Recently, Kannada TV actor and anchor Swathi Sathish hit the headlines after her root canal surgery went wrong. According to several media reports, Swathi’s root canal procedure left a side of the actress’ face fully swollen. She was reportedly told by her dentist that the swelling will reduce within a few hours, however, the left side of her face remained swollen for 20 days.
Local news media reports mentioned that Swathi was allegedly given salicylic acid instead of a local anaesthetic agent. Meanwhile, it is yet to reveal whether she will be taking any legal action against the dental clinic.
In an Indian Express report, a consultant endodontist at Mumbai’s Masina Hospital, Dr Nikita Mehra explained the dental procedure and also laid down the possible reason for how Swathi has been left with a swollen face for 20 days post the surgery.
The health expert explained when exactly a root canal procedure is needed for an individual. She mentioned that a root canal is a dental procedure that involves the removal of the soft centre of the infected tooth and the pulp which is made up of nerves, connecting tissue and blood vessels.
In the procedure, the entire pulp is removed from the crown and the roots of the infected tooth are cleaned and disinfected to avoid the reoccurrence. Then the root is filled with canal filling material.
“The procedure is usually performed by a general dentist or a specialist endodontist under local anaesthesia, and is very safe,” said Dr Mehra.
She further mentioned the minor complications of the procedure. Dr Mehra stated that rare anaesthetic complications can involve Tingling or prickling, pins-and-needles sensation, which is usually temporary and self-correcting.
Dental health complications can involve minor swelling, pain or discomfort, which generally subsides on successful completion of the procedure.
While sharing about the severe complications, she asserted, “Patient is accidentally injected with solutions other than the local anaesthetic agent such as sodium hypochlorite which is used for cleaning the canal, or salicylic acid as witnessed, allegedly, in the current scenario.”
For avoiding such incidents, Dr Mehra suggested opting for an experienced general dentist or a registered specialist endodontist, who have their expertise in performing successful root canal procedures.
The above article is only for information purposes and should not be considered professional medical advice.
