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What Happened When My Root-Canal Teeth Were Pulled


Robyn Openshaw - Updated: March 21, 2024 - - This Post May Contain Affiliate Links


Photo of woman with mouth open and dentist with surgical tools from "What Happened When My Root-Canal Teeth Were Pulled" by Green Smoothie Girl

When I had two root canal teeth extracted by my biological dentist, I paid a few hundred dollars for an analysis of what bacteria were found in these "dead" teeth. I want to tell you what I learned when got my results back from the lab in Colorado.

Weighing a Root Canal VS Extraction

In this article:

 

Why My Root Canal Failed

My holistic dentist had told me previously that both of my root-canal teeth were failing.1 Since then, I’ve talked to half a dozen other dentists and people who have extensive experience with root canals about why root canals fail.

Dental Damage from Earlier Years

You would think that with all the good health habits I have, I would have better luck with my teeth. I confess to being more than a little disappointed that a bone graft and so much dental work would be required, notwithstanding my earlier years of eating lots of candy, ice cream, and diet soda.

All Root Canals Fail Years Later

But did you know that the EXPECTED time that a root canal lasts is a max of ten years? That’s right—endodontists KNOW that their procedure has a very limited life.

My brother Dave was in an ATV accident where his teeth planted in the steering wheel and killed ten of them. He had root canals on all of them, and guess what happened ten years later?

Yep, they were all failing.

Signs of Root Canal Infection

Woman holding jaw in pain from "What Happened When My Root-Canal Teeth Were Pulled" by Green Smoothie Girl

Sensitivity, blisters on the gum, pain, and even rashes can indicated a failed root canal.

But what about those first ten years? Are those pleomorphic organisms trapped in an anaerobic environment, in a dead organ, really contained during that time? Answer: no, they’re not! “Failing” just means that there are visible, discernible signs of rampant infection and decay. Teeth don't get that way overnight! When a root canal infection is obvious, you can be sure the problem has existed for quite some time.

Failed Root Canal Symptoms

In my case, the signs of infection were mild tooth sensitivity and a blister on the gums covering the tooth. I also had a raging, itchy rash on my trunk and arms that came and went for 2.5 months, until I realized it was related to my teeth.

Sick & Tired? Dental Work May be the Culprit

What Happens to the Root Canaled Tooth?

Have you ever thought about the fact that the tooth is an organ? Biological dentists know this. Each tooth is part of an interconnected meridian in the body. When you decide to keep a dead tooth in your mouth through a root canal, you are truly fossilizing a dead organism in your living mouth. How can we think this won’t cause problems?!

Bacteria Found in the Samples

My test results came back saying that 10 bacteria were detected in the tooth sample. None of them were in the “active” concentration, where the microorganism is alive and well and not being effectively attacked by my immune system.

But two were in the “bright” concentration, which means “heavy concentration of the microorganism.”

The two most worrying bacteria were:

Photo of female scientist looking into microscope from "What Happened When My Root-Canal Teeth Were Pulled"

Getting your tooth tested with a bacteria sample can show if your root canal is infected.

Different Bacteria in the Body

I didn't panic about this. The fact is, everybody has candida (a parasitic fungi like yeast), everybody has cancer, most people probably have strep and even MRSA micro-organisms too. Everybody has many yeasts, molds, fungi, viruses, bacteria, and the toxic waste byproducts of those critters in their blood and guts and organs.

Believe it or not, candida can actually have valid functions in the human body. In proportion, when we're talking about tiny amounts in a teeming, healthy ecosystem, it’s not a problem.

When Should You Worry About the Bacteria?

The problem is when those baddies get out of hand, when the good guys in the body, like macrophages and healthy microorganisms, are overcome (by antibiotics! GMO-frankenfoods! sugar-feeding yeast and fungus!) and the baddies get out of control.

Killing tissues/organs such as your teeth, then trapping the bacteria in the teeth, deprived of oxygen, makes the baddies become super-psychos. That’s a gross oversimplification, but a google search on those two bacteria reveal that my own two breeds of baddies cause heart attacks, impaired immune response, and infections!2

Shudder.

After the Root Canal Tooth Extraction

It was weird to be missing two teeth for a while, but I was glad to be rid of the super-psychos.

The dentist offered me an antibiotic the day of my surgery, since he knew the baddies were out and running around. I said no thanks, that I wanted to help my body manage it. And it did. Every time I think of this, I send a gratitude message inward, thanking my body for heroic immune function during a rough patch!

What was the experience like if you’ve ever had a root canal? If you could choose, would you have a root canal or have the tooth extracted? Share your story in the comments section below.

