Ever heard of root canal treatment on a good tooth?

[Guest Rakins]

I have a perfectly good upper left molar (the last tooth). Next to it is another tooth which has a crown. Both teeth have their natural roots (no RCT done on either). The problem is the gum between the teeth. It is not infected but becomes inflamed when food impacts it when I chew  and causes lots of pain. For the last three months I have been using only the left side to chew. Here's what the doctor said: Root canal treatment should be done on both the teeth. Crowns should be fitted on both the teeth and a bridge formed across the top so that food doesn't impact the gum. RCT even on the good tooth is needed to prevent future problems. I simply cannot bring myself to accept RCT on a perfectly good natural tooth. What should I do? Please advise. Thanks. 

[JessReplanted]

Oh my. Have you tried any simple remedies like swishing with coconut oil (or even hydrogen peroxide) once a day?

[wapiti]

Something doesn't quite make sense.  If the root is not infected, I would not do the root canal.

 

I'm not sure I understand the cause of the sore gum.  Is the gum infected?

 

(FWIW, I've been known to put a drop of oil of oregano directly on sore gum.  Tastes yucky though.  Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't.  Your basic oral antiseptic rinse would certainly be worth a try.)

[Amethyst]

Ok, yes, sometimes we dentists do RCT on teeth that are healthy. It's not real common, but there are certain circumstances when RCT would be warranted. Without knowing all the details of your case, I don't want to comment further, but I just want to say that, yes, it is sometimes an option. (But if you're not comfortable with that option, there may be other options and you can discuss those options with your dentist or get a second opinion from another dentist.) Good luck!