About a year ago I had a root canal re-treatment performed on molar #3. The original root canal work was done about 8 or 9 years ago. The re-treatment involved redoing 3 root canals that were infected at the top, and also performing a root canal on a missed 4th root on the same tooth. A year later and the xray shows that the roots have not healed and my endodontist wants to re-re-treat.
My question is this : given that the first re-treatment was unsuccessful, what are the chances that a re-re-treatment will finally solve the problem ? Is it generally the case that if a re-treatment doesn't cure the problem, then a second attempt won't either ? Or are the attempts independent in the likelihood of success ? The doctor will be using a slightly different technique on the second try around. I don't have dental insurance and its quite expensive work, not to mention years of jaw ache. I'm wondering whether to skip the re- re-treatment, and put the $ toward an extraction/implant instead.
> About a year ago I had a root canal re-treatment performed on molar > #3. The original root canal work was done about 8 or 9 years ago. The > re-treatment involved redoing 3 root canals that were infected at the > top, and also performing a root canal on a missed 4th root on the same > tooth. A year later and the xray shows that the roots have not healed > and my endodontist wants to re-re-treat.
> My question is this : given that the first re-treatment was > unsuccessful, what are the chances that a re-re-treatment will finally > solve the problem ? Is it generally the case that if a re-treatment > doesn't cure the problem, then a second attempt won't either ? Or are > the attempts independent in the likelihood of success ? The doctor > will be using a slightly different technique on the second try > around. I don't have dental insurance and its quite expensive work, > not to mention years of jaw ache. I'm wondering whether to skip the re- > re-treatment, and put the $ toward an extraction/implant instead.
> Thoughts / advice ?
> Thanks in advance, > Dom
I cannot address your specific tooth, but esp. if the second root canal was done by a good endodontist, the chances of subsequent retreats failing goes up. Sometimes there is an undiagnosed root fracture or other insurmountable problem. In any case, this tooth is already a two-time loser, and unless the endodontist sees a specific problem with the root canal that can be remedied, I would think long and hard about going a third round with this tooth.
> > About a year ago I had a root canal re-treatment performed on molar > > #3. The original root canal work was done about 8 or 9 years ago. The > > re-treatment involved redoing 3 root canals that were infected at the > > top, and also performing a root canal on a missed 4th root on the same > > tooth. A year later and the xray shows that the roots have not healed > > and my endodontist wants to re-re-treat.
> > My question is this : given that the first re-treatment was > > unsuccessful, what are the chances that a re-re-treatment will finally > > solve the problem ? Is it generally the case that if a re-treatment > > doesn't cure the problem, then a second attempt won't either ? Or are > > the attempts independent in the likelihood of success ? The doctor > > will be using a slightly different technique on the second try > > around. I don't have dental insurance and its quite expensive work, > > not to mention years of jaw ache. I'm wondering whether to skip the re- > > re-treatment, and put the $ toward an extraction/implant instead.
> > Thoughts / advice ?
> > Thanks in advance, > > Dom
> I cannot address your specific tooth, but esp. if the second root canal > was done by a good endodontist, the chances of subsequent retreats > failing goes up. Sometimes there is an undiagnosed root fracture or > other insurmountable problem. In any case, this tooth is already a > two-time loser, and unless the endodontist sees a specific problem with > the root canal that can be remedied, I would think long and hard about > going a third round with this tooth.
> About a year ago I had a root canal re-treatment performed on molar > #3. The original root canal work was done about 8 or 9 years ago. The > re-treatment involved redoing 3 root canals that were infected at the > top, and also performing a root canal on a missed 4th root on the same > tooth. A year later and the xray shows that the roots have not healed > and my endodontist wants to re-re-treat.
> My question is this : given that the first re-treatment was > unsuccessful, what are the chances that a re-re-treatment will finally > solve the problem ? Is it generally the case that if a re-treatment > doesn't cure the problem, then a second attempt won't either ? Or are > the attempts independent in the likelihood of success ? The doctor > will be using a slightly different technique on the second try > around. I don't have dental insurance and its quite expensive work, > not to mention years of jaw ache. I'm wondering whether to skip the re- > re-treatment, and put the $ toward an extraction/implant instead.
