Root canal procedures are commonly used to treat tooth decay that has gone too far, and most patients don’t experience any complications from this type of treatment. However, according to the National Cancer Institute (NCI), it appears that root canal procedures may actually increase your risk of developing mouth cancer, otherwise known as oral cancer. The NCI estimates that there will be around 52,000 new cases of oral cancer in the United States this year, with about 7,500 deaths related to the disease. The Only Way to Tell If you Have Oral Cancer Chewing Problems, Swollen Lymph Nodes, and Other Signs. We’ve all had that nagging toothache. But what happens when it doesn’t go away? When pain in your mouth doesn’t subside after a few days, it can be a sign of something more serious like oral cancer. In some cases, oral cancer is painless. That means if you have swelling or lumps in your mouth that don’t seem to go away—even after you get your fill of ice cream—you should visit your den...