WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT ROOT CANALS
PART 1 of 3

 

 

By Dr. James Howenstine, MD.
October 7, 2005
NewsWithViews.com

Many chronic diseases, perhaps most, are a result of root canal surgery. Approximately 20,000,000 root canal operations are performed annually in the United States. Nearly every dentist is oblivious to the serious health risks this operation produces. Brilliant dentist, Dr. Weston A. Price, did monumental research about dental conditions. His work took him around the world where he studied the teeth, diets and bones of native populations living without the benefit of “modern food.” He learned that primitive tribes had perfect teeth without cavities or gum disease and had no bone diseases. As soon as these native tribes adopted the food of the western “advanced” nations their teeth became deformed, full of cavities, gingivitis started, diabetes appeared and they developed bone diseases. Foods that appeared particularly troubling included processed white sugar, fluoride, synthetic vegetable fats (transfats) and all processed nutritionally lacking foods. It was obvious to him that human degenerative diseases were fundamentally a nutritional problem.

Dr. Price wrote two incisive books covering 1174 pages about his research into human health and dental conditions that were so important that he should have won a Nobel Prize. Instead his work was deliberately buried, unread and unappreciated for 70 years. An endodontist (root canal surgeon) named George E. Meinig was encouraged to read Dr. Price’s book Nutrition and Physical Degeneration by the Executive Director of The Price Pottenger Foundation, Pat Connoly. Dr. Meinig soon realized the great importance of the 25 years of research efforts by Dr. Price. He confessed to being in “utter shock when he realized the serious ramifications of Dr. Price’s research.” Dr. Meinig developed great empathy for the millions of persons who are suffering illness from the infections produced from their infected the root canal teeth. His concern for the immense health problems arising from lack of knowledge about Dr. Price’s research led him to write his important book Root Canal Cover-Up which fortunately has attracted wide interest to Dr. Price’s research.

Dr. Price learned after thousands of animal studies that a root canal tooth is always infected regardless of it’s appearance and lack of symptoms. When Dr. Price took a root canal tooth out of a patient who had a chronic disease and placed this tooth in an animal the patient became well and the animal developed the same illness the patient had previously suffered from. If the patient had rheumatoid arthritis the animal became afflicted with RA. When the patient had heart disease the animal developed heart disease. The tooth from a patient with kidney disease produced an animal with kidney disease.

More Details About Dr. Price’s Research

The patient whose root canal tooth was placed in an animal not only became well they became well in 24 to 48 hours. This means that a person suffering from the chronic degenerative disease rheumatoid arthritis (autoimmune illness) can be completely cured in 48 hours. The animal receiving the infected tooth from the person with rheumatoid arthritis developed full blown rheumatoid arthritis in 48 hours. The person with chronic glomerulonephritis (autoimmune illness), after removal of the infected tooth, no longer has kidney disease in 48 hours. The patient suffering from auto-immune disease affecting the heart becomes quite well when the offending root canal infected tooth is removed. This research completely changes the way physicians need to think about disease causation.

Every tooth affected by a root canal infection may have a different bacteria residing in it. Thus the individual who has had three root canals could have three different infectious organisms continuously seeding the blood stream. This could result in three different degenerative diseases simultaneously affecting this person.

Each bacteria is capable of setting up an auto-immune disease in a different tissue of the body depending on the nature of the particular infectious organism. This may relate to the genetic composition of the infectious agent. One bacteria has a chemical structure on it’s surface or when floating in the blood stream that irritates a part of a heart muscle cell. This muscle cell responds with an antibody reaction against the antigen in the bacteria. We now have an inflammatory reaction in many heart muscle cells that can be diagnosed as heart disease. Another bacteria has a substance (antigen) that irritates the lining synovial membrane cells of a joint. When this membrane reacts to the irritant we have swelling, redness, warmth and destruction of the synovial membrane (inflammation). This leads to a diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis.

Dr. Price learned that the most common bacteria infecting a root canal tooth was streptococcus. Staphlococci, spirochetes and fungi were also frequently identified. At least 20 different bacterial organisms were isolated by Dr. Price from root canal teeth. These bacteria caused many oral and dental illnesses. Of greater importance they were producing enormous numbers of medical diseases in other parts of the body. This invaluable information appears to overshadow any advance in medical knowledge made by another researcher.

The patient who had more than one root canal operation might have a different organism infecting each root canal tooth. This explains why a patient can have multiple afflictions from root canal teeth all occurring simultaneously. Infected root canals have a deleterious effect on the immune system permitting the development of many degenerative diseases including heart disease, arthritis, kidney disease, blood stream infections, subacute bacterial endocarditis, phlebitis, anemia, leukopenia (low white blood cell count), back, neck and shoulder pain, neuritis etc.

How Are Infectious Organisms (Strep, Staph, Spirochetes, Fungi) Able To Infect Root Canal Teeth?

Dentin makes up 95 % of the structure of a tooth. This was always felt to be a solid stone like structure. Actually dentin consists of very fine tubules. Undamaged dentin tubules contain a nutrient dense fluid that keeps the teeth alive and healthy. These nutrients reach the teeth by an artery which is accompanied by a nerve and vein in the root canal.

When a tooth becomes decayed the placement of an amalgam (preferably non mercury containing) serves to protect the tooth from ongoing injury. If the decay is neglected or not discovered until it has spread into the root canal the bacterial infection involves the nerve and blood vessels of the root canal. Then these bacteria can easily spread through the whole root canal and enter the dentin tubules through their blood supply. The bacteria, spirochetes and fungi have become established in a new home where they are free to multiply and grow without any impediments. Dr. Price had found that not one of 100 disinfectants was able to penetrate and sterilize the dentin. Neither are any antibiotics capable of sterilizing root canals.

