How do you know when you need a root canal? The good news is that they’re usually fairly easy to spot. There are several root canal warning signs, and they’re all pretty hard to ignore.
At Dental Specialty Associates root canals are one of our specialties. If you need the healing and relief that a root canal can bring you, give us a call. Here are some major root canal warning signs that you shouldn’t ignore.
Tooth Discoloration
A classic warning sign that your pulp tissue is infected is if the color of your tooth starts to change. If your pearly whites change shades, that is cause for concern. Usually your teeth will start to take on a dark grey, yellow or black shade when the tooth starts to go bad.
Temperature Sensitivity
Do you feel pain when you eat or drink something cold? Do you also feel pain when consuming that is hot? When your tooth is compromised and begins to fail, it becomes much more sensitive to extremes in temperature. If eating an ice cream cone or drinking hot soup produces quick sharp pains with every bite or slurp, you’ll most likely need to get a root canal.
Painful Bites
If you experience pain while biting down or chewing food, that is another classic root canal warning sign. Because your tooth’s protective enamel has been worn down and the pulp tissue is rotting, the tooth becomes very sensitive and loses a lot of its strength. In more advanced cases the tooth could get loose, making it even more touchy and painful.
Swollen Gums
Tooth decay and infections go hand in hand with gum disease. If your gums begin to bleed or become swollen, there’s a good chance that one of your teeth have become compromised. If you brush your teeth and notice blood afterwards, that’s a sign that your gums have been weakened.
Lingering Pain
Do you have any pains in your mouth that wear out their welcome? Persistent and lingering pain is a major indicator that you need to get a root canal. If you feel pain that doesn’t go away after ten seconds, odds are good that you have an infected tooth that is in desperate need of a root canal.
Want to know more signs you need a root canal and how you can prevent them? Give Dental Specialty Associates a call at 602-795-5995.
