High risk for infection and possibly need a root canal

[Louise67894]

So basically I’m 21 years old and was born with a vsd ( type of hole in the heart) which puts me at high risk of any infection making me seriously unwell, I have also had endocarditis that was caused when I was younger through an abscess that I didn’t know I had- 8 months in hospital and now I have unimaginable fear and anxiety that if I go to the dentist and need a root canal like my last dentist said will I end up with an infection after the procedure? I have made the mistake of googling all sorts of things prior to my first check up appointment on Tuesday and now I’m so worried that a root canal will give me a long term infection that I can’t even identify as I have no nerve to feel the pain which could lead to me ending back In hospital, I know I can talk to my dentist on Tuesday when I go but I’m loosing my mind with worry and stress thinking all the worst case scenarios, I worry the cavity is too deep for a filling which would have been the best case for me but I have to prepare myself for the worst and just wanting advice do i consider the root canal and risk the infection that many people have experienced or do I think about loosing the tooth if it comes to that? I don’t like the thought of having a tooth removed and I think I would have to request it to be done in the hospital with my fear and the heart issue I wouldn’t want to risk so much stress on the heart going wrong.
The mind is a crazy place I haven’t even been to my checkup appointment and I’m already planning extractions for myself, however I know i need multiple procedures as I haven’t been able to get a dentist for ages!
Thoughts on root canal? Worth the risk or too many complications after?

 

[Gordon]

Thoughts on root canal? Worth the risk or too many complications after?

You're not at any kind of increased risk of having a post treatment infection than the next person. There is no evidence that bacteria from dental infections cause a bigger risk of endocarditis than other causes of bacteria in the bloodstream, e.g. a cut finger or even brushing your teeth!

Extracting the tooth would let more bacteria into your bloodstream than a root canal is likely to, so it would be more sensible to do the root canal if required.

 

[Louise67894]

Thankyou, that has definitely eased my mind, and even better I only need a filling in the cavity went to my appointment and was removed the second I left, I feel like I made my self feel worse from worrying

 

[Gordon]

Thanks for updating. Our imaginations are amazing things but sometimes they do us more harm than good