Robert Kulacz, DDS shares this in his interview – Medical Alert: Root Canal Procedures – on the Holistic Oral Health Summit, hosted by Jonathan Landsman:
all root-canalled teeth that are infected to begin with will stay infected after the root canal is completed. Period. You cannot sterilize an infected tooth with a root canal….
Certainly, it’s very difficult to say definitively that the patient’s disease process [be it anxiety, depression, insomnia, heart disease, cancer etc.] is caused by a root canalled tooth. But we can say that these root canal teeth are toxic. They release potent exotoxins. They release bad bacteria into the body. And certainly, they may be the main cause or a contributing factor in a host of various diseases.
Do you have one or more root canals and have you ever been told they could be a factor in your unresolved health issues and even ongoing anxiety? It’s a controversial topic and Dr. Kulacz wants his patients to have the information in order to make a choice on whether or not to have a root canal, as well as being able to decide whether or not to have a root canal extracted. This is some of what he shares about myocardial infarction (commonly known as a heart attack):
in 2013, a study [Bacterial signatures in thrombus aspirates of patients with myocardial infarction] came out where bacterial signatures in thrombus aspirates of patients with myocardial infarction, and the conclusion was,“Dental infections and oral bacteria, especially viridans streptococci may be associated with the development of acute coronary thrombosis. Bacterial DNA, typical for endodontic infection,” that’s root canals, “mainly oral viridian streptococci, was measured in the thrombi. And periodontal pathogens from the gum was also a contributing factor.”
So these bacteria from these root canalled teeth, these bacteria from the gum tissues, travel from the mouth, go to the heart, go to the arterial plaques inside the coronary arteries—and that could be a major contributing factor to the development and progression of coronary artery disease—and also to the inflammation that causes that plaque to rupture and causing a heart attack.
So, we have a smoking gun here. It used to be said, “Oh, it’s correlation that oral infection can cause heart disease.” This is more a direct causation. We’re seeing the same bacteria in these root canalled teeth in the gum tissues in the plaques and coronary arteries.
He shares this about cerebral aneurysms, also called brain aneurysms which can leak or rupture, causing bleeding into the brain or a hemorrhagic stroke:
in the Journal of Neurology….published back in 2013, The Connection Between Ruptured Cerebral Aneurysms and Odontogenic Bacteria. Conclusion -“This is the first report showing evidence that dental infection could be part of the pathophysiology of intracranial aneurysm disease.”
So these bacteria go everywhere. There are going anywhere. So they can affect your heart. They can affect the blood vessels in your brain. They can affect your kidneys. They can affect your lungs. They can affect your brain.
I just wish the American Dental Association would just say, “Hey, listen! We have to look at this seriously. Now, we can no longer bury our head in the sand and say these root-canalled teeth can pose no health threat whatsoever.” That’s their position, that the bacteria found in these root-canalled teeth do not travel to other parts of the body and that these bacteria and toxins do not cause any other disease. And that simply is not true.
Here is my contribution to the above discussion and my connection to anxiety and mood….
There is so much research on the gut brain connection and we now know that the bacteria in our gut can impact our levels of anxiety (and depression), but what if the bacteria in our mouth can also contribute to our anxiety?
- this 2017 paper, Exploring the Association between Alzheimer’s Disease, Oral Health, Microbial Endocrinology and Nutrition, make some of these connections, mentioning both anxiety and insomnia as well as Alzheimer’s disease and poor oral health.
- this 2016 paper, Depression and Inflammatory Periodontal Disease Considerations—An Interdisciplinary Approach reports that periodontal disease may contribute to the onset of depression via inflammation, activation of cell-mediated immunity and increased oxidative stress
For many people the anxiety nutrition solution is an easy one but if you have been struggling for years to find your root cause and have root canals, periodontal disease and poor mouth health, this must be addressed.
Also, we see poorer dental health in those who have pyroluria (the social anxiety condition) and low histamine levels (also called histapenia or overmethylation). This topic isn’t covered on the summit but it’s been documented since the early work of Carl Pfeiffer, MD. So, addressing diet and nutritional imbalances can start to address both the anxiety and poor mouth health.
Be sure to register for the Holistic Oral Health Summit here. Here are a few other great reasons to tune in:
- Oral health is the most overlooked health issue in conventional AND integrative medicine!
