Many people have root canal therapy (RCT) as a routine dental surgery to save a tooth that has become damaged or infected. Despite being widely accepted as safe, there have been suspicions that RCT has been connected to heart attacks.especially in people who have no family history of heart disease.
What is root canal treatment?
A root canal is a dental operation used to extract diseased tissue from a tooth’s core. To stop further harm, dentists remove bacteria and decay by filling the empty space. A tooth that might otherwise need to be extracted can be saved by this technique. Even though RCT is an extensive procedure, when done appropriately, there is usually little chance of problems because it is done under local anaesthesia.
How to recover post-heart attack?
What are the concerns related to heart attacks?
There is a belief that root canal treatment may be connected to heart attacks or other heart issues. This is especially true in people without any prior history of heart disease. This fear stems from the idea that oral bacteria could enter the bloodstream during the procedure, leading to inflammation or infection in other parts of the body, including the heart. As per the study “Endodontic Therapy and Incident Cardiovascular Disease: The Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) study,” there is no concrete evidence that root canal treatments directly cause heart attacks.
How is oral health connected to heart health?
Although the use of root canals has not been shown to directly cause heart attacks, there is a strong link between heart health and dental health. Bad dental hygiene can cause diseases like gum disease, which raises the risk of cardiovascular problems by allowing bacteria to enter the bloodstream. Heart issues are more common in those with gum disease, but this risk is not directly associated with root canal therapy. Rather, it is related to overall dental health. An association between gum disease and heart problems has been supported by a study titled “Periodontitis and cardiovascular diseases: Consensus report.”
Should you be worried about root canal treatment?
If you maintain good oral hygiene and have no heart issues, there is little to no reason to worry about undergoing root canal treatment. It is a routine procedure that helps preserve dental health without posing significant risks to your heart. People with pre-existing heart conditions may need to take extra precautions.
