Could your toothache be a sign that you need a root canal?

Needing a root canal is needed once our Cincinnati, OH, family dentists Dr. Ron Solomon and Dr. Angela Burleson-Ott have told you that your tooth has deep decay. This procedure is meant to preserve the tooth by removing the infected or inflamed tissue within the tooth before it has a chance to wreak serious havoc on your smile. Here are the reasons you might need a root canal,

• There is deep decay that has broken through the hard, outer layers of the tooth and bacteria has entered the inside of the tooth
• You have a large filling that is weakening the tooth or is no longer able to support the tooth structure
• You are dealing with a chipped, cracked or broken tooth
• You’ve had multiple procedures performed on a single tooth and it has weakened the tooth over time

Can I put off a root canal?

This is certainly something that you don’t want to ignore. Your tooth is infected and it needs to be treated right away in order to prevent deeper infection or damage to neighboring teeth and gums. The bacteria will eventually kill your tooth, and our goal is to perform root canal therapy in order to save what’s left of your natural tooth so you don’t need to have the tooth pulled. This problem will not go away on its own, and you may notice the pain just intensifies the longer you leave it. So, if you suspect that you need a root canal, you should act fast.

What are the warning signs?

Sometimes you won’t be able to tell that you need a root canal, which is why keeping up with dental checkups with our Cincinnati, OH, dental team will go a long way to protecting the health of your smile.

Even if you don’t notice any changes, we are trained to spot even small changes in the appearance of a tooth that could tip us off to the fact that you need a root canal. Of course, sometimes an infected or inflamed dental pulp can cause problems such as,

• Severe and sudden dental pain that gets worse when chewing or putting pressure on the tooth
• Prolonged and sudden tooth sensitivity to hot and cold, or sugar
• Swollen, red gums localized around the infected tooth
• A tooth that suddenly darkens in color
• A visibly cracked or damaged tooth
• A pimple-like bump develops on the gums around the tooth (known as an abscess)

Do you have questions about root canal treatment? Need to schedule a checkup with our Cincinnati, OH, dental team? If so, call Cornerstone Dental Group today at (513) 631-8920.