- 80% of disease symptoms are caused by problems in the mouth.
- Millions are exposed to disease-promoting dental procedures every day!
- Autoimmune disorders CAN be resolved by getting rid of toxic dental materials
- Reversing gum disease CAN help you get rid of digestive problems
- Root canal procedures – as mentioned above – increase your risk of cancer and other degenerative diseases (and very possibly anxiety and depression too)
- Heavy metals like mercury in silver dental fillings can contribute to anxiety and depression, damaging to your brain and nervous system, and affecting your digestion
This amazing event brings together some of the top doctors, dentists, scientists and health experts, giving you unprecedented access to oral health information that could transform your health!
Be in charge of your mouth health when you register for The Holistic Oral Health Summit airing from March 12-19, 2018!
We’d love to hear from you. Do you have root canals and unresolved health issues? Have you had your root canals extracted and experienced better health?
I had a root canal in 2000. Second tooth from center, top. Right where everyone can see it.
I had my Mercury fillings removed 14 yrs ago. Went off gluten and all common allergy foods 5 yrs ago. Checked for gut infections, found none. Still sicker than a dog. Adrenals burned out. Thyroid messed up. Exhausted all the time. Terrible muscle pain. Possible Lyme. Sleep problems, anxiety, stress.
So, tell me, if I have a front tooth removed, what can it be replaced with??? Implants aren’t good. A little bridge to hold in a fake tooth needs metal brackets to hold it in place, which is also toxic in the mouth. Plastic, if even available, isn’t much better. In fact, I believe my replacement fillings are made of some kind of plastic, which is probably toxic, and even tho I went to a hazmat dentist, I got even sicker after having them replaced. So, if my root canal is contributing to my bad health, (and I was already sick before I got it) and if I want to get it out, what do I put in its place? Or do I go around looking toothless? Seriously, no one ever addresses this issue. And is there a procedure to get rid of any lingering infection once the tooth is removed, or will it just go away once the tooth is removed? Inquiring minds want to know . . . . Thank you.
Susan
I am sorry to hear about your health issues. I’m not an expert on dental materials but have personally opted for bridges and crowns made from ceramic. I encourage you to listen to some of the experts on the summits as ceramic implants are discussed, although personally, I would not do any implants. They do discuss a removable teeth and someone mentioned everstick to me recently but I don’t know much about it. They discuss getting rid of the infection in the summit.
My main objective in sharing this information is for root-cause resolution for anxiety and other health issues that are not responding to other nutritional/biochemical approaches + to educate folks so they don’t get root canals.
Even individuals who were already sick before having a root canal should be open to the fact that it may be adding to the issue and preventing healing.
Here is my list of 60+ possible biochemical root causes https://www.everywomanover29.com/blog/60-nutritional-biochemical-causes-of-anxiety/
I’m with Susan who commented earlier. I’ve got one RC left but removing it leaves me only an option for another implant or no lower molars on one side as I had another RC and all amalgam fillings removed last year. At this point, I’m taking my chances that an excellent diet and doing all the other healthy lifestyle choices will outweigh one RC that looks like it may not be infected. $16000 CAD later, I haven’t seen any health changes. I have a mouthful of ceramic crowns that will eventually need replaced but am happy to have the amalgam gone. Wish there were dental solutions that were healthy and affordable.
Karen
I hear you on the cost and challenge with safe options. I’ve lived it myself which is why I’m so interested in this topic and want to share what I can.
I always remind folks that amalgam and root canal removal alone (just like gluten removal) may not be enough until the cleanup/detox/healing work is done.
I’ve just finished reading “The Dental Diet” by Dr. Steven Lin and feel this approach really needs to be considered for everyone with mouth/teeth issues. You can find it on Amazon here http://amzn.to/2pgV0tG (my affiliate link). His blog is also a wealth of information https://www.drstevenlin.com/ I am not a fan of fermented cod liver oil which he endorses on his blog. He only mentions cod liver oil in the book so I’m glad about that.
