5 Signs that You May Need a Root Canal

Infected teeth require root canals in order to repair them without needing to remove the tooth entirely. Find out here what the signs are that you might need this dental procedure.

A root canal is a dental procedure that cleans out decay in an infected tooth.

Your teeth are made up of three different layers. The top layer is enamel, the second is called dentin, and the innermost layer is a hollow chamber containing a soft tooth pulp made up of nerves, blood vessels, and connective tissue.

If decay is able to enter into that innermost chamber, the tooth pulp becomes inflamed and can cause severe dental pain. A root canal is used to get in and clean out all the decay in order to get you much-needed pain relief without having to extract the infected tooth.

But how do you know if your tooth is actually infected and needs a root canal? Our team at Wilshire Park Dental Group gives you some telltale signs that it’s time for a much-needed root canal.

5 signs you may need a root canal

Only a dental professional can confirm that you have an infected tooth in need of a root canal, but these are the ways you can tell if it’s time to come in and see us for some dental work.

1. Constant dental pain

If you have pain in your tooth that just doesn’t go away, it’s a good indicator that something is going on with that tooth — especially if that pain is radiating to your jaw and other teeth. While you might not necessarily need a root canal for a toothache, it’s still always wise to have tooth pain checked out.

2. Heat and cold sensitivity

If eating ice cream or drinking hot coffee causes shooting pain in your tooth, it could be a sign that the nerves in your tooth are damaged or infected. If this is the case, then your provider will probably suggest a root canal.

3. Tooth discoloration

If you’ve noticed that your tooth has started to turn a grayish color, this might indicate that there’s infection in your tooth pulp, and some of the tissue is losing blood supply and dying. This type of damage to the root of your tooth is going to require a root canal in order to repair it.

4. Chipped or cracked teeth

When you damage your tooth, it gives bacteria an opening to get into the injured tooth. This can lead to inflammation and infection, which may require you to get a root canal down the road.

5. Red and swollen gums

If your gums are red and swollen around a painful tooth, it’s a pretty good sign you have a condition that’s going to need a root canal to fix it. You might also have a pimple-like sore on your gums that oozes pus. This can give you a bad taste in your mouth and chronic bad breath as well.

If you have any or all of these symptoms, make sure to get in to see your dentist right away in order to get to the bottom of these dental issues.

To schedule a consultation with Wilshire Park Dental Group to see if you need a root canal, don’t hesitate to call our office located in Los Angeles, California, or book online with us today.