If a looming root canal is keeping your week busy, take heart: Research suggests the procedure can provide health benefits that will be felt throughout the body.
Patients who were successfully treated for root canal infections had their blood sugar levels drop significantly over two years, suggesting that ridding the body of problematic bacteria may help protect against type 2 diabetes.
Dentists also noted improvements in patients' blood cholesterol and fatty acid levels, which are linked to heart health. Even more benefits have been seen in inflammation, which is a cause of cardiovascular disease and other chronic diseases.
“Our oral health is linked to our overall health,” said Dr Sadia Niazi, senior clinical lecturer in endodontology at King's College London. “We should never view our teeth or dental disease as a separate entity.”
Root canals are one of the most common—and perhaps scariest—dental procedures, although much of the anxiety stems from myths and misconceptions this takes us back to the days of bad anesthesia. Treatment is performed to treat infection or damage to the dental pulp, the soft inner tissue of the tooth containing nerves, blood vessels and connective tissue.
According to the 2024 Public Health Survey, more than a third of adults in England have undergone root canal treatment, with this figure rising to 50% among people aged 55 to 74 years. More than 15 million root canal procedures are performed in the United States each year.
Researchers followed 65 patients from Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust in London for two years after root canal treatment. Before the procedure and at four points after it, they analyzed molecules in the patients' blood to see how they processed sugar, fat and other substances.
Dentists know that long-term dental infections can introduce bacteria into the bloodstream. Once in the circulation, microbes can increase inflammation and impair the body's ability to control blood sugar levels. However, it was unclear whether root canal treatment had any benefits beyond clearing the tooth infection.
I am writing to Journal of Translational MedicineThe researchers described significant changes after root canal treatment in more than half of the blood molecules they analyzed. Results indicate short-term improvements in fat metabolism and long-term improvements in blood sugar levels. Markers of inflammation, which lead to a variety of chronic diseases, are reduced after a dental procedure.
“This is not about treating one tooth. It has long-term benefits for the patient's overall health, especially reducing the risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease and diabetes,” Niazi said.
“People need to understand that your mouth is the main gateway to your overall health, so the best course of action is to monitor your oral health, have regular dental checkups and treat conditions early.”
The results are especially important for global health because chronic dental infections often go untreated. According to Mira Health The organization estimates that 3.7 billion people worldwide live with untreated oral disease. Given the broader health impact of dental infections, oral health should be integrated into a patient's overall health care, Niazi said.
The study was published a week after clinical trial at University College London have found that treating severe gum disease can prevent clogged arteries, reducing the risk of coronary heart disease and stroke. The treatment reduced inflammation caused by gum disease.
Dr Marco Orlandi, co-principal investigator of the study, said: “Oral diseases such as gum disease are associated with a variety of non-communicable diseases such as cardiovascular, metabolic, rheumatic and neurodegenerative diseases.” Gum disease should now be considered a “non-traditional risk factor” for clogged arteries, he added.
