The Roots of Disease: Connecting Dentistry and Medicine Paperback – April 24, 2002

Worthwhile, informative read. I had read a few other similar books, and just seem to want to keep reading about this topic. I can't put into words how thought provoking this information is.While some people can have a root canal that lasts them a life time, did you know that a root canal is considered a success if it lasts 8 years? Many need to be reworked, or removed. And in the mean time, there is questionable health affects from constant or near constant bacterial leakage. Our bodies, if in good health can overtake much of this bombardment. But what about day in and day out for years and years? What if our health is not perfect? What if this just exacerbates our constitution. So yeh, there are multiple factors and variables at play, and this is just that much more info that can help us take control.It's 2021. I had my wisdom teeth removed in early 2005. I had one tooth that was considerably difficult to remove, and that was even at a highly credible and experienced facility. The resulting trauma created nerve damage. This affected the next tooth greatly. When I was told I needed a root canal, I didnt question it. In the mean time, I began picking up hints of the long term effect of root canals and other procedures. I had read more about tooth care, gum care, and health in regards to it all. I had specifically read Weston A Price Nutrition and Physical Degeneration (long, detailed, redundant read, but so worth the time) which further amped up my desire to eat better, etc (more on this in a moment).I had no intention of taking that tooth out, I just figured I would continue with my healthy lifestyle and hope for the best. Forward to 2017, and I had a cavity. Said cavity was filled. Then shortly after the tooth cracked vertically, and was once again deemed that I would need a root canal. I really should have put more thought into it, but I went ahead and had a root canal for that tooth. I just kinda thought that maybe there was something to the literature on negative effects of root canaled teeth, and maybe it wasn't a big deal. I mean, root canals are dont ALL THE TIME, so they must be ok. I am ashamed of my ignorance on that.Now I am not sure how long between late 2017 and mid 2021 that I had visible inflammation via a 3D image. It was when I had an infection erupting at gum line at the most recent root canaled tooth that this imaging was done. Then they happened to see the same shadowing on the old root canaled tooth. That area had NEVER quite felt right, and more so in the past few years. It kept being treated from a periodontal perspective (scaling, 3 month recalls--cleanings at 3 months rather than at 6 months--, low dose doxycycline, chlorhexadine mouth rinse, and near obsessive oral hygiene practices- sonic toothbrush, water irrigator, string floss, and mouthwash)...as well as a healthy, varied diet with regular supplements, including K2.But given all this, I greatly suspect there has been a systemic inflammation. Higher blood pressure, a general feeling of not quite feeling right, and other questionable experiences. THIS is the take away from all my readings and my experience with root canals: I HAD MY TWO ROOT CANALED TEETH REMOVED. Maybe a false effect, but in very short time after having done NOTHING ELSE, my blood pressure went down to normal levels, and I didnt feel like I was listless. I also haven't had any weird feeling in my gum at the old root canal, and the infection was cleaned out which who knows how long it had been there and how long my body had been fighting it off. Stuff gets complicated on determining cause, effect, the genesis of an issue.. and no matter, as I can pin point the start of problems with root canaled teeth and I can pin point an alleviation of some problems with the removal. They BOTH had infections at the root tip.I happened to have a regular doctors appt about 1 month after the extractions, and the blood pressure was confirmed on top of my self monitoring. I told her about the extractions and she nodded in confirmation about tooth/gum health and body health, and while not at all a dental professional is also aware of root canaled teeth and the possible problems associated with it. Again, if your body can handle fighting off systemic infection over and over and over.. great, but at some point the inflammation can birth health issues that may not otherwise have presented--both at focal level and systemically.I will be getting an implant for one of my extractions, and I am still in healing phase before I get the implant. In this time, I have felt so much better. Like I just reversed in age by 10 years physically and mentally. Things had been getting bad, and I did not know why. Labs weren't showing anything in particular. It was frustrating. I could feel the veil of doom lifted shortly after extraction.I have always been one to eat well and to use supplements, but I have tightened up my supplements after reading more on root canaled teeth (and extractions) AND this led me to learning more about higher dose vitamin D3, K2 (mk-4, mk-7), and magnesium (and others).Read read read. Question. Read some more. Take control of your life, your health. Wish I never had the root canals. I know for me it was less expensive than extraction and implant, but had I known that root canal therapy is not necessarily a life long fix, I would have opted for extraction and implant-- and I ended up doing that anyway!! I paid for 2 root canals. Then years later (15 years and 4 years respectively) I had them removed. So I paid for 2 extractions, and paid for 1 implant.I'll be back to update if I think of anything else to share.

Even though the cover has an almost cartoon appearance, this book's subject has to be one of the biggest medical crisis today. That is, the serious effects of root canals and the infected bone around extracted teeth. In 2002, the authors said that 50 million root canals were performed on Americans every year. Since root canals cannot possibly be perfectly sterilized, according to the many scientific studies referenced, we can only imagine how many health problems are being created worldwide every day from these procedures. The 400 types of bacteria that have been found under the dead teeth "saved" by root canals can mutate into some of the deadliest anaerobic bacteria on the planet. If it wasn't for the fact that they are caged (partly) inside the root cavity and the underlying bone, they would likely cause immediate toxic shock if they all got into our blood at once. Which can often be fatal.They leak into the blood anyway, every time we chew food, causing all kinds of unexplained health problems like heart attacks, neuralgia, headaches, arthritis, fibromyalgia, stomach and bowel problems, fatigue and cancer. This is not a complete list. This book explains why people get ill and don't feel good for years and their doctor has no explanation for what's going on.The authors explain how to test for toxic teeth or extractions and the surgical protocol for removing infected teeth and bone. They also cover the chemicals and supplements, the dental cleaning tools and oral habits that are needed before and after the surgery, to maintain good health. They briefly touch on implants. There are scientific studies listed (maybe too many) and letters from thankful patients.This book explains a lot. Anyone with root canals or wisdom teeth removed and unexplained health problems should read it.

Who would have ever guessed that dental disease could have such a significant part in so many illnesses? For far to long dentistry and the rest of medicine have been totally separate fields. What is going on in your mouth is seen as having little relevance to the disease conditions going on the in the rest of the body. For to long dental school training has focused on saving your teeth at any cost."The Roots of Disease: Connecting Dentistry and Medicine" was written by two men. One of these men is a dentist and the other a cardiologist. For over a decade these two health care professionals have witnessed that the removal and complete healing of infected dental sites can often result in the total healing (or at least vast improvement) of other diseases in the body.Have you ever been told that root canals harbor bacteria that infect the rest of your body causing displease? That this is also true of sites where wisdom teeth have been improperly removed? I wasn't able to regain my health until my dental issues were dealt with. I no longer have a stressed out immune system and the constant Candida that this resulted in.This well written, thorough look at the health problems affected by oral infection is a must read for anyone interested in obtaining optimal health.

This book is an amazing read. It tells the truth of how root canals in ones teeth harbor anaerobic bacteria that can and often negatively affects one's body. Dentists deny this, but much research proves this is so. So, be advised, reader.