Up Next: How To Find A Good Biological Dentist: 10 Questions To Ask

Photograph of Robyn Openshaw, founder of Green Smoothie GirlRobyn Openshaw, MSW, is the bestselling author of The Green Smoothies Diet, 12 Steps to Whole Foods, and 2017’s #1 Amazon Bestseller and USA Today Bestseller, Vibe. Learn more about how to make the journey painless, from the nutrient-scarce Standard American Diet, to a whole-foods diet, in her free video masterclass 12 Steps to Whole Foods.

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links that help support the GSG mission without costing you extra. I recommend only companies and products that I use myself.

Photo of woman with mouth open and dentist with surgical tools with post's text from "What Happened When My Root-Canal Teeth Were Pulled" by Green Smoothie Girl

Sources

  1. Zehnder, Matthias, and Georgios N Belibasakis. “On the Dynamics of Root Canal Infections-What We Understand and What We Don't.” Virulence, Taylor & Francis, 2015, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4601489/.
  2. Georgalas, C., Kanagalingam, J., Zainal, A., Ahmed, H., Singh, A., & Patel, K. S. (2002). The Association between Periodontal Disease and Peritonsillar Infection: A Prospective Study. Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery126(1), 91–94. https://doi.org/10.1067/mhn.2002.121318

 

Editor's note: This post was originally published on November 23, 2012 and has been updated for quality and relevancy.

Posted in: Dental Health, Detox, Health Concerns, Holistic Care

29 thoughts on “What Happened When My Root-Canal Teeth Were Pulled”

Leave a Comment
  1. Lori says:

    I just finished another session at Dr. Wendell Robertson’s office this last Tuesday. 5 and a half hours later but it was a whole section of teeth. He told me that on one tooth, where a crown had been placed a number of years ago, had bacteria under the gumline and most dentists would just ignore that. He is a great dentist. he has now done two sections of my teeth. i need to get the upper sections done eventually. He painstakingly gets the bad out and builds up the teeth. Lifetime guarantee on them. He is a holistic dentist i trust. He also took the metal out of that section of my teeth. Yay. And in a very safe way.

  2. Patti says:

    Robyn, what are you going to replace those two teeth with? Zirconium implant? Also you said you had a bone graft. What did you use? My holistic dentist advises there are 3 options, cadaver, bovine and synthetic. All 3 creep me out, but he does recommend either cadaver or bovine. I wonder what the person died of and what the cow ate. Also what do you recommend for filling cavities? I understand composite is really too soft for biting areas. I have a lot to deal with in my mouth unfortunately. Thanks.

    1. tegan cascio says:

      hi, i’m im in your same situation and trying to research all my options…. can you share your experience and your choice/decision in the end? this was in 2012? thank you, nyc

  3. Lisa says:

    Hi Robyn,
    My husband had a toxic root canaled tooth removed a couple of years ago, but he still has the gaping space and just a plastic tooth insert that he wears to sleep. We just haven’t figured out what to do yet, because do not want him to have metal in his mouth, but we do not like the plastic either– and we don’t like the short lifespan of implants. With the zirconium implant, is there a titanium rod placed into the jaw onto which the implant is placed? Do you know the life expectancy of such an implant? Our holistic dentist is not using this technology yet, although he knows about it somwehat.
    Lisa

    1. Hi! I am a holistic dentist in Atlanta. I recommend using biocompatible all ceramic zirconia implants from Switzerland. They are safe and metal free. They have been used in Europe for many years. I brought them to Georgia a few years ago. They are all white, all ceramic and Lazer micro etched to match the topography of bone. So bone grows into them beautifully and gum tissue loves them. We then make an all ceramic crown to fit over them. Feel free to call the office and ask questions!

      Dr Michaela McKenzie
      Dazzling Smiles, PC
      770-993-9217

  4. Lisa says:

    Patti, I have eleven composite fillings in my mouth and they have been good to me so far. They were done by a holistic dentist who says they should last 15 years. I think the material is a bit weaker than amalgram, but it is much safer so I will take that. I don’t bite into hard things and have trouble biting things like whole almonds– I can almost feel that I could hurt my fillings and therefore am careful.
    Lisa

  5. Renee says:

    Robyn, I just wanted to say thanks for sharing your story! Toxic root canals are unfortunately so overlooked even in the community of holistic-minded people. My Dad is a Biological Dentist in MD and he does this DNA test routinely and every time it comes back with some bacteria. It’s unbelievable what is showing up! I had 2 Titanium implants put in 10 years ago due to a bad accident which caused me to lose both teeth. Fortunately my Dad didn’t do root canals on them because he was already aware of the dangers, but I did have titanium implants put in because there wasn’t much word about zirconium back then. Recently I had one of the implants tested using the preliminary DNA testing (which tests for less bacteria than the post-extraction test) and it came back with 5 bacteria around it! So now I’m considering having them replaced with either zirconium implants or a partial. Well anyway, thanks again Robyn!! Best of luck to you with all of your dental work!

