What is pulpitis?
Pulpitis is a condition in which the pulp of a tooth gets badly infected. The pulp is the innermost part of the tooth and is surrounded by nerve tissues that send signals to and from the brain. Pulpitis is a condition that often causes severe toothache. However, in some cases, patients may not get any signs of toothache, since the nerve tissues become dead from the infection.
Why does pulpitis occur?
Healthline lists 4 major factors that contribute to pulpitis. These are as follows:
- Cavities: When you have cavities and tooth decay that have been left untreated for too long, the infection eventually keeps spreading until it finds its way to the pulp and the root canal of the tooth.
- Tooth injury: Your tooth may get impacted by an injury. This too can lead to pulpitis since the pulp of the tooth can become damaged.
- Cracked tooth: A cracked tooth opens up both the enamel and the dentin, exposing the pulp of the tooth. This makes the pulp more susceptible to infection and damage.
- Grinding teeth: Teeth grinding is a habit that erodes the enamel of the tooth, making the access easier for bacteria to the pulp.
What are the symptoms of pulpitis?
You may experience the following symptoms when you have pulpitis:
- Mild to a severe toothache that keeps getting worse and doesn’t go away
- A slightly discolored tooth
- Red and swollen gums surrounding a particular tooth
- Bleeding gums
- Swollen lymph nodes
- Heightened tooth sensitivity
- A persistent bad breath
- Mild fever
If you have one or more signs listed above, you should not take them lightly. You should visit a dentist near you right away.
Treatment for pulpitis
Of course, there’s a possible option of getting your dead tooth extracted. However, most people prefer saving their natural teeth. In that case, they opt for root canal treatment.
A root canal treatment drills a hole in the tooth takes the infection out and uses a filling to restore the lost parts of the tooth. After this, the tooth anyway becomes fragile and must be protected with a crown. Thus, getting the tooth extracted and getting dental implants would be a better choice in such a case.
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