Root Canals, Formaldehyde, Infections — Oh My!
Episode 15 of Dangers in Dentistry, originally aired on KPRZ in San Diego.
No one wants a root canal. But are there medical reasons to avoid the painful root canal therapy that so many people undergo?
The bacteria left in the tooth after a root canal can infect the mouth, the jaw, the blood stream, and the entire body. The chemicals used to sterilize your canal during the procedure (including formaldehyde) can also cause serious damage to your overall health.
So why are root canals performed? Do they really “save the tooth,” as endodontists and dentists like to say?
Discover the truth about the dangers — and benefits — of root canals in this week’s episode of Dangers in Dentistry, with America’s Holistic Dentist, Dr. Marvin.
Enjoy!
Dr. Marvin
San Diego, Encinitas Holistic and Natural Dentist
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Events: After 5 symptom-free years of having root canal done on tooth #12, it has suddenly come alive with severe pain & thermal/contact sensitivty. So, last Monday, the endodontist drilled in it again and ‘put in medicine’ to fight any suspect infection, and return in 3 weeks to finish the root canal process. Since I was already on 500mg/day of Levaquin, additional antibiotics were not prescribed. For 5 days everything was fine. Now there the gum at the root level is swollen with more pain, though a different kind of pain than earlier (but no thermal/contact sensitivity at the tooth. Now I am starting on 4x500mg/day Pencillin VK.
Question: Why would a root canal go bad after 5 years? And why the sudden infection while on Levaquin antibiotic? And is Penicllin VK the proper antibiotic for this type of infection?
After doing some research, I’m wondering why I sat there for eight hours to get two root canals done four years ago. Also, why have my dentists not listened to me when I told them something was wrong?! In the past four years, I’ve been on multiple rounds of antibiotics, but I still have a lingering infection. I haven’t had a day where my entire lower jaw hasn’t hurt in the past four years.
My main question: Why didn’t my dentists warn me, and why haven’t they been listening to me when I tell them I’m in pain?! This whole ordeal makes me even more afraid of going to the dentist.
This is one of my biggest pet peeves: dentists who think they are above the patient and refuse to listen. Why does graduating from dental school give someone the right to ignore their patients? It seems to me that would be in direct violation of the Hippocratic Oath that we all took in school.
WoW! That pretty much sums it up,you are totally screwed if you need a Root Canal!
You’re right… it’s good motivation to brush and floss regularly, right? Remember, too, that many root canals are simply misdiagnosed (not all, but often they get mis-diagnosed because our dental system does not encourage or reward detailed diagnostics, so if your tooth hurts and there is no obvious reaon why, many dentists will recommend a root canal because it WILL get you out of pain). So if someone recommends a root canal, get a second opinion, just in case.
Dr Marvin,
Thanks for the info!!! Very Useful and interesting.
Like Sean, I also feel the options to root canals not viable.
1. Leave alone — hole maybe bad, teeth may shift.
2. Implants: May contrain metal — bad!!
3. Partial: May contain metal – Bad!!
4. Bridge: May contain metal — BAd!!!
OK: I See the trend……..and a potential money making solution. DESIGN, implants, Partials, and Bridges that are NOT Detrimental to the Body! Whomever can do that……..makes alot of MONEY!!! Great potential PATENT.
Surprized, noone has solved it???
Love your site!! Keep up the good work educating people.
I m in the middle of a root canal. I now have an infection I am in a lot of pain. Am I in danger?
Don’t mess with infections… infections are dangerous.
I had to get a root canal done… painful but necessary!
[...] We talk a lot about the alternatives to root canals typically the only alternative mentioned is extraction of the tooth. But is that really the only alternative? Surely there must be other options, right? This was the question posed by Sean after listening to recent podcasts (Root Canals, Infections, Formaldehyde, Oh My!). [...]
I feel like I’m missing something here. I thought there was going to be a clear discussion on the alternatives. The only alternative I got out of both radio broadcasts was tooth extraction, or at least that was the way it seemed. So the alternatives are root canal or tooth extraction?
Sean, the answer is much more complicated than that, but typically yes, the only two options are root canal or extraction. To better explain all the options I wrote a new article today (the full answer was too long for a comment on a post). You can check it out here: The Alternatives to Root Canals. I hope that helps clear it up a bit better.
Thanks for the comment/question. I’ll be sure to explain our position on root canals further next time.
Dr. Marvin
With this in mind, if you’re having a root canal therapy, you better make sure your dentist is well experience and qualified.
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