I have a tooth which is in need of a root canal treatment. I am in a bit of a bind financially at the moment. Do you have an estimate of how long a root canal treatment can be put off before it becomes a problem?
Jack
Dear Jack,
I am sorry that you are having to deal with so much right now. First, the financial bind and then the infected tooth. I’m sure this is adding more stress. It would be hard to tell you how long you can wait without examining your tooth. However, I can give you some guidelines.
If the tooth is not hurting and has not been hurting for a bit you can likely put it off without much of a problem. I know of a patient who put off a root canal treatment for several years but there were no problems. When they did finally get the root canal treatment, they did mention they felt better in their general health, which surprised them. Most people do not realize that their general health is impacted by their oral health. One thing to be aware of is that waiting for a long period of time puts you at risk for external resorption. This is where the root of the tooth is slowly eaten away and the tooth can no longer be saved.
If there is any pain with the tooth, even just a little, then you have an active infection and you should not put this off. It will continue to spread. Another sign of an active infection is a pimple on your gums. Again, don’t put off treatment in that case. Believe it or not, people still die from tooth infections. This is because your teeth are very close to your heart, lungs, and brain. If an infection reaches there, then an infected tooth becomes life threatening. I say this to make sure you understand an active infection must be dealt with. I would consider this a dental emergency.
The good news is that there are affordable dentists who would be willing to work with you on payments in the situation where you need urgent dental care. I would do an internet search using the term affordable dentist, then call them and explain your situation. One of them should be willing to help you.
This blog is brought to you by Tulsa Dentist Dr. Ryan Noah.