As the name suggests, a dead tooth is technically ‘dead.’ This means it is no longer living and will not respond to any stimuli. However, a dead tooth can still be a functional part of your mouth when early medical care is offered.
If you experience any pain because of an exposed or damaged tooth nerve, you must be wondering for how long it will persist. Well, the short answer is, it all depends.
What Causes a Dead Tooth?
A normal, healthy tooth usually has three different layers; the enamel, dentin, and the pulp. The pulp is the part which houses the nerves and blood supply to the tooth. A tooth is considered dead when blood supply is cut off from reaching the tooth, effectively killing the pulp within.
The nerves will no longer be useful with no blood supply; hence, you will feel nothing else but just pain. Also known as a necrotic pulp, a pulpless tooth, or a non-vital tooth, the affected part might harbor infections. This brings forth the possibility of numerous other dental issues. That is why it is always essential to visit the best dentists in Dubai to help avoid such.
It is not always easy to determine why a tooth loses blood. However, the most common culprits are;
Tooth decay
When tooth decay occurs, it can penetrate deep inside the tooth, opening up the pulp to bacteria, which eventually cause it to die. A healthy pulp will often have an inflammatory response to such bacteria. This would only last long enough, as the pressure is mounted on the pulp area making blood supply to be cut off.
Trauma
This is one of the most unfortunate factors which can cause a tooth to die. It might be due to a fall, as a result of a sporting accident, etc. If the physical trauma is targeted, it can make the blood vessels to burst. This leads to the supply of blood to the pulp to be stopped.
Even if the blood flow was only partially cut off, the tooth would die in a slow and gradual process. This is because it will not be receiving adequate nutrients and oxygen.
Other rare, but possible causes also include; when a nerve is left exposed after a tooth extraction process. Another cause could be as a result of external tooth grinding which can have impacts on the pulp.
Symptoms of a Dead Tooth
One of the most widely known signs of a dead tooth is the sudden change in color of the affected tooth. The color change can, however, be an indicator for many other dental problems. Moreover, at times, some other signs and symptoms may not point out to a dead tooth. Therefore, it is advisable to watch out for any of the following symptoms;
- Pain in the tooth – there can be different levels of pain experienced. To some, the pain can be excruciating, while to others, it starts as mild.
- Pimple on the side of gums – this is one of the most probable signs which can point directly to a dead tooth. There can be a small pimple which shows up on the affected gums.
- Bad taste – one might experience bad taste most likely due to the pimple which burst by itself. At other times, you feel some weird taste in your mouth, but you have no idea why that is the case.
- Bad smell – this is a subjective symptom as it can point out to many dental issues. However, even after trying to maintain oral hygiene, but there is a foul smell emanating from your mouth, it is advisable that you see a dentist.
- Tooth sensitivity to hot or cold stimuli – While a normal healthy tooth will still have such incentive, the reaction of an infected tooth is usually more painful and lasts longer.
- Swollen gums or jaw
- A tender spot on the jaws
Diagnosis of a Dead Tooth
There is no specific time frame for a dead tooth to be seen. For some people, it can take months, and even years before the symptoms start showing. For some other people, a cracked tooth generally means that a quick passage for the bacteria has been created and your pulp gets damaged fast.
Whenever you have any of the symptoms above, it is advisable to visit the dentist as soon as possible. If they suspect a dead tooth, they will conduct some tests. If the tooth is affected, they will refer you to an endodontist. Some of the best endodontists in Dubai will run more advanced tests, including X-Rays, to determine whether your tooth is dead or not.
Treatment of a Dead Tooth
The primary goal of treating a dead tooth is to remove the infection quickly before it spreads and creates more problems. Here are the primary methods of treating a dead tooth;
Root canal treatment
A root canal is a hollow space in the roots of your teeth. This is the part of the tooth which houses the pulp. When the pulp is infected, the endodontist will drill a tiny hole in your tooth and reaches the root canal. The pulp is then disinfected with the diseased parts being removed. The parts are then sealed off with some special paste, making it harder for the re-entry of bacteria.
A crown is also placed to restore your tooth. Root canal therapy is very effective, saves your natural teeth, and has very high success rates. However, this procedure should only be carried out by experienced endodontists in the UAE, as any wrong moves can have detrimental impacts.
Extraction
Before root canal treatment became popular, extraction was the natural alternative to the treatment of a dead tooth. To save the infection from spreading, you would rather have the whole tooth taken out, right? This is not always advisable.
This is because replacing an extracted tooth by means such as dental implants is far more expensive. Moreover, no synthetics can beat the feeling of having your own natural teeth.
The Best Endodontic Treatment in Dubai
Getting the best dental clinic in Dubai can be overwhelming as there are quite a number of them. Advanced technology, friendly staff, convenient opening times, and highly-trained dentists are what you should look for. Your search will no longer be hard, as you can find some of the best endodontists in Dubai here.