    1. Joanne says:

      What is your dad’s name? Have in difficulty finding a dentist in MD

  6. Linda says:

    Renee, is it possible to let me know who your dad is, since I live in MD and would love to find a good bio dentist. I’ve got a mess going on here, and my 22 yr. old daughter already has 3 root canals with clearly wrongly placed crowns. One has fallen off twice in a year with permanent cement. We need a great dentist!

    Robyn, great story. I’m horrified now to think how much bacteria I likely have from the nightmare that is my mouth.

  7. Betty Christensen says:

    Where were you 2 weeks ago when I impulsively sought out an endodontist to give me my first root canal… wasn’t even emergency. Just thought I was doing a good thing. Spent almost two thousand dollars by the time I paid for a cat scan, the root canal, the temporary filling, the permanant filling.. and then, the tooth broke .. and another $300 for a temporary patch up. And the tooth still has feeling and is sensitive. I feel like I am in the vortex of a money pit.

  8. Cheryl Meyers says:

    Dr. Wall pulled 11 (yes I said 11) root canalled teeth of mine. It was an 8 hour surgery to remove those teeth, remove all the mercury and build up the remaining teeth. Unfortunately for me it was tooooo late the remaining teeth all abcessed and had to be pulled. Please, please, please do not have a root canal done. It will ruin your health, cost you lots of money and you will lose the tooth anyway in the end. P. S. Dr Wall is amazing!!!!

    1. Madonna Castle says:

      Not sure if you will get this but I am really wanting to communicate with you. I have 11 root canals also that need to come out….I am 55. Years of health problems. Have you felt better since Dr. Wall took them out? Any information would be helpful. Thank you! Madonna Castle, IA

      1. Amy says:

        Madonna,
        I live in Iowa as well and was looking into a good holistic dentist. Have you seen one?
        Thank you, Amy

        1. Jami says:

          Did you find a holistic dentist? I just started seeing one in Omaha, NE.

    2. McKell says:

      Heyo Cheryl Meyers!

      I live near Bountiful and am considering Dr. Wall’s services on a root canal. May I ask how much an extraction costs? Also, did you take the antibiotics after the procedure? What would you recommend? Thank you!

  9. Kelv!n says:

    ugh… great.. i JUST had the joy of chipping my tooth in a li’l accident, which required a root canal and cap. so now i have a stub tooth rooted out w/a cap glued on… I’m not looking forward to seeing what happens in a few years under that nasty cap. the dentist did a great job, but after reading about your story and the baddies in dead teeth, i’m hoping that in a quick few years, they’ll have some stem cell tech to regrow/replace my missing tooth!! i better ask my dentist about the mid and long term consequences i have to look forward to with my tooth.

    thx for sharing your story. hey! blog posts always are better w/pics… why didn’t you post any pics on this post??? hahaha 😉

  10. christa says:

    Hi Robyn, Is there such a thing as porcelain implants? I thought I saw that on your site somewhere? I plan on having my recent root canals taken out soon! Glad you are still talking about all of this. Also, I have a book I have wanted you to read for about 2 years now, where would I send it? Thanks, Christa

  11. Stephanie says:

    Robin, have you had an silver (mercury) amalgams removed at all? I have 4 to be removed and am considering doing this now before trying to get pregnant in 2-3 months. I had a miscarriage at 20 weeks last month and I have no answers other than it was likely my hypothyroidism. I also have a bad root canal tooth that needs to be pulled. Wondering if all this work (even with a careful biological dentist) makes sense to do now? Mercury will still get into my system and I’ve read can take a year to get out of your system with a focused detox plan

    1. Luka says:

      I HIGHLY suggest removing all of these issues PRIOR to conceiving. I have two kids and I seriously wish I knew better and someone told me this beforehand. Amalgam fillings alone are 50-60% Mercury… This gets placed into the fetus and while all major organs form etc. I know in my heart that the issues my oldest has is part because of my teeth health at conception and birth.

  12. Judy says:

    Oh my! I had a 20 year old root canal in an upper molar that was stuffed with amalgam explode in pain and had it pulled in February. I, too, have had a horrible itchy scaly thing inside my ear and back of my scalp on that same side for – get this – FIVE years. No steroids, creams, shampoos would touch it. Had the tooth pulled and had a week of vomiting and vertigo. But now the hole has healed, the itchy patches are almost gone on my scalp and my ear canal finally stopped itching. I have only one week of smoothies in me so I am new at this. And I am 260 lbs. so I have a long way to go. My question is this: I have an appointment for a titanium screw implant. I can’t chew over on that side so something needs to be done. I was initially attracted to smoothies because I just can’t handle chewing meals anymore. My dentist says titanium does not harm the body by leaching like amalgam does. Does any smart person out there have wisdom to share on titanium implants?

