Brush

Tooth decay provides an ideal opportunity for bacteria to access your inner tooth. This often happens through cavities, which are literally holes in your teeth. They often form in the center of the top of your tooth and can quickly lead to bacteria entering your root canal and creating an infection. You can prevent tooth decay by brushing regularly every day; two times a day is ideal. Some dentists recommend brushing after every meal. If you do eat sugary foods or drinks and can’t brush afterwards, try to rinse your mouth with water so the sugar isn’t sitting on your teeth causing damage. Remember that proper brushing is more beneficial than harder brushing, which can further damage your enamel over time.

Floss

Flossing enables us to get at those tight spaces in between our teeth that are impossible for toothbrushes to reach. Pieces of food as well as tiny food particles can get trapped here and cause growth of bacteria and eventually contribute to tooth decay. Flossing is easy and can be done once a day either during one of your brushing sessions or in between sessions. Just remember to floss with the proper stuff—objects like toothpicks or even pencils are not designed to do the same job that floss does and can even harm your teeth and gums. There are many different flossing instruments out there—from water picks to flossers, your flossing routine is easier than ever. Prevent plaque, bacteria, and tooth decay by flossing once a day.

Eat Well

Our diets affect much of the damage in our mouth, especially when it comes to tooth decay and root canal infections. Many foods contain added sugar, and we’re unknowingly consuming around 20 teaspoons of sugar every day! Cut down on processed foods and stick to healthy snacks such as apples and carrots. You can make them fun by bringing along natural peanut butter for your apple and hummus for your carrots! Drink water whenever possible instead of juices or sodas. It’s important to stay hydrated as well—having a dry mouth can further contribute to tooth decay, which can lead to root canal infections.

Preventing tooth decay is vital to preventing root canal infections. Tooth decay happens over time and people of any age can be at risk. To keep your tooth’s root canal tissue healthy, simply keep up with your oral health. Brush and floss regularly, eat well, and schedule visits to your dentist every six months. Painful root canal infections can be prevented with these simple tips!

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What Situations Call for Root Canal Microsurgery?

– When nonsurgical procedures alone cannot save the tooth

– Diagnostic purposes – sometimes problems persist with a tooth even when nothing appears on an x-ray. This may be the case with tiny fractures or if the infection is in a very small canal that cannot be reached with a nonsurgical procedure.

– Calcium deposits – Such deposits can constrict the canals of the roots. This may make it impossible to reach the end of an infected canal with a nonsurgical procedure.

– Root canal follow-up – While this is not a common occurrence, a tooth on which a successful root canal has been performed may get infected again months or even years later. Or the tooth may become diseased, fail to heal, or continue to be painful. If this is the case, an apicoectomy can help save the tooth.

– When bone or root surfaces are damaged

How is an Apicoectomy Performed?

This form of endoscopic microsurgery involves going in through the gums to remove the infected material and the root-tip. The end of the canal may be sealed with a filling. The gums will be stitched closed allowing for proper healing to take place. Eventually, the bone itself will heal and encase the end of the root once again. This may take several months.

Should You Be Concerned?

As far as surgical procedures go, an apicoectomy is very minor. The procedure should not hurt at all thanks to the local anesthetics that are administered. The pain the tooth is causing should be relieved by the procedure. Pain medication may be provided to help with any discomfort while the gums heal from the incision.

Is There Anything Else I can Do?

If your dentist recommends an apicoectomy, likely the only solutions are the procedure or extraction of the tooth. Since root canal microsurgery can preserve the tooth indefinitely, it is certainly a better option than losing the tooth. Especially since extraction usually means a bridge or implant, root canal surgery can often be a cost-effective solution as well.

In the end, there is nothing better than a natural tooth, even with the great advancements in modern replacements. Therefore, it just makes sense to opt for root canal surgery if there is reasonable hope of preserving the tooth.

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