alternatives to root canals??

[akbirdy]

I have had a root canal done years and years ago. I just started hearing about how bad they can be to your health and am wondering what others suggest happen when you need one? Are their any alternatives? Once you have one is there anything you can do? I'm really not that educated on the subject, I've just read that it can slowly release the infections poison into your body or something like that...

[SleeplessMommy]

Not everyone believes Weston Price. Also, tools, procedures and training are different today then they were when WAP was in dental school.

Your choices are: live with pain/infection, have a root canal procedure, or pull the tooth. People have been known to die from untreated dental infections that spread into the brain. If you pull the tooth, an implant and crown will cost $1500+++.

[akbirdy]

Well at the time of the infection, I had to get the root canal... it was very painful and I didn't know of any other alternatives.

I've read though somewhere (can't remember, long ago) that after you've had one, it can continue to leak toxic stuff into your body... something like that, it was a long time ago and I could be remembering wrong. After having some mystery health issues it kind of got me wondering if it could be connected...

Anyone know about this??

[joybird]

Well, the theory is that when they do they root canal, there is no way to eliminate all the bacteria, because it hides in the tiny channels throughout the root structure, and also because it mutates. This makes sense. I doubt that most dentists are very careful about it either. They just prescribe antibiotics and presume that's that.

Weston Price did some research where he extracted root canaled teeth and people's illnesses disappeared. He then took the extracted teeth and put them under the skin of animals, rabbits I think. The animals contracted the very same illnesses that the people had, so they correllated with what he was seeing in his patients. For example, if the person had arthritis and was cured by removing the tooth, the unfortunate rabbit who got the tooth implanted under his skin then came down with the same type of arthritis.

All well and good (except for the rabbits, of course), but I have not seen this research replicated anywhere. Also, dental practices were quite different back then and techniques have surely improved drastically. But the core of his argument makes sense to me. I think it all depends on the state of your immune system to keep bacteria in check.

I have one root canal that I will probably have removed when I can afford it or when I believe it might be causing me problems. It is just so unnatural to leave dead matter in the body and presume that's fine, and a root canaled tooth is dead. If I'm ever told I need another one, I'll probably have the tooth extracted and put a gold or porcelain one in it's place. It would cost more, but maybe not down the line if the root canal tooth ever poses problems, which they often do. I also hate the look of my root canal tooth, as it is right in front and has turned an ugly yellow since, after all, it is dead. Personally, I'd rather have a gold one there and look like a gypsy.