Notice a piercing pain in your tooth lately and have no idea what it is? Feel like you chipped a tooth or simply just experiencing acute sensitivity in your teeth? These are indications that it’s time to head down to the nearest dentist in Saskatoon and determine if you need a root canal! A root canal is a thorough procedure for your teeth that includes the cleaning of your tooth’s root canal, a filling, followed by sealing it. It is a relatively simple and almost painless procedure and you’ll be able to chew with no sensitivity in your teeth in no time!
Now, unless you have a dental degree, you are not going to be able to tell by yourself if you require a root canal. So, before you turn to Google to be your doctor, head to your dentist to understand your teeth better and determine your course of action.
To begin, let’s understand what a root canal is. In simple terms, a root canal is both the inner part of the tooth found between the pulp and the root of your tooth – it is also the procedure used to clean decay or damage in your tooth and soothe any discomfort in the area. Your root canal constitutes blood vessels and nerves. The nerves are what cause the sensation of heat, cold, or any other sensation in your teeth.
Now that we understand the definition of a root canal, let’s take a look at what could be the cause of root canals. There could be several reasons leading to a root canal. The most common are decay, damage, and disease. Tooth decay is the deterioration of the outer layer of your teeth known as the enamel. It usually occurs when plaque forms on your teeth, leading to the breaking down of the enamel. This causes your teeth to decay-causing root canal pain. Damage can be cracks and chips in your tooth, which leads to decay and pain in your root canal. Disease in your tooth can be referred to as an infection in your tooth pulp caused by decay, damage, dental procedures, or trauma to your tooth resulting in a root canal.
There are several symptoms of a root canal. How can you tell if you’re experiencing any of the symptoms? Here is a breakdown of the most common symptoms that will help indicate if you need to visit your dentist for root canal therapy. The most obvious symptom is pain. This could vary from a dull pain to a sharp and intense pain in certain cases – especially when you are chewing or putting any sort of pressure on your tooth or the surrounding area. Sometimes you may also experience spontaneous bouts of pain. Tenderness and or/or swelling in the gums is another common symptom of root canals. Generally, tenderness or swelling of gums is a sign of infection in your teeth that may require a root canal upon further clinical prodding. It could be a minimal, minor to profound swelling in the area surrounding the tooth depending on the severity of the situation. In most cases, swelling of the gum is often tender and it may feel like your tooth is elevated and you may or may not experience any pain. Sensitivity in your teeth is another common symptom, especially when it lingers post-exposure to the sensations of hot or cold stimulations. Other symptoms also include the darkening of your tooth or a sudden appearance of a small bump-like structure on the gums surrounding the infected area of your tooth.
These are general and natural symptoms and it cannot be stressed enough that it does not necessarily mean you will require a root canal procedure to be carried out on your tooth. If you are experiencing any of the above symptoms, the first choice should be to visit a dentist to determine the problem and come up with the best solution for you.