Dr.Price’s microscopic photographs of 1923 show myriads of bacteria or other pathogens doing well in their new dentin home. Most dentists do not know that bacteria and other infectious organisms are always present in the dentin tubules after root canal surgery. Very few dentists are aware of or willing to admit that dentin tubules are always infected after root canal surgery. These bacteria escape into the blood and proceed to initiate a vast number of degenerative diseases. Most dentists believe that the disinfecting substances used to pack the root canal after surgery effectively sterilize the root canal site which is unfortunately not true.

Some dentists are convinced that the removal of pulp and packing the root canal cavity with a disinfecting substance blocks the supply of nutrients to the dentin tubules ensuring eradication of infection. This does not occur.

Once established in the root canal the bacteria become capable of mutating and changing their form. Price found out that established root canal bacterial organisms became more virulent and their toxins became more dangerous. A German oncologist named Josef Issel[1] was able to confirm these observations of Dr. Price. He learned that the toxins released from these root canal bacteria were very closely related to the chemicals used by the Germans in World War I to create mustard gas.

This ability of bacteria to mutate and change in root canals is the same process occurring now in bacteria after exposure to antibiotics. The changes bacteria are able to undergo permit them to become resistant to antibiotics that previously had no difficulty killing them. The ability to mutate relates to the genetic capabilities in the bacteria. Of great importance, exposure to natural anti- infective substances does not result in bacterial resistance because natural anti-infective substances do not produce any genetic changes in the bacteria.

How Do Bacteria Escape From The Dentin Tubules To Other Parts Of The Body?

There are billions of bacteria in root canal teeth. The bacteria which are located nearest to the lateral accessory root canals move into these canals. They then migrate into the hard fibrous membrane that holds the tooth in the socket (periodontal membrane). Once established in the periodontal membrane it is easy for them to spread through this membrane and pass into the surrounding bony network. From the bone structure the bacteria proceed to enter the blood vessels of the jaw bone. The bacteria then travel via the blood stream to a gland, organ or tissue where they start a new infection. Thus a focal infection from a root canal source can spread to a distant site creating a new disease.

The desire of endodontists to preserve and save root canal teeth is commendable. However, far too often the tooth is saved but the patient dies. This happens because of false confidence in the ability of disinfectant substances used to sterilize the root canal tooth. Their theory about this problem is ignoring the presence of live bacteria in dentine tubules. Some intelligent open minded dentists have begun to try to solve the problem of universal infection in root canal teeth. These individuals are starting to study ultrasound, lasers, colloidal silver, garlic, Enderlein serum therapy, nutrition, calcium oxide therapy from France and prayer as possible solutions to this infectious problem.

The Critical Importance Of Our Immune Systems

Dr. Weston Price’s important research completely alters the way we must think about how diseases develop and disappear. Creating a permanent abscess in the body with a root canal operation sets the patient up for serious degenerative diseases. Whether these diseases occur soon after root canal surgery or begin many years later depends on the patient’s immune system. The 70 % of patients with impaired immune system function may become ill immediately after the root canal operation. These persons with impaired immune health may proceed to develop several degenerative problems at a young age.

The 25 to 30 % of persons with a strong immune system may remain in perfect health for many years after root canal surgery. This situation intrigued Dr. Price causing him to study these persons. He learned that the strong immune systems of these persons engulfed the living bacteria in the infected dentin of the root canals site preventing spread to distant sites. However, when these immune healthy individuals suffered a severe accident, had a serious influenza infection or were placed under great stress their immune system became so compromised that they proceeded to develop a degenerative disease.

What Should The Person Who Has Had A Root Canal Operation Do?

The answer to this question appears to lie in the state of one’s immune system. It appears reasonable to me for the person who is well to postpone any action until a degenerative problem appears. Every individual is responsible for their own health. You must remember that nearly all physicians as well as 97 % of dentists know nothing about the danger of root canals. When in medical school we are taught little to nothing about the vital importance of diet, teeth, gums and the mandible in promoting good health. To make matters worse physicians do not inquire about root canals in taking a comprehensive medial history. I know I never did. This means that when you bring up the topic could my new phlebitis, arthritis, nephritis, anemia, low white blood cell count etc. be related to the root canal I had eleven years ago you are going to be greeted by ignorance. If you forget to remember the possible link between the new illness and the old root canal operation you will suffer.

For the individual with a history of root canal surgery and one or more degenerative diseases you have to face the truth that you certainly have a compromised immune system. If you would like to get rid of your chronic disease you must obtain competent dental care. I am certain there will often be occasions when it is difficult to be certain whether removal of the offending root canal infected tooth will eliminate a new disease or not. In this situation I think it would probably be best to proceed with extracting the infected tooth. Your overall health will be better with an abscess out of your body and your immune system is certain to be stronger even if the hoped for disappearance of your new disease does not occur. The sooner uninformed dentists lose out economically the better our national health will be. When a biologic dentist gets overwhelmed with new patients he will search for another biologic trained dentist to help him out. In this way we do not have to depend on the corrupt American Dental Association to change it’s ways and start putting truth into dental school curriculums.

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What is the best answer for this problem?

I think the answer is to stop having a relationship with uninformed dentists. You must seek a biologic trained dentist even if it means traveling a longer distance to get dental care. As dentists see their patient loads dwindling they will begin to attend seminars where they can be brought up to snuff about truthful modern scientific dentistry. Remember if you continue dental care with an ignorant dentist your body will suffer from his or her mistakes.

Click here for part -----> 2, 3,

Footnotes:

1, Meinig George E. The 3 ½ Year Success Of Root Canal Cover-Up pg 6

© 2005 Dr. James Howenstine - All Rights Reserved

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