It’s never fun to hear the
It’s never fun to hear the words "root canal" coming out of your dentist’s mouth. But if you’ve recently been diagnosed as needing a root canal treatment, it may be comforting to know that you’re not alone. Like you, it’s estimated that about half of the adult population in the U.S. will need a root canal treatment by the age of 50.
The good news is if you don’t smoke you can avoid increasing your chances of needing a root canal. If you do smoke, you may be surprised to learn about the recent dental health findings at Boston University’s Goldman School of Dental Medicine. Studies there revealed that your gender, how much you smoke and how long you’ve been smoking can significantly multiply your need for root canal treatment.
Are Men More Vulnerable?
Poets, musicians and humorists have long opined the differences between men and women. How the sexes are dissimilar will always be hotly debated, but one thing is certain: Men and women are distinctly different when it comes to dental health.
A survey revealed that men of all ages are more likely than women to develop cavities, periodontal disease andoral cancer; smoking puts men at twice the risk over women. Smoking also doubles the need for root canals in men.
"Our study has shown that men have almost twice the risk of having root canal treatments if they smoke cigarettes, compared to men who never smoke," said Elizabeth Krall Kaye, author of the Boston University study and professor in the department of health policy and health services.
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