> Thoughts / advice ?
> Thanks in advance, > Dom
ROOT CANALS POSE HEALTH THREAT AN INTERVIEW WITH
GEORGE MEINIG, D.D.S.
Dr. Meinig brings a most curious perspective to an expose of latent dangers of root canal therapy - fifty years ago he was one of the founders of the American Association of Endodontists (root canal specialists)! So he's filled his share of root canals. And when he wasn't filling canals himself, he was teaching the technique to dentists across the country at weekend seminars and clinics. About two years ago, having recently retired, he decided to read all 1174 pages of the detailed research of Dr. Weston Price, (D.D.S). Dr. Meinig was startled and shocked. Here was valid documentation of systemic illnesses resulting from latent infections lingering in filled roots. He has since written a book, "Root Canal Cover-Up EXPOSED - Many Illnesses Result", and is devoting himself to radio, TV, and personal appearances before groups in an attempt to blow the whistle and alert the public.
MJ Please explain what the problem is with root canal therapy.
GM First, let me note that my book is based on Dr. Weston Price's twenty-five years of careful, impeccable research. He led a 60-man team of researchers whose findings - suppressed until now rank right up there with the greatest medical discoveries of all time. This is not the usual medical story of a prolonged search for the difficult-to- find causative agent of some devastating disease. Rather, it's the story of how a "cast of millions" (of bacteria) become entrenched inside the structure of teeth and end up causing the largest number of diseases ever traced to a single source.
MJ What diseases? Can you give us some examples?
GM Yes, a high percentage of chronic degenerative diseases can originate from root filled teeth. The most frequent were heart and circulatory diseases and he found 16 different causative agents for these. The next most common diseases were those of the joints, arthritis and rheumatism. In third place - but almost tied for second - were diseases of the brain and nervous system. After that, any disease you can name might (and in some cases has) come from root filled teeth.
Let me tell you about the research itself. Dr. Price undertook his investigations in 1900. He continued until 1925, and published his work in two volumes in 1923. In 1915 the National Dental Association (which changed its name a few years later to The American Dental Association) was so impressed with his work that they appointed Dr. Price their first Research Director. His Advisory Board read like a Who's Who in medicine and dentistry for that era. They represented the fields of bacteriology, pathology, rheumatology, surgery, chemistry, and cardiology.
At one point in his writings Dr. Price made this observation: "Dr. Frank Billings (M.D.), probably more than any other American internist, is due credit for the early recognition of the importance of streptococcal focal infections in systemic involvements."
What's really unfortunate here is that very valuable information was covered up and totally buried some 70 years ago by a minority group of autocratic doctors who just didn't believe or couldn't grasp - the focal infection theory.
MJ What is the "focal infection" theory?
GM This states that germs from a central focal infection - such as teeth, teeth roots, inflamed gum tissues, or maybe tonsils - metastasize to hearts, eyes, lungs, kidneys, or other organs, glands and tissues, establishing new areas of the same infection. Hardly theory any more, this has been proven and demonstrated many times over. It's 100% accepted today. But it was revolutionary thinking during World War I days, and the early 1920's!
Today, both patients and physicians have been "brain washed" to think that infections are less serious because we now have antibiotics. Well, yes and no. In the case of root-filled teeth, the no longer- living tooth lacks a blood supply to its interior. So circulating antibiotics don't faze the bacteria living there because they can't get at them.
MJ You're assuming that ALL root-filled teeth harbor bacteria and/or other infective agents?
GM Yes. No matter what material or technique is used - and this is just as true today - the root filling shrinks minutely, perhaps microscopically. Further and this is key - the bulk of solid appearing teeth, called the dentin, actually consists of miles of tiny tubules. Microscopic organisms lurking in the maze of tubules simply migrate into the interior of the tooth and set up housekeeping. A filled root seems to be a favorite spot to start a new colony.
One of the things that makes this difficult to understand is that large, relatively harmless bacteria common to the mouth, change and adapt to new conditions. They shrink in size to fit the cramped quarters and even learn how to exist (and thrive!) on very little food. Those that need oxygen mutate and become able to get along without it. In the process of adaptation these formerly friendly "normal" organisms become pathogenic (capable of producing disease) and more virulent (stronger) and they produce much more potent toxins.
