure is applied.

So my question is, should I just go ahead with the root canal and prevent possible issues in the future, especially if there's another lockdown? Or should I hold fire for now and see if the tooth is OK - taking the risk of pain and no access to dental services - or taking time off in a new job when I've already been given time off to solve the issue?

 

[Ina]

If you can preserve the tooth by doing root canal is great. Once you have dental insurance you can make a longer term plan. One thing I learned from painful experience is that once one tooth is extracted, the gap changes the geometry of the bite, and the rest of the teeth will be exposed to a different stress than initially intended and hence the more rapid decay. Ideally, once a tooth is extracted should be replaced as soon as possible with an implant.

 

[Ophiuchus]

I am sorry to read about your problems Ant22. It's a tricky one but my advise would be to 'wait and see' since I think root canals are potentially very dangerous for one's health. If you have no nerve to signal you in case there is an infection you can get in deep trouble. Speaking from experience. I hope your pain will simply go away, keep us posted.

 

[Ant22]

If you can preserve the tooth by doing root canal is great. Once you have dental insurance you can make a longer term plan. One thing I learned from painful experience is that once one tooth is extracted, the gap changes the geometry of the bite, and the rest of the teeth will be exposed to a different stress than initially intended and hence the more rapid decay. Ideally, once a tooth is extracted should be replaced as soon as possible with an implant.

Thank you Ina, I won't have the tooth extracted for sure. The dilemma is whether I should go ahead with the root canal as the tooth may be dying - or wait and see what happens. If it wasn't for the risk of another lockdown I would definitely leave it and see if it causes further trouble or if the steroid injection solved the problem. The fact that the start date of my new job was pushed back so I can have the root canal done on Monday is another thing as it will be hard to get time off for something I was technically already given time off for.

I am sorry to read about your problems Ant22. It's a tricky one but my advise would be to 'wait and see' since I think root canals are potentially very dangerous for one's health. If you have no nerve to signal you in case there is an infection you can get in deep trouble. Speaking from experience. I hope your pain will simply go away, keep us posted.

Thank you Dani, the dentist also suggested the 'wait and see' approach and I'd totally do that - if it wasn't for the risk of the issue returning in the middle of another lockdown. The pain was really bad and constant, as opposed to being worse at night, which led my dentist to conclude the tooth was in the process of dying. I can't find any info on effectiveness of steroid infections on dying teeth so it's hard to tell if the diagnosis was correct or if the tooth is alive and kicking and the steroids solved the problem. Whatever the problem was as the X-Ray didn't show anything.

Oh boy, what a prickle

 

[marek760]

I'm sorry to hear that Ant, I know from experience what toothache is
From what I read: "The Toxic Tooth: How a root canal could be making you sick" root canal can poison the whole body, have you considered removing this tooth if it is a wisdom tooth, it is not necessary for the proper functioning and grinding of food. I myself have been removing a root canal-treated tooth more than a year ago, the problem is to find the right dentist to do it properly.
If I were you, I would not agree to root canal treatment I would rather remove it or wait

 

[Ant22]

I'm sorry to hear that Ant, I know from experience what toothache is
From what I read: "The Toxic Tooth: How a root canal could be making you sick" root canal can poison the whole body, have you considered removing this tooth if it is a wisdom tooth, it is not necessary for the proper functioning and grinding of food. I myself have been removing a root canal-treated tooth more than a year ago, the problem is to find the right dentist to do it properly.
If I were you, I would not agree to root canal treatment I would rather remove it or wait

Thank you marek760, the wisdom tooth is gone now, this is another tooth whose nerve must have been affected during the pulling of the wisdom tooth. I have read a lot about the dangers of root canal treatments, hence my hesitation. But I already had one root canal done 12 years ago and I never noticed any health issues due to it. I did used to have pretty debilitating health problems but they're mostly gone now - despite the root canal.

That said, I did feel some throbbing in that tooth for years, which to me was evidence that there may be something to the theory about the dangers of root canals.

Like I said, if the world hasn't gone totally bonkers I'd adopt the 'wait and see' approach and I wouldn't ask for feedback. But if the issue returns during another (possible) lockdown I can't see myself dealing with that level of pain. Painkillers aren't an option as the only ones that had any impact on the pain were prescription ones that cannot be taken for more than a week.

I have been reading forums and articles about it but so far most people were told to go ahead with the root canal - but no one was given a steroid injection and antibiotics like me. I was hoping that maybe someone here had a similar "adventure" and could tell me their issue never returned - but I guess it was a far shot

 

[marek760]

Thank you marek760, the wisdom tooth is gone now, this is another tooth whose nerve must have been affected during the pulling of the wisdom tooth. I have read a lot about the dangers of root canal treatments, hence my hesitation. But I already had one root canal done 12 years ago and I never noticed any health issues due to it. I did used to have pretty debilitating health problems but they're mostly gone now - despite the root canal.

That said, I did feel some throbbing in that tooth for years, which to me was evidence that there may be something to the theory about the dangers of root canals.

Like I said, if the world hasn't gone totally bonkers I'd adopt the 'wait and see' approach and I wouldn't ask for feedback. But if the issue returns during another (possible) lockdown I can't see myself dealing with that level of pain. Painkillers aren't an option as the only ones that had any impact on the pain were prescription ones that cannot be taken for more than a week.

