New research has found you shouldn’t put off a root canal. Successful root canals are linked to improvements in blood sugar, cholesterol and inflammation.
“Our research shows that treating an infected tooth does far more than relieve pain. It can improve your overall health,” said lead author Dr. Sadia Niazi, a clinical lecturer at King’s College London.
Mouths are filled with bacteria, both beneficial and harmful. When a tooth becomes infected it can enter the bloodstream. A root canal gets to the source of the infection stopping harmful inflammation that can impact how the body processes sugar.
A root canal relieves pain and prevents tooth loss by removing damaged pulp from inside the tooth. The tooth is filled and sealed. It prevents needing to remove the whole tooth while removing infected tissue. The new research shows that this dental treatment not only benefits oral health by overall health.
The study used 65 adults receiving treatment for a root canal. No one in the study had blood sugar concerns or a heart health issue. They had blood taken before the root canal and then again three months, six months, one year and two years later.
Two years after having a root canal, people had significantly lower blood sugar. Short improvements were seen in cholesterol levels. And inflammation decreased over time after people have a root canal.
The problem is a loop. Gum disease increases the risk of blood sugar concerns, heart health issues and other problems. And immune system responses caused by those concerns can harm oral health.
A study from Helsinki found that people who has untreated root infections were significantly more likely to have a serious health problem. The link remained even when other factors like age, habits and blood sugar concerns were factored in.
The researchers believe that the problem boils down to chronic inflammation. When a bad tooth is treated it reduces inflammation and takes stress off the body. Inflammation puts stress on blood vessels and other systems. Removing the pressure inflammation puts on the whole body allows this to run more smoothly.
“It’s not about treating the single tooth. This has long-term benefits on the general health of the patient, particularly the risk of chronic conditions like heart disease and [blood sugar health],” said Dr. Niazi. “People must understand that your mouth is the main gateway to your general health, so looking after your oral health and doing regular checkups with your dentist and getting disease treated early is the best course of action.”