Today's bacteriologists are confirming the discoveries of the Price team of bacteriologists. Both isolated in root canals the same strains of streptococcus, staphylococcus and spirochetes.
MJ Is everyone who has ever had a root canal filled made ill by it?
GM No. We believe now that every root canal filling does leak and bacteria do invade the structure. But the variable factor is the strength of the person's immune system. Some healthy people are able to control the germs that escape from their teeth into other areas of the body. We think this happens because their immune system lymphocytes (white blood cells) and other disease fighters aren't constantly compromised by other ailments. In other words, they are able to prevent those new colonies from taking hold in other tissues throughout the body. But over time, most people with root filled teeth do seem to develop some kinds of systemic symptoms they didn't have before.
MJ It's really difficult to grasp that bacteria are imbedded deep in the structure of seemingly-hard, solid looking teeth.
GM I know. Physicians and dentists have that same problem, too. You really have to visualize the tooth structure - all of those microscopic tubules running through the dentin. In a healthy tooth, those tubules transport a fluid that carries nourishment to the inside. For perspective, if the tubules of a front single-root tooth, were stretched out on the ground they'd stretch for three miles!
A root filled tooth no longer has any fluid circulating through it, but the maze of tubules remains. The anaerobic bacteria that live there seem remarkably safe from antibiotics. The bacteria can migrate out into surrounding tissue where they can "hitch hike" to other locations in the body via the bloodstream. The new location can be any organ or gland or tissue, and the new colony will be the next focus of infection in a body plagued by recurrent or chronic infections.
All of the "building up" done to try to enhance the patient's ability to fight infections - to strengthen their immune system - is only a holding action. Many patients won't be well until the source of infection - the root canal tooth - is removed.
MJ I don't doubt what you're saying, but can you tell us more about how Dr. Price could be sure that arthritis or other systemic conditions and illnesses really originated in the teeth - or in a single tooth?
GM Yes. Many investigations start with the researcher just being curious about something - and then being scientifically careful enough to discover an answer, and then prove it's so, many times over. Dr. Price's first case is very well documented. He removed an infected tooth from a woman who suffered from severe arthritis. As soon as he finished with the patient, he implanted the tooth beneath the skin of a healthy rabbit. Within 48 hours the rabbit was crippled with arthritis!
Further, once the tooth was removed the patient's arthritis improved dramatically. This clearly suggested that the presence of the infected tooth was a causative agent for both that patient's and the rabbit's - arthritis.
[Editor's Note - Here's the story of that first patient from Dr. Meinig's book: "(Dr. Price) had a sense that, even when (root canal therapy) appeared successful, teeth containing root fillings remained infected. That thought kept prying on his mind, haunting him each time a patient consulted him for relief from some severe debilitating disease for which the medical profession could find no answer. Then one day while treating a woman who had been confined to a wheelchair for six years from severe arthritis, he recalled how bacterial cultures were taken from patients who were ill and then inoculated into
...
> On Nov 14, 9:57 am, eatmoreoats <eatmoreo...@gmail.com> wrote:
> > Hi,
> > About a year ago I had a root canal re-treatment performed on molar > > #3. The original root canal work was done about 8 or 9 years ago. The > > re-treatment involved redoing 3 root canals that were infected at the > > top, and also performing a root canal on a missed 4th root on the same > > tooth. A year later and the xray shows that the roots have not healed > > and my endodontist wants to re-re-treat.
> > My question is this : given that the first re-treatment was > > unsuccessful, what are the chances that a re-re-treatment will finally > > solve the problem ? Is it generally the case that if a re-treatment > > doesn't cure the problem, then a second attempt won't either ? Or are > > the attempts independent in the likelihood of success ? The doctor > > will be using a slightly different technique on the second try > > around. I don't have dental insurance and its quite expensive work, > > not to mention years of jaw ache. I'm wondering whether to skip the re- > > re-treatment, and put the $ toward an extraction/implant instead.
> > Thoughts / advice ?
