
If you’ve ever read online that root canal therapy causes cancer, don’t be alarmed—it doesn’t. What it does do is save a deeply decayed tooth that might otherwise be lost.
Tooth decay is caused by acid produced by bacteria, which dissolves enamel to create a hole or cavity. But it doesn’t stop there: decay can move on to infect the tooth’s innermost layer, the pulp filled with nerves and blood vessels. Unchecked, the resulting infection can travel through the root canals to eventually infect the bone.
A root canal treatment stops the infection before it goes this far. After administering a local anesthetic, we drill a small hole into the tooth to access the pulp chamber and root canals. We then remove all the diseased tissue, disinfect the space and then place a filling within the empty chamber and root canals to prevent further infection. We then seal the access hole and later crown the tooth to further protect and stabilize it.
It’s no exaggeration, then, to say that root canal treatments have saved millions of teeth. So, for all its beneficial effect, why is it considered by some to pose a health danger?
The germ for this notion comes from the early 20th Century when a dentist named Weston Price theorized that leaving a “dead” organ in place would harm the body. Since a root-canaled tooth with the pulp’s living tissue removed is technically no longer viable, it fit the category of “dead” tissue. Thus, according to this theory, maladies like cancer could arise because of the “dead” tooth.
Unfortunately, this theory has found a somewhat new life recently on the internet, even though it was thoroughly investigated and debunked in the 1950s. And as late as 2013, a study published in a journal of the American Medical Association found no increased cancer risk after root canal treatment, and even some evidence for a reduced risk.
So, if your dentist recommends root canal treatment, rest assured it’s needed to save your tooth. Rather than harm your health, it will improve it.
If you would like more information on root canal treatment, please contact us or schedule an appointment for a consultation. You can also learn more about this topic by reading the Dear Doctor magazine article “Root Canal Safety.”
Comments:

725 County Road R
Denmark, WI 54208
We are always welcoming new patients to our practice!
Patient Education
Archive:
- 2022
- 2021
- 2020
- 2019
- 2018
- 2017
- 2016
- 2015
- 2014
- 2013
Tags
- celebrity smiles (92)
- cosmetic dentistry (16)
- oral hygiene (26)
- oral cancer (5)
- oral health (22)
- gum disease (10)
- diabetes (3)
- teeth whitening (6)
- porcelain veneers (5)
- veneers (2)
- pediatric dentistry (21)
- dental implants (18)
- oral surgery (3)
- smile makeover (1)
- chipped tooth (5)
- tooth decay (6)
- bridge (2)
- dental implant (7)
- orthodontics (9)
- braces (14)
- dental injury (9)
- mouthguard (3)
- blood thinners (1)
- teething (5)
- orthodontic treatment (20)
- palatal expanders (1)
- fillings (1)
- root canal (6)
- sedation dentistry (2)
- invisalign (1)
- clear aligners (2)
- dentures (3)
- crown (2)
- dental injuries (6)
- bad breath (2)
- smoking (1)
- laser dentistry (2)
- tooth extraction (2)
- nutrition (2)
- cosmetic gum surgery (1)
- baby teeth (2)
- extractions (1)
- chipped teeth (2)
- x-rays (2)
- dental anxiety (1)
- athletic mouthguards (1)
- ulcers (1)
- canker sores (1)
- medicine (2)
- pediatric care (1)
- abscessed tooth (1)
- teeth wear (1)
- age one dental visit (1)
- wisdom teeth (4)
- toothache (4)
- composite resins (1)
- crowns (4)
- root resorption (1)
- bonding (1)
- dry mouth (1)
- retainers (2)
- root canal treatment (10)
- periodontal disease (4)
- missing tooth (1)
- dental emergency (1)
- gummy smile (1)
- teeth grinding (2)
- periodontal (gum) disease (1)
- tooth grinding (1)
- bonded retainer (1)
- lump (1)
- thumb sucking (1)
- saliva (1)
- mouthguards (5)
- bone grafting (1)
- tooth pain (2)
- headgear (1)
- periodontist (1)
- gum recession (3)
- tmj disorders (3)
- tmd (1)
- tmj (1)
- removable partial denture (1)
- sleep apnea (3)
- snoring (3)
- retainer (1)
- GERD (1)
- composite resin (1)
- crown lengthening (1)
- cleft lip (1)
- cleft palate (1)
- osteoporosis (1)
- dental exam (1)
- fluoride (1)
- tads (1)
- extraction (1)
- dental care (2)
- sealants (1)
- lingual braces (1)
- (1)
- bridgework (1)
- tmj disorder (1)
- overdenture (1)
- partial denture (1)
- shingles (1)
- implant overdentures (1)
- pregnancy (1)