Out of the many dental treatments a person can receive — from fillings to care for a dental emergency — none gets as big a bad rap as the root canal.
This is the procedure in which your dentist removes inflamed, infected pulp (the material inside your tooth, under the tough enamel). Tooth pulp contains connective tissue, blood vessels, and nerves, which is why a root canal is known for being uncomfortable and painful.
Ignoring this situation comes with even worse consequences, however. If your tooth is left untreated, the pain can be intense, and an abscess can emerge. That’s when a pus-filled pocket stemming from a bacterial infection develops.
Dr. Ali Saeghi and his talented team at Modern Age Dentistry — where science is committed to art — treat patients suffering with tooth pain who are in need of a root canal procedure with great compassion.
However, they’d rather patients never had to face having a root canal in the first place. This is why they’re dedicated to educating you about doing all you can to avoid a dreaded root canal.
You can take several important steps to significantly lower your risk of a future featuring a root canal.
You know the drill (pun intended). You can avoid a multitude of dental problems, including a root canal, if you simply do all you can to take excellent care of your oral health.
Since deep tooth decay is the major cause of needing a root canal, practicing great oral hygiene every day is pivotal. This means brushing thoroughly twice a day and flossing daily — two simple steps that make all the difference when it comes to greatly reducing your chances of hearing those anxiety-producing words: “You need a root canal.”
You can give your teeth needed TLC by avoiding foods that can damage them — either through decay or causing a chip or crack.
These include chewy or hard candies, like caramels and Jolly Ranchers (sorry, sweet lovers!), and other hard foods like nuts, hard pretzels, and beef jerky. Don’t develop the habit of chewing on ice, either, as that’s damaging, too.
Highly acidic foods and beverages, like citrus fruits and tomatoes, as well as carbonated beverages, contribute to tooth enamel erosion.
Starchy foods such as potato chips, pasta, and bread feed the bacteria on your teeth, which causes acid to form on them. This leads to enamel decay.
If you plan on playing on the football or soccer field or the hockey rink, or if you’re a martial arts fan, be sure to wear your mouth guard so you don’t crack, chip, or, heaven forbid, knock out a tooth!
When Dr. Saeghi examines you, he always checks for signs of bruxism, or tooth grinding, which some people do during sleep without knowing it.
Wearing a mouth guard to bed mitigates this problem so you’re less likely to damage your teeth in a way that boosts the likelihood that you’ll need a root canal.
You may not want to devote the time to getting a dental problem treated if it’s minor, but it can turn major when you least expect it — and possibly lead to a root canal.
If you notice any tooth pain at all, from dull and throbbing to sharp and acute, call us promptly to get it checked out — better safe than sorry!
Never skip your routine exams and cleanings at Modern Age Dentistry, either. They’re essential to ensuring your teeth are in tip-top shape and that a problem that you’re unaware of isn’t festering.
We want you to do everything in your power to skip a root canal procedure, but if you end up needing one, know that we are here to provide you with the most advanced, comfortable care.
Don’t hesitate to make an appointment at the Modern Age Dentistry office that’s nearest to you to learn more about maintaining your oral health or having any discomfort evaluated and treated. Simply call us at or book an appointment online. Our offices are in West Hills, Atwater Village, and Ojai, California.
