What Symptoms Mean You May Need Root Canal Treatment?

Root canal treatment is a safe and common treatment method which can save a severely damaged or infected tooth. Within every natural tooth there is soft tissue found inside, this is called the pulp. This tissue contains blood vessels, nerves and connective tissue which helps the tooth to develop. If bacteria enters the pulp cavity due to deep cavities, multiple treatments or trauma then severe infection and inflammation will occur.

What Symptoms Mean You May Need Root Canal Treatment?

Tooth ache:

This is one of the most common signs that your tooth pulp has become infected or inflamed. As the damage is internal in the tooth the pain will rarely stop unless you visit your dentist. It will also get worse over time.

  • Constant pain: If your tooth is constantly hurting or stops but gets worse then this is a definite sign your nerves are involved.
  • Throbbing: You may find that you have a deep throbbing sensation in the tooth which radiates to the surrounding jawbone, cheeks, temples or adjacent teeth.
  • Worse when lying down: Often the pain is worse when lying down or leaning over. This is because your blood pressure will increase in the head and infected pulp.
  • Sharp random pain: Sudden sharp pains without any cause will mean there is root canal pain.

Hot and cold sensitivity:

Healthy teeth will not cause much pain when they come into contact with hot or cold temperatures. If the tooth is sensitive to hot or cold temperatures for a long period of time this means there is irreversible damage to the nerve in the tooth.

  • Sharp pain: If you have sharp pain for longer than 30 seconds after having a hot drink such as coffee or eating something icy then your nerve is likely to be damaged.
  • Dull pain: Often the pain will become dull and constant after severe temperature sensitivity.
  • Sensitivity: Often sensitivity to hot foods and drinks means your nerve pulp is severely dead with lots of gas built up inside.

Discoloration:

If your tooth suddenly goes a dark gray, brown or black color this is often a sign that there is a problem with the nerve. This is due to the lack of healthy blood flow inside the tooth.

  • Dead tissue: When the pulp tissue inside the tooth dies due to infection or trauma there will be no blood flow to the area. This will cause the rotten tissue to stain the dentin from the inside.
  • Trauma: If your tooth has been damaged in sport or an accident it may start to change color over months or years.
  • Single tooth: If one of your teeth is significantly darker than the rest of your teeth then you should visit your dentist for an root canal check.

Gum swelling:

Infections in the pulp can easily spread to the tip of the roots causing localized swelling and tender gums.

  • Raised gums: Your gums may be raised or swollen around the infected root.
  • Painful to touch: Just touching your gums around the tooth can cause sharp pain.
  • Redness: Often the gums will look very red, swollen and irritated.

Pimple:

If you have a lump on your gums this is a definite sign of an active infection. This is known as a gum boil/sinus tract.

  • Draining: Small lumps can cause a foul tasting liquid or pus to drain from the infected root. Whilst this reduces the internal pressure it can leave a bad taste in your mouth.
  • Changing size: This can get bigger, burst, reduce in size and then return again until the root canal infection is treated.
  • Bad breath: Constant drainage will cause bad breath and a sour taste which brushing will not help.

Sensitivity:

If your tooth is sensitive to pressure this means the infection has spread to the periodontal ligament holding your root in place.

  • Sharp pain: Sharp electric like pain when biting down on food means there is damage or inflammation at the tip of your root.
  • Sensitive to light touch: In severe cases you may get extreme pain from just lightly tapping the tooth with your finger or tongue.
  • Avoiding chewing: Patients often avoid chewing on the side of their mouth with the affected tooth.

Cracked/chipped tooth:

If your tooth cracks or chips due to trauma the soft pulp tissue will be exposed. This will cause it to inflame quickly.

  • Deep cracks: If the cracks go deep into the dentin or pulp cavity then saliva and food particles can enter the nerve with bacteria.
  • Hidden cracks: If your tooth has hidden cracks inside it may not look damaged but can still allow bacteria to enter and damage the nerve.
  • Trauma: Even if the tooth isn’t damaged from trauma it can damage the fragile blood vessels at the tip of the root causing the pulp to die gradually.

Loose tooth:

The infection in the root can cause the bone around it to soften causing the tooth to feel slightly loose.

  • Toxins: The bacteria in the infected root canal will cause damaging toxins to be released which will break down the bone around the root tip.
  • Higher tooth: The infected tooth may feel slightly higher or longer than the others due to fluid build up and tissue swelling.
  • Loose tooth: If you can feel your tooth move when lightly pressing with your finger then this means there is severe infection and you need root canal treatment.

Important Signs to Look Out For:

  • Sharp constant toothache which wakes you up at night or doesn’t stop with OTC painkillers.
  • Pain/sensitivity which lasts for a long time after eating hot or cold food.
  • Pimple/abscess/weeping sore on your gums near a painful or stained tooth.
  • A noticeable gray/brown/black color on one tooth.
  • Sharp pain when applying gentle pressure, tapping or chewing.
  • Swelling/tender/raised gums near a painful tooth.
  • History of trauma/injury to the tooth (even if it was years ago).
  • Sudden bad taste or foul smell in the mouth due to the abscess weeping.

FAQs

Is a root canal painful?

Root canals are now virtually pain free. Modern anesthetic and equipment is used during the treatment. The treatment will remove the severe pain caused by the infected pulp. Most people don’t feel any more pain than they would with a regular filling.

What will happen if I don’t get a root canal?

If you don’t treat the symptoms of an infected root canal then the bacteria will spread further into your jaw bone, facial tissue and blood stream. This causes the bone to break down, the pain will get worse and the tooth will become irreparable

Can an infected tooth heal?

No. An infected or dead nerve won’t heal. Whilst the pain may stop if the nerve dies completely the infection will still be active inside the root cavity and will spread into your jaw bone.

How long does a root canal take?

A standard root canal will take around 60-90 minutes. Depending on the complexity of the root, infection severity and if a temporary crown is required it can be done in one appointment or two.

Conclusion

Recognizing the early signs of an root canal infection such as sensitivity to hot/cold, throbbing pain, swollen gums or discoloration will help you save your natural teeth. Root canals will remove the infected tissue, relieve your pain and allow your tooth to function fully. If you are experiencing any of these symptoms book in for a full check-up with your dentist.