Causes of Tooth Nerve Pain Pulp sensitivity or pain results from a tooth infection or decay, recent tooth filling, pressure from bruxism, and dental trauma like chips, cracks, and breaks. Dentinal sensitivity is nerve pain that generally happens when the tooth's enamel is damaged or eroded.
Take an over-the-counter pain reliever – Acetaminophen, ibuprofen, and other pain relievers can ease the pain. Use a cold compress – An ice pack or cold damp cloth can numb the area and can be especially helpful if you are experiencing swelling. Swish salt water or peroxide – These rinses can relieve inflammation.
Here are some of the most common signs of tooth nerve pain: A dull ache along the gum line. Pain that targets a single tooth or radiates throughout the mouth. Discomfort that worsens after eating, especially following meals that are hot, cold, or acidic.
Perhaps most commonly, the tooth nerve becomes infected as a result of deep tooth decay. At first, tooth decay only affects the enamel and dentin, which are the outermost layers. As it goes through the layers, the tooth nerve may become exposed to harmful bacteria, which can cause a tooth nerve infection.
Reasons Tooth Nerves Die
A blow to a tooth, deep crown preparations, repeated invasive procedures, and grinding or clenching your teeth can irritate pulp tissue, causing it to become inflamed. The pressure of swollen blood vessels on the pulp nerves will signal to you that you may have a dead tooth.
Untreated cavities. Receding gum line. Use of teeth whitening products. Brushing your teeth too hard.
In some cases, nerve pain in the tooth can go away on its own if the cause of it is temporary. For example, nerve pain from a cracked tooth may go away if the crack does not deepen and the nerve is left undamaged. However, nerve pain from decay, trauma, or infection will likely not go away on its own.
With treatment, dental nerve damage can heal in six to eight weeks. If, however, the effects last more than six months, then it is considered permanent nerve damage. Depending on the cause of injury, there are various treatments that may be applied to treat dental nerve damage.
It can come and go or be constant. Eating or drinking can make the pain worse, particularly if the food or drink is hot or cold. The pain can also be mild or severe.
You can calm an irritated tooth nerve by avoiding those foods and drinks that caused the irritation, as stated above. Those include: Hot beverages (coffees and teas) Cold beverages (soda causes sensitivity and erodes enamel, according to the University of Nebraska Medical Center)
Pulpitis is reversible if you identify it early. Your dentist will treat the cause and expect the symptoms to resolve. The main sign that the pulpitis has progressed to irreversible pulpitis is a lingering sensitivity to heat or cold. In this case, you'll need a root canal or tooth extraction.
Icing your cheek, on the outside of the affected tooth or with a cold compress will numb the area and most importantly, reduce swelling that is causing the pain. Drinking any tea can help sooth your aching tooth, but peppermint tea has qualities that can help numb the affected area, as well.
It used to be when you got a toothache, an antibiotic was instantly prescribed by the dentist. However, a new recommendation has been released by the ADA. They say, in most cases, antibiotics should not be given for tooth pain.
Unfortunately, the infected pulp of the tooth will not heal on its own and requires a root canal to properly be treated. Sometimes, patients may think a tooth infection has healed itself once they no longer feel pain in their tooth, but this just signals that the nerves inside of the tooth have died.
In general, non-NSAIDs and even opioids aren't very effective for toothache pain. If over-the-counter painkillers are not working for your toothache, call your dentist right away. You may need another medication, such as an antibiotic, in preparation for having the tooth pain fixed.
Sharp, intense pain: Nerve toothache is often characterized by sharp, intense pain that may be constant or come and go in waves. Sensitivity to hot and cold: Nerve toothache may cause sensitivity to hot and cold temperatures, which can worsen the pain.
Nerve pain often feels like a shooting, stabbing or burning sensation. Sometimes it can feel as sharp and sudden as an electric shock. You may be very sensitive to touch or cold. You may also experience pain as a result of touch that would not normally be painful, such as something lightly brushing your skin.
Your dentist will use a drill to open your tooth through the crown, the flat part at the top, to access the soft tissue at the centre of the tooth (pulp). They'll then remove any infected pulp that remains.
X-rays can also be used to detect dead nerves in teeth. Although x-rays cannot provide an image of soft tissue, once the dead nerve has caused damage to the bone surrounding the apex, or tip, of the root, it can be spotted on an x-ray film.
Damage to branches of the trigeminal nerve following maxillofacial surgery and dental treatment is unfortunately common, in most cases the symptoms are transient and patients fully recover sensation over time.
During routine dental examinations and cleanings, dentists can detect oral symptoms of stress, including orofacial pain, bruxism, temporomandibular disorders (TMJ), mouth sores and gum disease. If you're feeling tense or anxious, you should keep a watchful eye for signs of the following stress-related disorders.