Root canals come up in the GAPS book as part of a wider discussion of dental health and chronic illness. Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride is concerned about infection in root-treated teeth, and she explains why she believes the tooth’s microscopic structure matters. She also says that not everyone with a root canal is ill or needs that tooth removed.[1]
If you are reading this because you already have a root canal, keep both parts together. This guide explains the book’s position and the related GAPS FAQ. It is not a diagnosis of your tooth or an instruction to arrange an extraction from an article.
The Tooth Structure Discussed in the Book
Campbell-McBride describes the millions of microscopic channels in dentin, called dentinal tubules. Her argument is that treating the main canal cannot make this whole network permanently microbe-free. She connects that concern with the removal of the living pulp’s nerves and blood supply during root-canal treatment.[1]
That is the basis of her statement that there is no completely “clean” root canal. It is her description of the problem, not a claim that you can determine whether a particular treated tooth is infected by looking at it or by noticing a symptom elsewhere in the body.
Infection and Chronic Illness in Her Account
The chapter describes anaerobic organisms in root-treated teeth and the possibility of their by-products entering saliva or the bloodstream. Campbell-McBride connects chronically infected teeth with digestive, fatigue, joint, cardiovascular and neurological problems, including multiple sclerosis and neuropathy.[1]
Keep the scope of that discussion clear. The book gives a reason to include dental history in a broader assessment; it does not establish that a particular root canal caused a reader’s fatigue or neurological condition. Finding out what is happening in the tooth is a separate clinical task.
Not Every Root Canal Means Removal
The chapter explicitly says that many people have root canals without being ill. Campbell-McBride explains this in terms of the immune system coping with the situation, and says removal may not be necessary in that case.[1]
For people with stomach or other digestive problems, chronic fatigue, multiple sclerosis or another chronic degenerative disease, the book takes a stronger position: it recommends removing infected teeth and includes root-treated teeth in that recommendation.[1] That recommendation belongs in a discussion with the dentist assessing the actual tooth, the reason for the original treatment and the options for maintaining or restoring function. A list of chronic conditions is not, by itself, a diagnosis of a dental infection.
What the Related GAPS FAQ Says
In the FAQ about needed dental work, Dr. Natasha asks readers to consider how many functional teeth they would have without modern dentistry. She says many people with several root canals function well and can be considered healthy. The answer recommends working with the dentist on the least toxic alternatives and looking for a holistic dentist where possible.[2]
That FAQ also says that if root-canal treatment is recommended, the person may need it, and that she does not know anyone whose root canals resolved on their own.[2] Read this answer in its situation: someone is asking about dental work being proposed. The 2020 book’s discussion of an existing tooth in a person with chronic illness is a different starting situation. Neither passage should be shortened to “everyone must remove every root canal.”
The Account of Weston A. Price and His Son
Campbell-McBride recounts that Price’s son Donald died from an infection associated with a root canal that Price had treated, and says this prompted his research into dental sources of illness.[1] This is the historical account given in her chapter. It explains part of the background she brings to the topic; it does not determine the condition of a tooth in your own mouth.
The Book’s Separate Implant Concern
The same chapter discusses two-piece dental implants. Campbell-McBride describes a junction between the implant and the attached tooth where microbes may collect, and raises concerns about microbial by-products and implant materials.[1]
An implant is a different dental device from a root-treated natural tooth. If a replacement is being considered, ask which type is proposed, why it is suitable and what maintenance and follow-up it requires. The book’s implant paragraph is not a basis for assuming that every alternative has the same outcome.
Questions to Bring to the Dental Visit
A useful starting point is your actual dental history. Note which tooth was treated, when, why it was treated and whether anything has changed since. Bring previous records if you have them. You can ask:
- What do the examination and any necessary imaging show about this tooth?
- Is there evidence of an active dental problem, and what else could explain the symptoms?
- What are the options for keeping the tooth functional, and what are the risks and limitations of each?
- If removal is proposed, how would the space and chewing function be managed afterward?
- What would follow-up involve if the tooth is retained?
These questions turn a broad concern into a discussion about a particular tooth. There is no need to invent a dental cause for every symptom in order to take your dental history seriously.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does GAPS Say Every Root Canal Must Come Out?
No. The 2020 chapter includes people who are well with root canals and says removal may not be necessary for them. It gives a stronger removal recommendation in its discussion of chronic illness. Keep the circumstances attached to each statement.[1]
Does the FAQ Tell Me to Avoid Needed Root-Canal Treatment?
No. Its answer says to work with the dentist and acknowledges that the proposed treatment may be necessary. It does not say that a tooth needing root-canal treatment will resolve through diet alone.[2]
What Preparation Does the FAQ Discuss?
It recommends eating and sleeping well before and after treatment, avoiding late nights and alcohol, and mentions natural vitamin C such as acerola cherry for a few days around treatment. It does not supply an individualized supplement dose in that answer.[2]
Your Next Step
Put the GAPS passage beside your dental records and bring the specific questions above to the dentist. If your question is about an early enamel lesion instead, read the enamel-remineralization guide. For the nutritional background, see Price’s vitamins and tooth-decay discussion. My Care Team Log is listed in the WFLI Shop for keeping findings and questions together; a notebook works, too.
References
- Campbell-McBride, N. Gut and Physiology Syndrome (2020), “Bones and teeth.” Root canals, chronically infected teeth, Price’s son and dental implants.
- Campbell-McBride, N. Official GAPS FAQs, “Teeth,” question3: precautions when dental work is needed and a root canal is recommended.
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