History of Root Canal Appreciation Day
Root Canal Appreciation Day was created by Dr. Chris Kammer in 2005 to educate people about the importance of dental care. A founding member of the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry, Kammer has been active in educating people about dental care in unique ways. In 2004, at the Madison Mallards collegiate league ballpark, he performed an original rap song titled ‘Get Out the Brush’ to inspire people to brush their teeth. In 2011, he auditioned with the same song on American Idol.
According to Healthline, a root canal is “a dental procedure involving the removal of the soft center of the tooth, the pulp. The pulp is made up of nerves, connective tissue, and blood vessels that help the tooth grow.” Root canals are only performed when the pulp of the tooth becomes infected or inflamed. Performing this procedure helps to ensure that the structure of the tooth is preserved. The pulp can become damaged due to a number of causes, such as injury to the tooth, decay caused by an untreated cavity, or repeated dental procedures on a tooth. Signs of a damaged pulp can be indicated by swelling or heat sensation in the gums or pain in the affected tooth.
Though root canals are often perceived in a negative light, medical experts consider it to be a restorative process with helpful results. During the procedure, patients are given anesthetics to numb the pain and can resume their normal routines within a day of getting the procedure done.