The other book for teeth and mouth health that I really like is “Holistic Dental Care: The Complete Guide to Healthy Teeth and Gums” by Nadine Artemis. You can find this on Amazon here http://amzn.to/2pecEiy (also my affiliate link). Her diet section is short but the rest of the book is fabulous and contains many recipes on using essential oils and more. Or you can buy her products on Amazon, like this “Happy Gum Drops + Oil Swishing Serum” for oil pulling (http://amzn.to/2DvoHMH – affiliate link) or her site https://www.livinglibations.com
Nadine is actually speaking on the Oral health summit so be sure to tune into her interview.
I’ve been using Nadine’s line of products and love them. The Dr Tung floss is the best I’ve used. I’ll check out Dr Lin’s blog as I’m not familiar with him. It’s so good that we have information so easily available and the health oriented community is expanding. Only wish I’d had so much available many years ago. It’ll be interesting to see where we are in 20 years. Thank you for your work, Trudy.
Hi, some 19years ago I had a cracked tooth from a rogue peanut which I had a filling done on. 1 week later I had a brain hemorrhage which was successfully clipped. Doctors found 2more aneurysms which also got clipped. All good. I now have a residual aneurysm and have done for 19 yrs, no problems. Being very cautious about having to go to a dentist again, I bit the dust and went to my local dentist to get a check up and address some fillings I know I needed doing. ( although I had no pain at this point). I now have a tooth infection on a tooth that had a reasonable size cavity in. The question is should I bother having a root canal or get the tooth pulled. Its at the top second from the back. Also any thoughts on botox in the masseter muscle to relieve headaches. Would appreciate any feedback. I’m a 44yr old female
Tanya
All the evidence points to root canals as being problematic especially for those with health issues. I would not have a root canal.
With headaches like any other health issue I like to look for the root cause and address that – food sensitivities are common culprits but we often have to dig deeper and look at toxins, heavy metals, Lyme disease etc.
After getting a root canal and suddenly having panic attacks, what’s the best course of action to check if they are related? Like what procedure should one go through to check for bacteria, identify if it’s the culprit, and identify the treatment?
Yes same here. Can you please share options to check bacteria levels,
Jim and Elaine
Many folks with anxiety and/or panic attacks after dental work/surgery find some relief using the amino acids like GABA (https://www.everywomanover29.com/blog/gaba-physical-tension-stiff-tense-muscles-type-anxiety/) and tryptophan (https://www.everywomanover29.com/blog/tryptophan-worry-head-ruminating-type-anxiety/) while they are seeking root cause resolution. Looking into low B12 if nitrous oxide/laughing gas was used is also key, as is addressing the microbiome if antibiotics were prescribed. Best is to work with a functional medicine doctor/nutritionist team and find a biological dentist.
Elaine
Working with a functional medicine practitioner would be your best bet – and doing B12 testing, stool test and basic blood work. When this happens with a client they are trialing the amino acids to get relief while figuring out the root cause
I had my wisdom teeth removed and a few other extractions within less than a year. After having my son my teeth were horrible. I also had gum flap surgery and within a year of that had braces put on my teeth. All this dental work happened within 2-3 year time frame. Since this I have had panic attacks and headaches. My blood pressure is also slightly elevated. I’m in my late 30s. Where can I go from here?
Amanda
Many folks with panic attacks and headaches after dental work/surgery find some relief using the amino acids like GABA (https://www.everywomanover29.com/blog/gaba-physical-tension-stiff-tense-muscles-type-anxiety/) and tryptophan (https://www.everywomanover29.com/blog/tryptophan-worry-head-ruminating-type-anxiety/) while they are seeking root cause resolution. Looking into low B12 if nitrous oxide/laughing gas was used is also key, as is addressing the microbiome if antibiotics were prescribed. Best is to work with a functional medicine doctor/nutritionist team.
I have had a root canal on front tooth and tooth beside it due to trauma when I knocked them out, i know it was mentioned that when they are already infected that a root canal won’t sterilize them but if it happened due to trauma is that still the case that they are infected? Does everyone need to get theirs fixed?