  13. Steven says:

    Fascinating story! I’m eagerly awaiting my root canals to be pulled. Dentists all say they look fine ok X-rays but head pains, a swollen neck and painful lymph nodes are telling me otherwise. The most disconcerting of all of this, are the seemingly “unrelated” symptoms I’ve been getting sense my tooth problems really kicked in… Such as tingling and partial numbness on the left side of my face, head and now even my lower extremities! I have to admit though, you really started to lose me at the end when discussing “energy work”.

    1. Tivne says:

      How are your symptoms after the extractions?

    2. Marta says:

      Steven,
      Energy Work, Energy Medicine is the medicine of the future.
      I encourage you to keep an open mind.

      More will be revealed as the years unfold.
      Stay tuned!

    3. JOE says:

      STEVEN, WHAT HAPPENED?

  14. Hi, Loved the article since it sounds like the Hell and tooth agony I am immersed in.. Did you end up getting implants? How do you feel now.. I recently 6 weeks ago had two root canals done due to abcess.. I feel like death I have bags under my eyes I didnt think could be possible.. Today some man in the thrift store stopped me.. ” You look like a high school friend of Mine.. But it couldnt be so I am 65.. ” ugh ugh ugh ugh.. I have been in a living hell since he did these root canals.. I wish I would ofkept the infection and took my chances on abcess tooth death then how I feel now.. constant nausia, no energy. complete exhaustion, depression, weird metal taste in mouth, weird tingling sensations that move around between teeth.. heat on face.. achy body.. I really feel almost suicidal.. All joking aside.. I am no wimp.. but this is living hell.. how long did you live with the root canaled teeth before extracting them? Did you get implants? How do you feel now.. Please respond to me.. I am in dire condition.. and I dont get much sympathy from friends as they think it’s just a tooth..

    I was use to running 4 miles a day I know my body as soon as the schmuch killed my teeth.. I feel half dead too. PLEASE HELPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPP

    1. Marta says:

      Relate to you, Julia. Has it gotten better at all? Care to share?

      Wishing you radiant health and peace,

    2. Weston says:

      Hi Julia,
      i just ran across these old theads concerning root canals because i have one. I saw that the topic of energy work was brought up. I came across this information several months ago learning about Dr. Nelson and his inspired methods of energy healing called The Emotion Code/Body Code. I naturally had a great interest in learning more about how it works. HealersLibrary.com is his site and there are other healer practioners all over the world from his teachings. I am now actively and successfully using these methods everyday. He has created a way for anyone to learn how to use it, even children have learned to use it. As it is taught, our bodies although are physical in nature, are also pure energy. Using these methods can help you easily find the imbalances, or underlying reasons you are feeling the way you are because your body holds all the answers to everything about you.Your subconscious is this very place that holds all that info. Through muscle testing, which he teaches different methods for anyone to learn, and asking questions, you can find the very root cause of anything about you. I have helped heal chronic back pains, neck pains, allergies, knee issues (when all other remedies failed ex:surgeries, injections, therapy) and many more things that are simple miraculous. Most of these issue were caused by what is called trapped emotions in the body that in turn causes a distortion in our own bodies energy field. That distortion can affect us mentally, emotionally,physically,and psychologically. Because your body/subconscious mind holds all info about you, through muscle testing, i can literally find out the percentage of my immune system within seconds. Say i was feeling depression, i could ask myself if i have the emotion depression in my body somewhere causing me to feel the way i am at the time. I muscle test to get a yes or no answer. A yes answer is will give a strong muscle response and a no will give a weak response.If i get a yes, i simply ask questions to find the underlying reason for this emotion, like “Do i have depression because of my tooth procedure, or it could be from some time in the past that is still affecting you in some way. Please go to HealersLibrary.com and learn how this is changing so many people.

      1. Robyn says:

        Weston, hi, thanks—I was just studying his stuff this week and planning to contact the author about a collaboration. XO

  15. Bill says:

    Robyn
    Thanks for your story, BTW you are misinformed that the teeth start failing after 10 years. When infected teeth are given the root canal treatment, it’s impossible to kill all the infection in the root. The infection starts from day 1. Read The Roots of Disease by Drs. Kulacz and Levy. The way to recover quickly after they are removed is to take large amounts of vitamin C. That’s why you feel out of it and sick when you are carrying the bacteria around for years – it cancels much of the vitamin C in your blood, leaving you weaker and more prone to infection and heart disease.

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