> > Thanks in advance, > > Dom
> ROOT CANALS POSE HEALTH THREAT > AN INTERVIEW WITH
> GEORGE MEINIG, D.D.S.
> Dr. Meinig brings a most curious perspective to an expose of latent > dangers of root canal therapy - fifty years ago he was one of the > founders of the American Association of Endodontists (root canal > specialists)! So he's filled his share of root canals. And when he > wasn't filling canals himself, he was teaching the technique to > dentists across the country at weekend seminars and clinics. About two > years ago, having recently retired, he decided to read all 1174 pages > of the detailed research of Dr. Weston Price, (D.D.S). Dr. Meinig was > startled and shocked. Here was valid documentation of systemic > illnesses resulting from latent infections lingering in filled roots. > He has since written a book, "Root Canal Cover-Up EXPOSED - Many > Illnesses Result", and is devoting himself to radio, TV, and personal > appearances before groups in an attempt to blow the whistle and alert > the public.
> MJ Please explain what the problem is with root canal therapy.
> GM First, let me note that my book is based on Dr. Weston Price's > twenty-five years of careful, impeccable research. He led a 60-man > team of researchers whose findings - suppressed until now rank right > up there with the greatest medical discoveries of all time. This is > not the usual medical story of a prolonged search for the difficult-to- > find causative agent of some devastating disease. Rather, it's the > story of how a "cast of millions" (of bacteria) become entrenched > inside the structure of teeth and end up causing the largest number of > diseases ever traced to a single source.
> MJ What diseases? Can you give us some examples?
> GM Yes, a high percentage of chronic degenerative diseases can > originate from root filled teeth. The most frequent were heart and > circulatory diseases and he found 16 different causative agents for > these. The next most common diseases were those of the joints, > arthritis and rheumatism. In third place - but almost tied for second > - were diseases of the brain and nervous system. After that, any > disease you can name might (and in some cases has) come from root > filled teeth.
> Let me tell you about the research itself. Dr. Price undertook his > investigations in 1900. He continued until 1925, and published his > work in two volumes in 1923. In 1915 the National Dental Association > (which changed its name a few years later to The American Dental > Association) was so impressed with his work that they appointed Dr. > Price their first Research Director. His Advisory Board read like a > Who's Who in medicine and dentistry for that era. They represented the > fields of bacteriology, pathology, rheumatology, surgery, chemistry, > and cardiology.
> At one point in his writings Dr. Price made this observation: "Dr. > Frank Billings (M.D.), probably more than any other American > internist, is due credit for the early recognition of the importance > of streptococcal focal infections in systemic involvements."
> What's really unfortunate here is that very valuable information was > covered up and totally buried some 70 years ago by a minority group of > autocratic doctors who just didn't believe or couldn't grasp - the > focal infection theory.
> MJ What is the "focal infection" theory?
> GM This states that germs from a central focal infection - such as > teeth, teeth roots, inflamed gum tissues, or maybe tonsils - > metastasize to hearts, eyes, lungs, kidneys, or other organs, glands > and tissues, establishing new areas of the same infection. Hardly > theory any more, this has been proven and demonstrated many times > over. It's 100% accepted today. But it was revolutionary thinking > during World War I days, and the early 1920's!
> Today, both patients and physicians have been "brain washed" to think > that infections are less serious because we now have antibiotics. > Well, yes and no. In the case of root-filled teeth, the no longer- > living tooth lacks a blood supply to its interior. So circulating > antibiotics don't faze the bacteria living there because they can't > get at them.
> MJ You're assuming that ALL root-filled teeth harbor bacteria and/or > other infective agents?
> GM Yes. No matter what material or technique is used - and this is > just as true today - the root filling shrinks minutely, perhaps > microscopically. Further and this is key - the bulk of solid appearing > teeth, called the dentin, actually consists of miles of tiny tubules. > Microscopic organisms lurking in the maze of tubules simply migrate > into the interior of the tooth and set up housekeeping. A filled root > seems to be a favorite spot to start a new colony.