Holden
I would suspect it’s probably less of an issue but this isn’t my area of expertise. I would suggest checking with your dentist or with a biological dentistry organization like IAOMT https://iaomt.org/
I’m 28 and had three root canals done, last year in December I had sever panic attacks from dental care. I kept hearing a cracking sound on my right low cheek which made me have anxiety. I had a poor filling done but still heard the cracking sound. I went to a different dentist who suggested me to have a root canal done. Which made it my third root canal, the crackling sound did not go away and went back to the dentist and informed him if he can take a look at my top crown. It was cracked and did an extraction, I just recovered but I still hear the crackling sound. I’m getting a little frustrated with what’s going on and I’m going into depression. Should I remove the bottom right canal? I’m going to take GABA and b12 for my diet and I take good care of my teeth. I just need advice to indicate the crackling sound
Raul
Gosh, sorry to hear this. This is out of the scope of my expertise so I’d continue to follow up with the dentist and try and find a biological dentist from IAOMT https://iaomt.org/ I’d also have a doctor check the jaw and bone health.
One other thing to consider is low serotonin given that it contributes to panic attacks, anxiety, depression and TMJ disorder (and clicking sounds are common) – all of which can be helped with tryptophan if it is low serotonin
I’m a 25 year old male whose anxiety particularly social anxiety has progressed throughout the last year. I went to the dentist for the first time in around 2 years last week and was told I need a root canal. They started the process yesterday but we’re not able to finish it due to the gum infection being inflamed. I was put on an antibiotic and told to return within a week or two to finish the root canal and placing the crown. The tooth is a canine. Your research supports following through with the RC will cause more harm than good?
Austin
I would suggest finding a biologist dentist to work with, in addition to working with a naturopath or functional medicine practitioner to address immunity, inflammation and the gut.
There is a strong connection between pyroluria/social anxiety and mouth health/teeth issues so addressing this helps both the social anxiety and prevents future teeth issues. More here https://www.everywomanover29.com/blog/pyroluria-questionnaire-from-the-antianxiety-food-solution/
Actinomycosis is the infection process in root canals and in implants leading to flesh and bone eating hookworm see lumpy jaw actinomycosis in freesian dairy herds this has been covered up since the sixties due to unregulated use of antibiotics in milking herds European data protected as European central bank funded clinics all over Europe it’s all about greed
This is interesting thank you for sharing.
You say that “I always remind folks that amalgam and root canal removal alone (just like gluten removal) may not be enough until the cleanup/detox/healing work is done.” but what could be done to remove entirely the infection? Please tell me?
Also do you suggest me to take a zirconia implant? An ceramic implant is safe no?
I had a root canal about 25 years ago. For the past 10+ years I have had brain dysfunction (difficulties with: forgetfulness, word finding, executive functioning, learning new things, focus/concentration, motivation) that interferes with my quality of life. I am 51 and post menopausal. This RC tooth has some pain in it from time to time and research I’ve been doing says there might be a link. Have you heard of anything like this? Been to many doctors and taken lots of supplements, done lots of testing – no one seems to find anything wrong with me.
Cindy
Root canals can cause all sorts of issues and the recommendation is to have them removed
Apologies for the delay in your comment approval and my response. We had a computer glitch where a large number of comments were hidden from view in a spam folder. It mostly affected new folks who were commenting for the first time but it’s hopefully resolved now.
I am glad to find this blog post. I wanted to share with you my experience. I am 62. I have ongoing Hashimoto’s autoimmune thyroiditis, and have had four other AI conditions (now in remission). I have had a lot of dental work done over the decades, including many root canals and crowns. My lower teeth especially were in very bad condition and very fragile. There was a lot of decay and infection and bone loss, and a few of the teeth had been extracted after having broken. There was no way that my bottom teeth could be salvaged, so it was just a balancing act of keeping them as long as I could while I got the money together to get a lower denture.
About four months ago I had my lower teeth removed and I got a lower denture. In the last couple months I have been noticing tremors that feel like they are in the layer between my muscles and my skin. I was very sensitive to stimulation like dogs barking or the wood in our woodstove making a popping sound. I was also losing weight without a change in diet and losing muscle tone.
I asked my doctor to check my thyroid levels. We found that my TSH, which had been in a nicely balanced normal range, had plunged, telling me that I was now taking more levothyroxine than I needed. We are now titrating my medication level down. I had already gone from a high of 180 µg to 125 µg through changes in diet, chemical freedom, and lifestyle. It looks like I will be going even lower. My thyroid is only about 15% normal size, but it is a trooper. It’s fabulous to know that getting those bad teeth removed is increasing my overall level of health.
