Endodontic treatment (root-canalled teeth) and suicidal tendencies
Killing yourself over a dead tooth?
In addition to the long-term and more immediate risks and complications which can be triggered by root canal treatment covered in this section devoted to root canal treatment, there are even more potential hazards arising from endodontic treatment in certain types of persons - committing suicide.
Suicide, suicidal tendencies and root canals
In 2003, a French dentist was relieved of his duties by the Conseil de l’Ordre (national French dentists organisation) after pointing out that there may be a link between suicidal tendencies and root-canal-treated teeth. The dentist had observed that his suicidal patients no longer felt like taking their own lives after their dead teeth had been removed. He consequently reported the link between suicide and root canals that he had observed to the regional psychiatrist in charge and as a result, had his license to practice removed for three years. In her statement of defence, his lawyer Corinne Lepage spoke of a serious public health problem concerning the issue of root-canalled teeth and of a witch-hunt staged against the dentist. (The defense statement can be read in French at http://michel.raynaud.pagesperso-orange.fr/mem_clpg.htm and http://pagesperso-orange.fr/michel.raynaud/mem_clpg.htm).
The reaction of the French dentists board may be typical of an interest group seeing its income and reputation jeopardised. Also compare the case of dentist Dr. Larry J. Hanus who had his license removed for thirteen years for daring to tell his patients that amalgam fillings contained toxic mercury (mentioned in The cons of conventional dentistry).