A dental abscess affects much more than just your mouth. At first, the infection that leads to a dental abscess only affects the tooth and surrounding gum tissue. But eventually, the infection will begin to harm other areas of your body. This is why root canal surgery is so important if you have an infected tooth.

Root canal surgery can help to keep a dental infection from affecting your body and your health in numerous ways.

Prevent damage to your jawbone

When a dental infection becomes so bad that an abscess forms on the gum tissue below the tooth, your jawbone will soon begin to suffer. The pus from a dental abscess is harmful to the gum tissue and bone tissue. As the pus spreads, it damages your jawbone, which leads to bone loss. This bone loss will weaken the affected tooth and even change your appearance.

Prevent the spread of infection

The infected material from a dental infection travels to other parts of your body too if not treated soon. On an overall basis, your immune system will suffer because your body will be busy fighting the infection making its way through your body. Your overall health will suffer as a result. The infection can even lead to life-threatening conditions that affect other parts of your body, like your heart.

Prevent excess wear and tear of surrounding teeth

Chewing on an infected tooth is an unpleasant experience due to the pain and pressure you feel while chewing. As a result, most patients will avoid chewing with an infected tooth. Instead, they'll chew with the adjacent teeth and with the teeth on the other side of the mouth. This is unnatural because the other teeth now have to bear more wear and tear than usual.

Skipping a root canal can cause your other teeth to wear away faster, which will eventually lead to the need for restorative treatment on the affected teeth. A root canal now can save you from several fillings or crowns later on in life.

Prevent tooth loss

Tooth infections generally worsen as time goes on. And even if they do go away on their own, they will eventually return, as bacteria are able to enter the dead tooth. If the infection damages the tissues that hold an infected tooth in place, that tooth will eventually fall out. You'll lose the tooth, which will affect your appearance and your ability to chew food.

Root canals may sound unpleasant, but they are often painless. Don't avoid a root canal if you have an infected tooth. A single root canal can prevent a raft of health conditions.