Hi, Dr James here, and I’m one of the principal dentists at Elevate Dental. Last week, I had the pleasure of looking after William from Clifton Hill. He came to see us with a sore tooth in his back molar, and he asked me, “Dr James, my tooth is really sore, do I need root canal therapy?” Not all sore teeth require root canal treatment, so I thought I would make a video sharing with you the signs and symptoms that indicate a root canal treatment may be needed.

Signs to watch out for include having a fever, having a swollen cheek, face or gums, difficulty opening your mouth fully or minimal discomfort, having tender or swollen lymph nodes often under the jaw area or in the neck, a lump or blister in the gum next to the sore tooth, a pimple or abscess in the gums with discharge or pus from this area, or sometimes foul-tasting or smelly liquid if this abscess ruptures.

Symptoms can include pain that often just doesn’t feel right. This is more than the occasional niggle that you may feel. Pain that lasts more than a few seconds or minutes that requires painkillers for relief, sharp pain when having hot or cold temperatures, constant dull ache in the background, or even sometimes a throbbing, pulsating pain. Pain when eating chewing down on the tooth. You may have trouble sleeping or the pain wakes you up at night, or sometimes the tooth will just spontaneously hurt and not settle at all.

If you or someone you know have these signs and symptoms, then there might be a chance that a root canal therapy is required. The best thing to do is to get a professional opinion to find out the cause and explore your options.

If you are looking for a new dentist to look after you and your family, we would love to help. We are friendly, caring and compassionate. Why not give us a call at +61 3 9428 2424, send us a direct message on social media, or complete the enquiry form on our website at www.elevatedental.com.au, and we will help you organise your appointment. We look forward to meeting you.

Note: All content and media on the Elevate Dental website and social media channels are created and published online for informational purposes only. It is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice and should not be relied on as health or personal advice.

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