Root canal fillings causing health problems...quackery?

I mentioned on Bella's thread recently that I found out a few years ago that there are a whole lotta tooth quacks out there. (Including the first dentist we saw, who evidently made a practice of looking at teeth, saying, "That's fine" [whether it was or not], and collecting his bill. Was disbarred/ whatever the heck they do to bad dentists within a year.)

Anyway, from that period of copious research, that sounds off to me, but I'll look around a bit and see what I can find.

I think that there is a danger of heart related problems that can result from not treating an infection in a tooth (proof in that people with heart trouble need to be dosed with antibiotics before dental work) but the filling itself? I don't think so. The reason that they get infected and are so hard to clear up is that there is less blood flow to that area so it takes longer to heal. But this is just what I've been told so.....who knows.

Thanks guys.


Interesting Soz, I will look forward.



This whole damn tooth thing is a pain.


You know, the amalgam carry on etc.



Heehee, I was testing this guy out for a possible date, and was attracted by his brains and humour, but very concerned about his being obsessed with this type of health stuff, and he is, So, no go,

But, there is evidence of gum infection causing all sorts of problems, and this now seems well accepted, so this didn't sound entirely loony to me.

And I have a nasty, grumbling root canal tooth which I KNOW was horribly infected for a long, long time. It is supposed to be clear now, but I dunno.


I half want the damn thing out anyway. It keeps hurting.

Grrrrrrrr....



But, of course, these people say it has to be removed in a special way....heehee

Alternative cancer doctor, Hulda Clark, is strongly against root canals, as they serve as breeding grounds for bacteria.

First thing I found:



References:

http://www.aae.org/patients/mythsrootcanal/references.htm

Cite:

http://www.aae.org/patients/mythsrootcanal/

Here's stuff about retreatment:

http://www.aae.org/patients/faqs/retxsum.htm

Wow, thanks Soz!!!


Any research evidence for your source's beliefs, Edgar?

'Twas an interesting argument. I think the poor fella felt he had been put through the wringer......

You know the thing: Modern medicine causes all these diseases, etc.

"Then how come we are living longer, healthier lives?"


It is not that I do not think traditional medicine has a lot to offer, it is just as soon as I hear the Manichean stuff coming out, you know, western medicine as the devil, my eyes glaze over...


Am I scary?

Does the pope defecate in the woods?

I absolutely adore sozlet's ENT because he has this great and rare combination of having a scientific/ medical background with a holistic twist. I do agree that the medical profession is too eager to jump in and FIX, NOW, and that there are some traditional/ commonsensical ways of healing that fall by the wayside. I also think that the above assumes that the medicine is practiced effectively, and I know a lot of mistakes are made by medical professionals, too.

At the same time, I'm unwilling to throw the baby out with the bathwater, and the baby is that there are a whole lot of good, effective medicine and medical techniques out there.

I agree with edgar for the reason i stated: infections there are hard to clear up. I have had two root canals and both took months and 2 or 3 bouts with antibiotics to clear up. I am hoping the one I was just treating is finally healed.

I haven't read Clark's books in several years. I don't know what evidence she uses.

"Does the pope defecate in the woods?"

I'm not sure.


AM I scary?

Yes!

Not to me, but I'm almost as scary.

ALMOST?????




Thanks Edgar and Bella.







DOES the Pope **** in the woods?

I'm trying to find scholarly papers which involves things like finding out what "Periapical radiolucencies" means (seems to mean when an x-ray can see through something near the root), but preliminary indications seem to be that, if you've had a root canal, it can get infected, and infections are never good for your body. But I haven't found how often that happens/ whether the risk is high. (Looking.)

My second linked post last page says what to do if there is an infection in/ under the filling. ("Retreatment.")

Grrrr.

I've BEEN re treated.


The first damn dentist missed a whole root!


20 years I had an infection. It hurt. Would she believe me?


Finally I wen in and said: "You are opening this thing up whether you like it or not."

This is interesting, in terms of what DO you do if you have an abcess?



http://www.dentalgentlecare.com/extraction.htm

It seems (thus far), like once you have an abcess/ whatever the thing that requires a root canal, that's where the problems start. You don't wanna have one. If you do, then any treatment has its risks but a root canal seems to be one of the less risky/ more effective options.

(Still looking.)

This is interesting (includes Australia, too), and seems to indicate that the failure rate is around 13%:

www.tarzahn.de/Timbuktu%20Methode/ Figdor%20editorial%20OOOO%202002.pdf

20 years of infection?!!

Eek.

I was very, very negative about dentists for a while after Mr. Quack, but the guy we had in Naperville for several years (he did the fillings then saw sozlet for the next couple of years) was an absolute dream.

My basic approach is distrust but verify.

Grrr...damn teeth.

Thanks, Soz.