When Severe Tooth Pain May Mean You Need a Root Canal
Not every toothache means you need a root canal, but some types of pain can point to a deeper problem inside the tooth. If the pulp becomes inflamed or infected, the pain may feel sharp, throbbing, constant, or worse when you bite down. You may also notice lingering sensitivity to hot or cold foods and drinks, swelling around the tooth, or pressure that does not seem to go away.
Waiting too long can give the infection more time to spread and may put the tooth at greater risk. Emergency root canal treatment helps remove the source of the pain, prevent further infection or complications, and keep the tooth from needing to be extracted.