Lorna
Thanks for sharing these great results
I had a root canal done on my lower right molar about 3 months ago. I now have health issues. I was diagnosed with Hoshimotos disease. And I’m having blurry vision. I’ve take many blood tests and my doctor can’t seem to find anything wrong with me. My mental health has declined. I’m depressed and have anxiety on a daily basis. I have severe insomnia. I have brain fog and trouble concentrating. I have no desire to do the things I once loved. I’ve been reading about root canals causing health issues. What should I do? Should I have my root canal tooth removed? I would rather lose my tooth than have all of these health issues. Before my root canal I was healthy and thriving. I am not the same person I once was.
Crystal
I’m sorry to hear. I’d find a biological dentist to help guide you. More here https://iaomt.org/
Until it’s resolved, the amino acids may offer some relief for the anxiety, mood, insomnia, brain fog etc. Here is one blog post – Tryptophan for the worry-in-your-head and ruminating type of anxiety https://www.everywomanover29.com/blog/tryptophan-worry-head-ruminating-type-anxiety/ Feel free to search for others.
If you are new to the amino acids (and other anxiety nutrition solutions like gluten/sugar/caffeine removal, blood sugar control, gut health, pyroluria etc) my book “The Antianxiety Food Solution” is a great place to start. More here https://www.everywomanover29.com/blog/the-antianxiety-food-solution-by-trudy-scott/
Hi Trudy,
Somehow I missed this awesome summit.
I had a root canal done when I was 24 yrs old, in 1974. In 1983, I started having serious, nearly life threatening health issues. Severe allergies, massive wt loss. Even though I was eating lots of food. I ended up at the Page clinic in Fl, since conventional medical docs had no idea what was wrong. I spent 3 weeks at Page Clinic and was on my way to healing with their diet plan and supplements. I got stronger healthwise but I always had a lingering anxiety for decades. As long as I kept moving, I could cope but a sit down job caused massive anxiety, fatigue, brain fog etc. I had to leave my NICU job as an RN and went to work in L&D, not a sit down job lol. In 2015,l quit working as a nurse to focus on alternative healing modalities. In Nov of 2018, my anxiety got much worse, I was having almost continuous anxiety, panic attacks, severely high blood pressure, (I had always had low blood pressure previously)It was nearly crippling. Also the now 44 yr old root canal was causing some pain. There was a new biological dentist in my area. He did the cone beam X-rays and found that my root canal had never been done properly, the canal had been perforated. He took the root canal out in 12/2019. It was, of course, a mess. I was in the chair 3 hrs. He found a small abcess – cause of the pain. He said I should have been a lot sicker than I appeared. Basically- I was. I tend to hide feelings. The week prior to the removal I had severe palpitations. Cardiac. Workup was normal. Since the removal I continue to have severe anxiety episodes. I have tried everything, even mental health care. Nothing makes a difference. My concern is that some of the bacteria from the long-standing root canal may still be hanging around in my system somehow. Good chance I was poisoned for decades due to the perforated canal. My dentist doesn’t seem to think it should be a problem. Or could I use a good detox. Not sure where to start since docs in my area are not really experienced with this sort of thing. I did have a heavy metal test in 2016 that showed an extremely high over 200 arsenic level. I did chelation therapy to remove it. That doc is no longer in practice.,I live in Tampa Fl area. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thank you!
Deborah
I’m sorry to hear what you have experienced but good to hear you had it removed. For detox I like sauna (https://www.everywomanover29.com/blog/thera360-plus-my-portable-full-spectrum-infrared-sauna-from-therasage-better-sleep-and-digestion-more-energy-and-even-more-joy/), dry brush, castor oil packs and liver/gallbladder support.
With ongoing anxiety I also have clients review all possible too causes and address each one – it’s all outlined in my book “The Antianxiety Food Solution” https://www.everywomanover29.com/blog/the-antianxiety-food-solution-by-trudy-scott/
I had a fractured root canal and crown extracted about two months ago. It was my back molar and was very inflamed and infected. Prior to this I had been experiencing debilitating migraines, brain fog, fatigue,anxiety and major depression.
These ailments seem to have subsided since the extraction, with my health improving . My head in particular feels clearer and the migraines have disappeared. Could the root canal have been the cause ?
Michelle
Infected root canals can often be the cause. Glad to ear you’re doing better!