Many of the ideas people have about root canals are outdated. For some reason, they have a reputation for being painful, invasive procedures—this just isn’t true. Still, that reputation has endured to such an extent that many people outright ignore their dentist when they’re told they might need a root canal.

Needless to say, that’s a bad idea. If your dentist has told you that you needed a root canal, there is almost certainly a reason why, and neglecting the problem won’t make it go away. If you need convincing, here’s why you should get the root canal you need before things get worse.