> One of the things that makes this difficult to understand is that > large, relatively harmless bacteria common to the mouth, change and > adapt to new conditions. They shrink in size to fit the cramped > quarters and even learn how to exist (and thrive!) on very little > food. Those that need oxygen mutate and become able to get along > without it. In the process of adaptation these formerly friendly > "normal" organisms become pathogenic (capable of producing disease) > and more virulent (stronger) and they produce much more potent > toxins.
> Today's bacteriologists are confirming the discoveries of the Price > team of bacteriologists. Both isolated in root canals the same strains > of streptococcus, staphylococcus and spirochetes.
> MJ Is everyone who has ever had a root canal filled made ill by it?
> GM No. We believe now that every root canal filling does leak and > bacteria do invade the structure. But the variable factor is the > strength of the person's immune system. Some healthy people are able > to control the germs that escape from their teeth into other areas of > the body. We think this happens because their immune system > lymphocytes (white blood cells) and other disease fighters aren't > constantly compromised by other ailments. In other words, they are > able to prevent those new colonies from taking hold in other tissues > throughout the body. But over time, most people with root filled teeth > do seem to develop some kinds of systemic symptoms they didn't have > before.
> MJ It's really difficult to grasp that bacteria are imbedded deep in > the structure of seemingly-hard, solid looking teeth.
> GM I know. Physicians and dentists have that same problem, too. You > really have to visualize the tooth structure - all of those > microscopic tubules running through the dentin. In a healthy tooth, > those tubules transport a fluid that carries nourishment to the > inside. For perspective, if the tubules of a front single-root tooth, > were stretched out on the ground they'd stretch for three miles!
> A root filled tooth no longer has any fluid circulating through it, > but the maze of tubules remains. The anaerobic bacteria that live > there seem remarkably safe from antibiotics. The bacteria can migrate > out into surrounding tissue where they can "hitch hike" to other > locations in the body via the bloodstream. The new location can be any > organ or gland or tissue, and the new colony will be the next focus of > infection in a body plagued by recurrent or chronic infections.
> All of the "building up" done to try to enhance the patient's ability > to fight infections - to strengthen their immune system - is only a > holding action. Many patients won't be well until the source of > infection - the root canal tooth - is removed.
> MJ I don't doubt what you're saying, but can you tell us more about > how Dr. Price could be sure that arthritis or other systemic > conditions and illnesses really originated in the teeth - or in a > single tooth?
> GM Yes. Many investigations start with the researcher just being > curious about something - and then being scientifically careful enough > to discover an answer, and then prove it's so, many times over. Dr. > Price's first case is very well documented. He removed an infected > tooth from a woman who suffered from severe arthritis. As soon as he > finished with the patient, he implanted the tooth beneath the skin of > a healthy rabbit. Within 48 hours the rabbit was crippled with > arthritis!
> Further, once the tooth was removed the patient's arthritis improved > dramatically. This clearly suggested that the presence of the infected > tooth was a causative agent for both that patient's and the rabbit's - > arthritis.
> [Editor's Note - Here's the story of that first patient from Dr. > Meinig's book: "(Dr. Price) had a sense that, even when (root canal > therapy) appeared successful, teeth containing root fillings remained > infected. That
> I cannot address your specific tooth, but esp. if the second root > canal was done by a good endodontist, the chances of subsequent retreats > failing goes up. Sometimes there is an undiagnosed root fracture or > other insurmountable problem. In any case, this tooth is already a > two-time loser, and unless the endodontist sees a specific problem with > the root canal that can be remedied, I would think long and hard about > going a third round with this tooth.
> What are the best alternatives to root canal therapy ? Implants ? > Bridges ? > Thanks
Depends upon the individual case.
Bridges are faster, less invasive, slightly less expensive, and have a long history of success. The dentist does have to cut on the adjacent teeth, and the appliance needs special care to keep things clean under the false tooth after cementation.
Implants do not involve any cutting on neighboring teeth, allow normal brushing and flossing, and are becoming the first choice of treatment in many cases.
BTW, get your dental advice from licensed professionals. Some smd posters are not experts in dental treatment.
