The American Association of Endodontists (AAE) has dedicated May to saving teeth. Sponsored by EndoVision and Sonendo, Save Your Tooth Month is a national initiative designed to showcase the benefits of root canal treatment from a specialist and thank general dentists for their referrals.
“The perfect companion to our Worth Saving consumer campaign, Save Your Tooth Month emphasizes the importance of saving natural teeth, among other treasured items,” said AAE president Keith V. Krell, DDS, MS, MA. “We couldn’t be more thrilled to expand Root Canal Awareness Week in this way.”
The AAE conducted a survey to determine what Americans believe is worth saving and found that millennials care about saving their natural teeth just as much as if not more than any other aspect of their body. The survey also found that:
- The top reasons people value saving their natural teeth are because “it’s healthier” and “it gives you a better appearance.”
- 61% of women and 51% of men feel strongly that saving their natural teeth helps them feel better about themselves.
- 24% of millennials ranked their teeth as the number one thing they would save or maintain about their body, compared to baby boomers’ preference for saving their eyesight (37%).
- More than 95% of people say it’s important to save your natural teeth.
In another survey, 48% said they would make an appointment with their dentist if they experienced tooth pain. Roughly half said if they were to feel tooth pain, they would only wait between two and six days to seek treatment. Another 23% said they would seek treatment that same day. According to the AAE, these results mean people want to resolve tooth pain very quickly, and that’s what endodontists are trained to do.
“We expect Save Your Tooth Month, and our overall Worth Saving campaign, to have a big impact, the kinds of results and exposure our organization hasn’t yet seen,” said Krell. “So we are enlisting you to help us spread the word in your practices and local communities. This has the potential to be a game-changer in terms of how root canals are perceived.”
To encourage collaboration between general dentists and endodontists, the AAE offers free resources, including:
- ENDODONTICS: Colleagues for Excellence: This newsletter is distributed to AAE members, general dentists, and other specialists to educate them about specific endodontic topics and spur discussions among colleagues.
- Treatment Options for the Compromised Tooth: A Decision Guide: This guide features different cases where the tooth has been compromised in both non-endodontically treated teeth and previously endodontically treated teeth.
- Root Canal Safety Web Page: This page includes AAE resources designed to help dental professionals advocate for good dental health and root canal safety.
Additional resources also are available on the AAE website. Plus, the AAE is challenging its members and dentist partners to create and share their own graphics, memes, photos, and videos promoting Save Your tooth Month. The organization will feature its favorites in its member communications and on social media.
“Tell family, friends, and patients to visit aae.org/sytm to learn more about how to get involved and spread the word,” Krell said. “Have they already had root canal treatment? Patients are encouraged to share their root canal success stories to help the AAE spread the word about endodontists and the value of saving natural teeth.”
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