Hi 07drichard - I agree with CKLD - I would really want to know what, why and when research was done about this perceived risk of breast cancer from having root canal work being done - I have to say I find this very suspicious!!!
Any infection in our bodies can case many problems and in fact in the old days people would die from a simple infection in a tooth - even if they had the tooth removed!!! The idea that infection can exist after having a root canal done is certainly not unusual - treating and filling the root of a tooth is not easy and if infection has gone deep into the bone around the root(as I experienced) then treatment with antibiotics is essential. Root canal treatment does not guarantee that infection might happen again but, if properly done, then there is a good chance it will last for the rest of our lives. If infection is present then this would normally give pain, inflammation and often a temperature.
If a root canal is done before infection has taken hold then this can usually prevent infection. The problem is, if the root of a tooth dies (this can be for a variety of reasons and we often don't know a tooth has died) an infection can develop unnoticed for some time, the mild infection then gradually develops until the real pain emerges. I can certainly believe that infection left untreated might trigger some cancers (infection must compromise our immune system) and it certainly can cause heart disease ( this has been known for many years) but I think the moral of this story is to see your dentist for regular check ups and if you experience any aches or pains then have this checked sooner rather than later. It is untreated infection that will do the damage.
I think it is always a good idea to see your dentist if you get any low, dull aching or slight pain from a tooth, jaw or cheek and have them X-ray the teeth. They may well tap your teeth and if one is particularly sensitive as this is often a sign of infection. My dentist also had an instrument that actually picked up whether a tooth was still alive or not. Many teeth die without us knowing and infection can sometimes only start some months or even years later.
I have had 3 root canal fillings so far. The first was caught early, just a little throbbing, was successfully treated and 30 years on has given no trouble at all. The second started with occasional very slight aches over several months which I stupidly ignored and then developed into a nasty infection right into my jaw. By the time I got to my dentist I was in horrible pain and it took 5 days for the powerful antibiotics to finally clear the infection - my lovely dentist at the time did an excellent job with the root filling and it has been fine so far 7 years on. I recently had a molar that was filled very deeply and I was told that it would have to come out if it became painful. I went to see a specialist dentist who advised he could save the tooth with root canal filling and do a crown (had to have this privately)- at this stage I wasn't getting any pain from this tooth. As he did the root canal treatment, he was able to show me on a big screen that half the tooth (so 2 of the 4 roots in this molar) had already died and had formed a plug that would have become infected if left.
Our teeth are really important. Saving our teeth is important as we need to them to be able to chew properly, so they are vital for good digestion. On a cosmetic front, our teeth hold our face up. Anything that can save a tooth is good - so I urge everyone to find a good dentist they can trust, clean and floss your teeth properly everyday, avoid too many acidic and sugary drinks and don't listen to the horrors stories. There are some dodgy dentists out there so do your research and travel if need be to get the dentist you can trust but, essentially, your dentist is very important for your health and wellbeing.
Dg x.
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Topic: Crowns and root canal therapy (Read 8154 times)