> On Nov 14, 11:57 pm, Jan <jdrew63...@aol.com> wrote:
> > On Nov 14, 9:57 am, eatmoreoats <eatmoreo...@gmail.com> wrote:
> > > Hi,
> > > About a year ago I had a root canal re-treatment performed on molar > > > #3. The original root canal work was done about 8 or 9 years ago. The > > > re-treatment involved redoing 3 root canals that were infected at the > > > top, and also performing a root canal on a missed 4th root on the same > > > tooth. A year later and the xray shows that the roots have not healed > > > and my endodontist wants to re-re-treat.
> > > My question is this : given that the first re-treatment was > > > unsuccessful, what are the chances that a re-re-treatment will finally > > > solve the problem ? Is it generally the case that if a re-treatment > > > doesn't cure the problem, then a second attempt won't either ? Or are > > > the attempts independent in the likelihood of success ? The doctor > > > will be using a slightly different technique on the second try > > > around. I don't have dental insurance and its quite expensive work, > > > not to mention years of jaw ache. I'm wondering whether to skip the re- > > > re-treatment, and put the $ toward an extraction/implant instead.
> > > Thoughts / advice ?
> > > Thanks in advance, > > > Dom
> > ROOT CANALS POSE HEALTH THREAT > > AN INTERVIEW WITH
> > GEORGE MEINIG, D.D.S.
> > Dr. Meinig brings a most curious perspective to an expose of latent > > dangers of root canal therapy - fifty years ago he was one of the > > founders of the American Association of Endodontists (root canal > > specialists)! So he's filled his share of root canals. And when he > > wasn't filling canals himself, he was teaching the technique to > > dentists across the country at weekend seminars and clinics. About two > > years ago, having recently retired, he decided to read all 1174 pages > > of the detailed research of Dr. Weston Price, (D.D.S). Dr. Meinig was > > startled and shocked. Here was valid documentation of systemic > > illnesses resulting from latent infections lingering in filled roots. > > He has since written a book, "Root Canal Cover-Up EXPOSED - Many > > Illnesses Result", and is devoting himself to radio, TV, and personal > > appearances before groups in an attempt to blow the whistle and alert > > the public.
> > MJ Please explain what the problem is with root canal therapy.
> > GM First, let me note that my book is based on Dr. Weston Price's > > twenty-five years of careful, impeccable research. He led a 60-man > > team of researchers whose findings - suppressed until now rank right > > up there with the greatest medical discoveries of all time. This is > > not the usual medical story of a prolonged search for the difficult-to- > > find causative agent of some devastating disease. Rather, it's the > > story of how a "cast of millions" (of bacteria) become entrenched > > inside the structure of teeth and end up causing the largest number of > > diseases ever traced to a single source.
> > MJ What diseases? Can you give us some examples?
> > GM Yes, a high percentage of chronic degenerative diseases can > > originate from root filled teeth. The most frequent were heart and > > circulatory diseases and he found 16 different causative agents for > > these. The next most common diseases were those of the joints, > > arthritis and rheumatism. In third place - but almost tied for second > > - were diseases of the brain and nervous system. After that, any > > disease you can name might (and in some cases has) come from root > > filled teeth.
> > Let me tell you about the research itself. Dr. Price undertook his > > investigations in 1900. He continued until 1925, and published his > > work in two volumes in 1923. In 1915 the National Dental Association > > (which changed its name a few years later to The American Dental > > Association) was so impressed with his work that they appointed Dr. > > Price their first Research Director. His Advisory Board read like a > > Who's Who in medicine and dentistry for that era. They represented the > > fields of bacteriology, pathology, rheumatology, surgery, chemistry, > > and cardiology.
> > At one point in his writings Dr. Price made this observation: "Dr. > > Frank Billings (M.D.), probably more than any other American > > internist, is due credit for the early recognition of the importance > > of streptococcal focal infections in systemic involvements."
> > What's really unfortunate here is that very valuable information was > > covered up and totally buried some 70 years ago by a minority group of > > autocratic doctors who just didn't believe or couldn't grasp - the > > focal infection theory.
> > MJ What is the "focal infection" theory?
