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High risk for infection and possibly need a root canal

L

Louise67894

Junior member
Joined
Jan 27, 2023
Messages
2
Location
England
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?
 
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.
 
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 :)
 
Thanks for updating. Our imaginations are amazing things but sometimes they do us more harm than good :)
 
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