# Are Root Canals Really Toxic?? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [February 17, 2013, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-root-canals-really-toxic/650576 "2013-02-17T04:29:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 9
**Author:** ![Carryon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9fc29f/32.png) [@Carryon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carryon)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2013, 10:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-root-canals-really-toxic/650576/161 "2013-02-21T10:12:51Z")
> [@ineedthetruth](#): > > You cannot kill all of the bacteria. \ Have you ever hear of latent TB? The body doesn’t NEED to kill all the bacteria to contain an infection. And in what illness do you kill ALL of anything? ---
**Author:** ![elbows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b3f665/32.png) [@elbows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbows)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2013, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-root-canals-really-toxic/650576/162 "2013-02-21T14:02:18Z")
No root canal for me, yay! A little reconstruction, all done in one visit, no pain, no fear, 48 hrs from broken to fixed! Life is good! Yay! ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2013, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-root-canals-really-toxic/650576/163 "2013-02-21T16:07:43Z")
> [@elbows](#): > > No root canal for me, yay! > > A little reconstruction, all done in one visit, no pain, no fear, 48 hrs from broken to fixed! Life is good! Yay! Why do you hate the TRUTH? ---
**Author:** ![Ruby\_Slippers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/94ad74/32.png) [@Ruby\_Slippers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ruby_Slippers)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2013, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-root-canals-really-toxic/650576/164 "2013-02-21T17:33:33Z")
I’m still trying to wrap my head around the OP’s claim that having teeth pulled will keep him from getting girls! Where to begin??? First of all, if I recall correctly, the teeth you’ve lost so far have been molars. I don’t think I’ve seen very many people whose smiles were so wide that I could see molars or spaces where they used to be. So how do these non-visible gaps cause a problem? Second, from what I’ve heard, having a tooth pulled without an implant or a bridge can, over the long term, result in some dental drift, leading to further problems or misalignment. If you can possibly do it, get something to fill in those gaps. Not because it will help you get girls, but because it will help you chew your food and prevent future problems. Third, if you’re having problems getting girls, I’d like to suggest that your problem runs far deeper than a few missing molars. Girls don’t like guys who fall for every crazy theory they see on the internet. Girls like guys who can reason critically, listen to scientific theory, and discern what seems like the more reasonable view. Of course, you could always use the strategy suggested by Mr. Miskatonic for finding girls. Find them on the internet. Tell them you’re a French model. If they see it on the internet, and don’t believe it, you don’t want them anyhow. Right? ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2013, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-root-canals-really-toxic/650576/165 "2013-02-21T17:44:27Z")
> [@Ruby\_Slippers](#): > > I’m still trying to wrap my head around the OP’s claim that having teeth pulled will keep him from getting girls! Where to begin??? If missing teeth were a problem, we wouldn’t have so many rednecks. 😃 (We need a gap tooth smiley) ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2013, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-root-canals-really-toxic/650576/166 "2013-02-21T17:54:03Z")
> [@runner pat](#): > > (We need a gap tooth smiley) use the goalie smiley. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2013, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-root-canals-really-toxic/650576/167 "2013-02-22T00:51:34Z")
> [@johnpost](#): > > use the goalie smiley. Do we have one? (Yep, like I said, if root canals and dental implants caused cancer, hockey players would be a dying breed.) So how did it go, **ineedthetruth**? ---
**Author:** ![rsat3acr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a3d4f5/32.png) [@rsat3acr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rsat3acr)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2013, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-root-canals-really-toxic/650576/168 "2013-02-22T01:17:26Z")
His root canal was to be at 9:30. He hasn’t been back, maybe he didn’t survive, he was right all along…it’s all our fault. ---
**Author:** ![SeaDragonTattoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@SeaDragonTattoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SeaDragonTattoo)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2013, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-root-canals-really-toxic/650576/169 "2013-02-22T02:05:53Z")
I’m cyanotic from the anticipation. ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2013, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-root-canals-really-toxic/650576/170 "2013-02-22T14:14:06Z")
I imagine he probably went right from the dentist’s office to the first schedule round of chemo and now he’s just a little too shagged out to contribute. ---