> > GM This states that germs from a central focal infection - such as > > teeth, teeth roots, inflamed gum tissues, or maybe tonsils - > > metastasize to hearts, eyes, lungs, kidneys, or other organs, glands > > and tissues, establishing new areas of the same infection. Hardly > > theory any more, this has been proven and demonstrated many times > > over. It's 100% accepted today. But it was revolutionary thinking > > during World War I days, and the early 1920's!
> > Today, both patients and physicians have been "brain washed" to think > > that infections are less serious because we now have antibiotics. > > Well, yes and no. In the case of root-filled teeth, the no longer- > > living tooth lacks a blood supply to its interior. So circulating > > antibiotics don't faze the bacteria living there because they can't > > get at them.
> > MJ You're assuming that ALL root-filled teeth harbor bacteria and/or > > other infective agents?
> > GM Yes. No matter what material or technique is used - and this is > > just as true today - the root filling shrinks minutely, perhaps > > microscopically. Further and this is key - the bulk of solid appearing > > teeth, called the dentin, actually consists of miles of tiny tubules. > > Microscopic organisms lurking in the maze of tubules simply migrate > > into the interior of the tooth and set up housekeeping. A filled root > > seems to be a favorite spot to start a new colony.
> > One of the things that makes this difficult to understand is that > > large, relatively harmless bacteria common to the mouth, change and > > adapt to new conditions. They shrink in size to fit the cramped > > quarters and even learn how to exist (and thrive!) on very little > > food. Those that need oxygen mutate and become able to get along > > without it. In the process of adaptation these formerly friendly > > "normal" organisms become pathogenic (capable of producing disease) > > and more virulent (stronger) and they produce much more potent > > toxins.
> > Today's bacteriologists are confirming the discoveries of the Price > > team of bacteriologists. Both isolated in root canals the same strains > > of streptococcus, staphylococcus and spirochetes.
> > MJ Is everyone who has ever had a root canal filled made ill by it?
> > GM No. We believe now that every root canal filling does leak and > > bacteria do invade the structure. But the variable factor is the > > strength of the person's immune system. Some healthy people are able > > to control the germs that escape from their teeth into other areas of > > the body. We think this happens because their immune system > > lymphocytes (white blood cells) and other disease fighters aren't > > constantly compromised by other ailments. In other words, they are > > able to prevent those new colonies from taking hold in other tissues > > throughout the body. But over time, most people with root filled teeth > > do seem to develop some kinds of systemic symptoms they didn't have > > before.
> > MJ It's really difficult to grasp that bacteria are imbedded deep in > > the structure of seemingly-hard, solid looking teeth.
> > GM I know. Physicians and dentists have that same problem, too. You > > really have to visualize the tooth structure - all of those > > microscopic tubules running through the dentin. In a healthy tooth, > > those tubules transport a fluid that carries nourishment to the > > inside. For perspective, if the tubules of a front single-root tooth, > > were stretched out on the ground they'd stretch for three miles!
> > A root filled tooth no longer has any fluid circulating through it, > > but the maze of tubules remains. The anaerobic bacteria that live > > there seem remarkably safe from antibiotics. The bacteria can migrate > > out into surrounding tissue where they can "hitch hike" to other > > locations in the body via the bloodstream. The new location can be any > > organ or gland or tissue, and the new colony will be the next focus of > > infection in a body plagued by recurrent or chronic infections.
> > All of the "building up" done to try to enhance the patient's ability > > to fight infections - to strengthen their immune system - is only a > > holding action. Many patients won't be well until the source of > > infection - the root canal tooth - is removed.
> > MJ I don't doubt what you're saying, but can you tell us more about > > how Dr. Price could be sure that arthritis or other systemic > > conditions and illnesses really originated in the teeth - or in a > > single tooth?
> > GM Yes. Many investigations start with the researcher just being > > curious about something - and then being scientifically careful enough > > to discover an answer, and then prove it's so, many times over. Dr. > > Price's first case is very well documented. He removed an infected > > tooth from a woman who suffered from severe arthritis. As soon as he > > finished with the patient, he implanted the tooth beneath the skin of > > a healthy rabbit. Within 48 hours the rabbit was crippled with > > arthritis!
> > Further, once the tooth was removed the patient's arthritis improved
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