Pulpitis is extremely common. It is estimated that 90% of dental emergencies are caused by pulpitis. While it is treatable in most cases, it is also preventable. Knowing the symptoms and its treatment will save you a lot of pain.
Tooth Anatomy 🦷
Teeth are an amazing thing. They are small and compact by nature, but inside is a microanatomy like no other! The very center of the tooth is the pulp, made up of soft tissue along with connective tissue, blood vessels, and nerves. The pulp is housed in the pulp canal and the root canal. Surrounding that is dentin, and covering the dentin is the tooth enamel.
The pulp’s job is to protect the tooth from becoming infected. Pulp is responsible for making the layer of dentin. Blood vessels in the pulp supply the tooth with oxygen and nutrients, keeping the tooth healthy and alive. The nerves in a tooth act as an alarm, letting you know if food and drink are too cold or hot. The nerves in the pulp create the pain or zing you feel in a toothache or a cavity.
Pulp is vital for healthy, developing teeth. Once a tooth has matured, the pulp is less important, as the teeth can get their nutrients from the gums. So, what is pulpitis? Pulpitis is an infection in the pulp.
Pulpitis has two types, reversible pulpitis, an early-stage infection. It can be treated as an early-stage infection by repairing the tooth and sealing it with a filling.
Irreversible pulpitis creates increasing inflammation that causes the pulp to die. Left untreated, pulpitis can develop into an abscess that may affect the jawbone, leading to a bone infection known as osteomyelitis. This infection can spread to the soft tissue in the chest, head, and neck, causing the glands to swell painfully.
Causes of Pulpitis
The primary cause of pulpitis is damage to the tooth enamel. There are several ways the enamel is damaged.
Dental work will not cause pulpitis, but if the tooth is not properly sealed following the procedure, the bacteria can invade the opening to the tooth and infect the pulp.
Cavities are a big contributor to pulpitis. The acid created by the bacteria creates a cavity in the tooth, allowing the bacteria to enter and infect the tooth’s pulp.
Cracked enamel from eating hard foods or an injury to the tooth also allows bacteria to get to the tooth pulp.
Wear and tear on enamel, caused by teeth grinding and overzealous brushing, can wear down the enamel and lead to cracks in the teeth, making the nerves in the teeth more sensitive and causing inflammation.
Pulpitis Symptoms
The primary symptoms of pulpitis are tooth sensitivity and a toothache. Inflammation from pulpitis varies in severity with the extent of the infection.
If you have reversible pulpitis, there won’t be sensitivity to heat or pain when the dentist taps
the tooth. You may experience a quick zing of pain from cold and sweet foods or beverages.
If your pulpitis is irreversible, you will experience pain when the dentist taps the tooth. Sensitivity to sweets, and food or beverages temperatures will be more of an aching, throbbing, or sharp pain that will disappear in seconds.
If necrosis (dying of the pulp and nerves) of the tooth occurs, sensitivity to sweets, cold, and hot items will disappear, but tapping the tooth will cause pain.
Treating Pulpitis
There are two ways to treat pulpitis:
Tooth extraction: While removing the tooth sounds like a great idea, it isn’t. If the tooth is not replaced with a dental implant, having an open space can create tooth mobility, leading to a new set of problems for your teeth.
Root Canal: The best pulpitis treatment is a root canal. This allows you to keep the tooth without it shifting. In a root canal, the dentist makes an access hole to remove the damaged pulp, nerves, and any infection.
The empty root canal and tooth are cleansed using a dental file, then a cleansing solution is injected. The access is sealed to prevent infection. The tooth becomes hollow and fragile. A crown is placed over the tooth to protect it from breaking.
Once the crown is applied, you can eat and drink whatever you want without sensitivity. Contrary to what you’ve heard, root canals are painless!
Preventing Future Pulpitis
Preventing pulpitis is easy! It starts with good oral hygiene:
- If you grind your teeth, you should be using a mouth guard at night. The guard ensures your teeth won’t be damaged if you grind them in your sleep
- Brush your teeth in the morning and before be
- Floss before going to bed.
- Floss your teeth before going to bed
- Never skip a checkup
- Never skip a routine cleaning
- Contact your dentist at the first sign of pain, sensitivity, or inflammation.
Understanding why your teeth are sensitive or painful lets you know something is wrong and allows the dental professional to treat it before more damage to the pulp is done. Having good oral hygiene not only keeps your mouth healthy, but it also protects your body from secondary infections that can occur!
An increasing number of people are choosing destination dental care. Families and individuals are having their dental care done while vacationing in Cancun. At Shtern Dental Clinic, we offer high-quality, modern dentistry in a premier vacation destination. Our bilingual dental staff is here for all your dental needs. Contact our clinic to schedule your appointment today!
