4 Warning Signs You Need a Root Canal

Tooth discomfort can be alarming, especially when it disrupts your daily life. Unfortunately, many people try to ignore the signs of tooth decay and infection in the hopes that they’ll go away. 

However, those symptoms are warning signs from your body. Without treatment, you could lose the affected tooth, but a root canal can save it. 

At Tenth Street Family Dental in Indianapolis, Indiana, we offer patient education and emergency dentistry to help you avoid more severe symptoms and save your tooth. Below, our dedicated team explains the four warning signs that you might need a root canal.

Persistent tooth pain 

Tooth pain can be one of the most severe types of pain. It’s your body’s emphatic warning that you need expert help ASAP.

 Tooth pain when you chew (or when you aren’t even touching your tooth) could mean that the pulp — the nerves and other soft tissues within your tooth — is infected. Often, the pain may get worse and worse over time because the infection won’t vanish on its own. 

Temperature sensitivity

Do you brace yourself when you sip a coffee or wince when you take a bite of ice cream? Sensitivity to hot and cold temperatures is another sign that you could need a root canal. In many cases, temperature sensitivity lingers long after the exposure to a hot or cold substance.  

This type of pain can be a sign that your tooth pulp is infected or exposed, so it requires immediate attention. 

Sudden tooth discoloration

If your tooth suddenly darkens while the other nearby teeth remain the same color, you could need a root canal. 

This problem can happen when severe inflammation triggers blood vessel rupture inside the tooth. This causes staining in the dentinal tubules, the microscopic channels in the tooth layer beneath your enamel. The stains are reflected in the enamel above.

Or, when an infection causes the tissue inside your tooth to start breaking down, the nerves and blood vessels can die, causing discoloration of the tooth.

Gum tissue changes

When your tooth pulp is infected, it may cause swelling or extreme tenderness in the gums that support the tooth. 

Sometimes, a dental abscess may develop, in which your gums are hyper-sensitive and there’s significant swelling along with a small pimple-like bump. 

Don’t ignore it: Save your tooth instead

We offer emergency dentistry services for our patients who suddenly experience the issues we discussed above. Don’t wait until you’re at risk of losing your tooth. With a root canal, we can  remove the infected pulp and preserve your tooth.  Call our office, or schedule your appointment online today.