I have been reading forums and articles about it but so far most people were told to go ahead with the root canal - but no one was given a steroid injection and antibiotics like me. I was hoping that maybe someone here had a similar "adventure" and could tell me their issue never returned - but I guess it was a far shot

Sometimes when I have a hard problem to solve , I asked the I Ching. Perhaps you could try to use it for some added insight.

 

[hiker]

Hi @Ant22, sorry to hear that you are having toothache problems.

Some possible scenarios that could be going on:

- Sometimes when a lower wisdom tooth is removed, and especially in the case where the dentist has to do "lot of work", the teeth in front of the said wisdom tooth can be affected. The teeth in general are not "set in stone", as their roots are connected to the bone with periodontal fibers. These fibers allow the teeth to move, and sometimes their position can change after an extraction (usually it will go back to normal).

This could result the lower tooth/teeth to bite against the upper tooth/teeth in an uneven way, so that it/they become painful due to the occlusal forces being too strong in that particular area, specifically if the tooth has a "vulnerability" e.g. a deep filling.

- The dentist could have accidentally "bumped" the upper tooth while extracting/ drilling the lower wisdom tooth, or the drilling alone might have "reverberated" and caused the already vulnerable upper tooth to flare up.

- Sometimes, if there is a problem in a lower tooth, it can "radiate" to the upper jaw on the same side and vice versa, through the nervous network.

Perhaps you can ask the dentist to check the occlusion, and make sure there are no "high spots" on the lower teeth, that could grind against the painful upper tooth and if so, level it a bit on the occlusal surface.

If you decide to wait and see, and the tooth flares up again in the UK, you should be able to get a "testimony" from the dentist there at your homeland, that it is indeed a different (upper) tooth that is in question now, and this situation is the result of extracting the lower wisdom tooth. I would think that they would understand the matter in your new workplace, if you had to visit a dentist again.

On the other hand, a root canal treatment is not the end of world: if it is well performed, the tooth can function ok. Ramiel Nagel has been looking into dentistry with a more holistic eye (author of the book "Cure Tooth Decay"), and he shared his views about root canal treatments:

Regarding root canal treatments: I came across an informative interview with Ramiel Nagel (he wrote the book "Cure Tooth Decay").

Parapharasing:
-He mentions that removing a root canal treated tooth is not always necessary, unless there is a serious illness that could be contributed to the tooth in question. If the root canal is done well, "the toxic load" is contained in the tooth and doesn't necessarily spread elsewhere in the body. Nowadays the root canal can also be redone with more biological materials.

-Weston Price followed people until their death and discovered that 25% of them had not any observable effects from the root canal treated teeth (the procedures have improved greatly in a hundred years).

-If the root canal has been treated, it can influence the meridians, but so does extracting the tooth. Pulling the tooth can also affect the stability of the occlusion. It seems to be complicated!

He talks about root canals 36:18 - 43:30

Hope this helps!

 

[Tauriel]

Thing is, having heard that the tooth was still slightly painful a day after the steroid injection the dentist said the tooth was most likely in the process of dying and it needed a root canal. She booked me in for Monday morning - but given that the pain is pretty much gone now I'm not so sure I should go ahead with it.

Sorry to hear about your problem, Ant.
To me the lady seems to be rushing too fast. You said the x-ray didn't show any damage to the tooth.

Are you doing oil pullings? I do oil pulling daily with coconut oil plus 2-3 drops oregano oil (high quality- with at least 80% carvacrol). My teeth took a lot of damage during my youth so I feel like I have to take special care.
In the past 2 years I saw the dentist more often than anyone would like- 2 teeths with root canals and a fistula that were capped for 30 years had to be pulled- then almost a year of bone crafting- then implants.....
All I can say about root canals is that I have/had 4 for many decades without any problems.
Now after having made the experience of getting implants I can firmly say I prefer a root canal and a cap as long as possible.
The costs, the pain, the time, the result and the related changes in your mouth should be a last resort and well considered, imo.
After my dentist now mightily screwed up a periodontitis treatment I had a lot of problems.
I used iodine flushing 2-3 times daily, sometimes added DMSO plus the usual coconut-oregano oil pulling.
After 2-3 weeks the havoc in my mouth calmed down and now it feels okay.
My experience is that the more you let them fumble around with your teeth or gum the more problems arise.

And as much as I understand your fear of another lockdown, to sacrifice a tooth in preemptive obedience is a huge thing.

Here something about the benefits of oregano oil:
Oregano essential oil: 10 health benefits and how to use it

and oregano oil for teeth:
Oregano oil benefits for oral health - Aesthetic Family Dentistry

I hope you'll come to a conclusion that is right for you.
Get better soon!

 

[JeanneT]

Ant22, it is confusing and difficult to sort out the best thing to do when there are differing opinions. I have had a few root canals in my life before I was aware that it is potentially dangerous as the bacteria can travel to other parts of the body. Most of them have not been an issue, until one of my back teeth got infected following a very expensive root canal. I ended up having it pulled out after hooking up with a dentist who is holistic in his approach and does not advise root canals.
I remember reading several articles by Dr. Mercola who is against root canals and states reasons why...you may want to go on his page and look these up on the search portion of his article page. To read and listen to both sides of the issue so you are at least well informed seems like a good idea, anyway.
A second opinion for the diagnoses may also be good as it sounds like this is a gamble in some ways...to rush the decision when it is not really clear seems like it could be something you may regret? Good luck to you on your decision.