When my tooth started aching several months ago, my regular dentist advised me that I needed a root canal. I don’t see how that solves my problem as it will still leave infection in my body. So I decided to find a holistic dentist and get some other options. He wants to pull my tooth and replace it with a false one. I don’t like what either dentist is suggesting… isn’t there an option in the middle that could help me? I’m so frustrated! — Julia
Julia,
Sorry you’re feeling so frustrated and confused about this. Your regular dentist is simply offering you a the treatment option he is comfortable with and what most are taught in dental school and in continuing dental education courses. Remove the pulp, disinfect the chamber and seal it tight, thus eradicating the infection and preventing it from coming back. Here’s the problem… if the root canal fails, it’s back to antibiotics and doing the procedure again.
Holistic dentists believe that infection can never be totally eradicated because the pulp actually consists of many winding shoots (similar to the way lightning looks) and because bacteria and infection can hide in the dental tubuals (tiny holes that cover the surface of the tooth) a root canal rarely works. They also look at whole body health and how bacteria and infection spreading can wreak havoc on other systems in the body.
With all that said, there are a growing number of dentists who are using non-traditional methods to sterilize not just the canal, but the whole tooth by leaving a sterilizing agent in the canal for an extended period of time so it permeates the tubuals. It’s not a widely-accepted treatment option with many dentists just yet, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be an option for you.
This blog post is brought to you by Des Moines cosmetic dentist, Dr. Phelan Thomas. For more information on the services he provides, please visit his Des Moines cosmetic dentist website.