**Author:** ![Jenaroph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e8c25b/32.png) [@Jenaroph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jenaroph)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2013, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-root-canals-really-toxic/650576/171 "2013-02-22T14:20:02Z")
Of course, every little sniffle or twinge he ever gets for the\* rest of his life \*will be blamed on the root canal. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2013, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-root-canals-really-toxic/650576/172 "2013-02-22T15:01:49Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#): > > Do we have one? (Yep, like I said, if root canals and dental implants caused cancer, hockey players would be a dying breed.) > > So how did it go, **ineedthetruth**? They took the tooth, the whole tooth, and nothing but the tooth. ---
**Author:** ![simster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/simster/32/1047_2.png) [@simster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/simster)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2013, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-root-canals-really-toxic/650576/173 "2013-02-22T15:11:10Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > They took the tooth, the whole tooth, and nothing but the tooth. So, his new handle is **ineedthetooth**? ---
**Author:** ![hotflungwok](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/edb3f5/32.png) [@hotflungwok](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hotflungwok)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2013, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-root-canals-really-toxic/650576/174 "2013-02-22T15:12:45Z")
> [@SeaDragonTattoo](#): > > I’m cyanotic from the anticipation. Someone get the pulmonary stimulators and cardiac infusers. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2013, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-root-canals-really-toxic/650576/175 "2013-02-22T15:15:59Z")
> [@hotflungwok](#): > > Someone get the pulmonary stimulators and cardiac infusers. Hang on-I think I put them in the “Party Box” along with the vibrators and nylon rope. ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2013, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-root-canals-really-toxic/650576/176 "2013-02-22T15:19:09Z")
Given my theory that you can find at least 2% of people who will agree with any crazy theory, I would not be surprised if you can find scores of Dentists who believe that Teeth Cause Cancer and that they should all be removed. But there’s just no credible science in support of the OP’s claims. ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2013, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-root-canals-really-toxic/650576/177 "2013-02-22T23:07:32Z")
I got the root canal done guys. It took 2 hours and I got to go back 2 more times. My dentist said my nerve was severely inflamed and he had to give me a ton of shots so I couldn’t feel pain. It hurt pretty bad none the less which I was surprised because I had a root canal when I was like 20 and it didnt hurt. But back then I was too poor to go for the 2nd part of my treatment and my tooth just fell out one day. Anyways here I am with a root canal. Now my heart is beating weird no lie. It’s been beating off sync but that may be from all the shots or the antibotics I am still taking. Is it normal for my root canal tooth to be swollen and look like blood is under the gums around the tooth? It has been like 2 full days since I had it done. Does this sound normal? ---
**Author:** ![Great\_Antibob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47c2d/32.png) [@Great\_Antibob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Great_Antibob)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2013, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-root-canals-really-toxic/650576/178 "2013-02-22T23:23:33Z")
> [@ineedthetruth](#): > > Is it normal for my root canal tooth to be swollen and look like blood is under the gums around the tooth? It has been like 2 full days since I had it done. It is if you keep looking at it and playing around the area with your tongue/fingers. Also, if you’re testing it out by biting down, you’re aggravating healing tissue. ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2013, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-root-canals-really-toxic/650576/179 "2013-02-22T23:35:32Z")
> [@ineedthetruth](#): > > It hurt pretty bad none the less which I was surprised because I had a root canal when I was like 20 and it didnt hurt. You had a root canal when you were 20? Damn, sorry about that, pal. All these years in remission and you go and poke the bear. ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2013, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-root-canals-really-toxic/650576/180 "2013-02-22T23:36:53Z")
> [@Great\_Antibob](#): > > It is if you keep looking at it and playing around the area with your tongue/fingers. Also, if you’re testing it out by biting down, you’re aggravating healing tissue. im not really doing that though. The gum is swollen and there is red blood trapped under the gum it seems right around the tooth. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-root-canals-really-toxic/650576.md?page=8) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-root-canals-really-toxic/650576.md?page=10)