Root Canal Appreciation Day

Dr. Chris Kammer, a dentist from Madison, Wisconsin, known as "The Rockin Dentist," came up with Root Canal Appreciation Day, which raises awareness about root canals and was first observed in 2005. "We need to hit a home run for the image of the root canal! They save millions of teeth every year and the time has come to give the much-maligned procedure the respect it deserves," said Kammer. "If dentists don't relate the message of modern dentistry to the public, we can expect root canals and dental visits to remain the punch line of jokes, perpetuating negative, false images of important health care," he continued.

For the first Root Canal Appreciation Day, Kammer performed a root canal at home plate at Warner Park Duck Pond, the field of the Madison Mallards' baseball team. He demonstrated the root canal with the help of a PA system and Colin O'Keefe, a high school student from Spring Green whose front tooth had been knocked out. Kammer also used the occasion to introduce his "Root Canal Rap." In addition, Wisconsin Governor Jim Doyle and Madison Mayor Dave Cieslewicz declared May 11, 2005, as Root Canal Appreciation Day.

A root canal, also known as an endodontic treatment, is meant to eliminate bacteria from an infected root canal, prevent infection of a tooth, and ultimately, save the tooth. The procedure relieves pain for the patient and makes the tooth healthy. Millions of teeth have root canals performed on them each year. The inflamed or infected pulp is removed, the tooth is cleaned and disinfected and is then filled and sealed. The procedure is performed on people with cracked teeth, on those with a deep cavity, and on those with issues from a previous filling. All of these issues lead to inflamed or infected pulp, which causes pain and may lead to abscess if not treated. Root Canal Appreciation Day helps to raise awareness to help prevent these issues and to properly treat them if they do arise.

How to Observe Root Canal Appreciation Day

Observe the day by visiting your dentist for a checkup or cleaning. If you've been putting off getting a necessary root canal, today is the perfect day to get it. If you don't need a root canal now, you could still use the day to learn more about them.

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