Root Canal Safety
The relationship between our teeth and mouth and our overall health is indisputable. Endodontics plays a critical role in maintaining good oral health by eliminating infection and pain while preserving your natural teeth.
Some patients arrive with concerns about the safety of root canal treatment, often based on outdated or discredited information. Here’s the history behind that misinformation, and what decades of research actually show.
Where the Myth Came From — and How It Was Debunked
A theory from the early 1900s still occasionally resurfaces today, despite being disproven for nearly a century.
The “focal infection theory” emerges
Dr. Weston A. Price presented research suggesting that bacteria trapped in dentinal tubules during root canal treatment could “leak” and cause a wide range of systemic diseases, from arthritis to heart and kidney conditions. This was before medicine understood what actually caused those diseases, and Dr. Price advocated tooth extraction over endodontic treatment as a result.
The research is discredited
Dr. Price’s research techniques were criticized from the time they were published. By the early 1930s, a number of well-designed studies using more modern research methods had discredited his findings.
JADA reverses the standard of practice
The Journal of the American Dental Association published a special edition reviewing the scientific literature, shifting practice back toward endodontic treatment for teeth with non-vital pulp whenever the tooth could be saved. Their review found Dr. Price’s original research lacked proper control groups and used excessive, unrealistic doses of bacteria.
AHA updates its guidelines
The American Heart Association updated its guidelines on preventing infective endocarditis, significantly narrowing the indications for antibiotic premedication and excluding endodontic treatment from procedures that require it.
No link found between periodontal and heart disease
The AHA found no scientific evidence linking periodontal disease and heart disease, concluding that the two often coincide in the same person simply because they share common risk factors, such as smoking, age, and diabetes.
Decades of research have found no valid, scientific evidence linking endodontically treated teeth and systemic disease.
How We Address These Concerns
If you’ve heard about a connection between root canal treatment and illness, here’s how we approach the conversation.
We acknowledge your concerns and make clear that your overall health is the goal of every treatment we provide.
We’re happy to provide written information about endodontic treatment and walk through it with you.
We can point you to the American Association of Endodontists’ resources on common root canal myths for further reading.
The decision to move forward with any procedure is always yours — we’re committed to giving you the highest quality care either way.
Have questions about the safety of your treatment? We’re happy to talk it through.
Call 317-399-7255Schedule a Visit
Ready when you are.
Modern techniques and effective anesthesia make root canal treatment virtually painless. Your initial appointment will consist of a consultation, however, treatment can usually begin at that visit.
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