Every day people go to the dentist with aching pain in the elements of the dental system. The syndrome can develop due to damage to enamel, dentin, and pulp. Based on the nature of the localization, pain sensations can be pulsating, aching, shooting in nature, temporary or long-lasting. Most often, pain is observed in the evening and at night. In this case, you must immediately contact a specialized specialist for diagnosis and prescribing appropriate therapy, followed by removal of the tooth nerve. Self-treatment at home can aggravate the situation and contribute to the development of serious complications.
What is a tooth nerve
Each element of the dentition consists of hard and soft tissues. The visible part is represented by dense enamel. Then comes the dentin and only then the pulp chamber, which has many root tubules and nerve endings. The number of tubules is equal to the number of roots in canines and molars. Nervous tissue plays a vital role in the formation and growth of teeth. It is responsible for nutrition, delivering the necessary nutrients to the cavity to maintain their performance. You can see what the nerve of a tooth looks like on the Internet.
With the development of carious processes, damage to the dentin and pulp chamber occurs. The dentist most often diagnoses pulpitis or periodontitis. The patient may experience severe piercing pain. The cause may be general hypothermia of the body, the development of an infection in the oral cavity, mechanical damage to the coronal part, or an advanced carious process. Most often, the patient cannot understand which element of the dental system is bothering him. He only indicates the location of the pain, and the dentist determines the cause.
Modern techniques
Until recently, the procedure was very painful and was divided into 2 stages. At the first visit, the canal was expanded with a drill, arsenic was placed into the cavity and a temporary filling was placed. A few days later they carried out cleaning, and only after that the filling began. During the interval between procedures, the patient experienced severe pain, which could not always be relieved with medications. Today, depulpation is done in one visit, and the session time does not exceed 30 - 40 minutes.
If during diagnosis it turns out that the pulp needs to be removed (or its partial extraction is required) or the treatment did not give the desired effect, then the doctor chooses the method that is best suited for the particular case.
During vital amputation, a small part of the nerve that is located under the crown is removed, after which the tooth is filled. Thus, the dental unit continues to receive nutrition, which means it is alive and fully functional.
Devital amputation is done if complete removal of the tooth nerve is necessary. It becomes “dead”, fragile, but can still perform its function for a long time.
Procedure steps:
- anesthesia;
- isolation from saliva getting inside;
- drilling out a carious cavity;
- antiseptic treatment;
- depulpation;
- cleaning, obturation and filling of canals;
- application of a light-curing composite.
The work is very difficult and can only be performed by a professional doctor. If you miss even minimal cavities, lateral tubules, then the dental tissues react and begin to collapse. In our clinic, a panoramic photograph of both jaws is taken, and treatment is carried out under a dental microscope. It allows you to perform dental operations with high precision, protects against injuries, as well as the development of complications and relapses.
Why does a tooth need a nerve?
The main function of nerve endings is sensory perception. With the rapid development of the pathological process, a pain reaction occurs, which signals tissue damage. Many people ask why there is a nerve in a tooth. In reality, it plays an important role and performs the following functions:
- Sensory. Signals the presence of development of an anomalous process.
- Nutritious. Provides nutrition to soft and hard tooth tissues.
- Immune. Plays an important protective role.
In addition, nerve endings play an important role in the mineralization of enamel and dentin. Why there are nerves in a tooth and what their role is, you can find out from our dentists at the Alpha Dent clinic. They are always ready to clearly demonstrate and tell everything so that the patient has a complete picture of why pain occurs and how to prevent the spread of the inflammatory process. Our clinic specialists are always ready to provide free advice and provide the necessary assistance.
Why is this happening?
The main reason for this problem is poor hygiene, lack of timely dental treatment and neglect of preventive dental examinations. In 90% of cases, it is these factors that cause tooth decay. There are also indirect reasons that can affect this process:
- Having bad habits, especially smoking.
- Hereditary predisposition.
- Bad ecology.
- Poor nutrition.
- Concomitant diseases of the oral cavity.
- Poor quality drinking water.
Symptoms of the lesion
The cause of the formation of a pathological process can be carious lesions, inflammation of soft tissues, or mechanical damage to the teeth. The main symptoms include severe aching pain that can radiate to the temporal tissue. You may experience bad breath. The painful area may react acutely to hot and cold foods. With the development of the pathological process, swelling, inflammation of the pulp chamber, and the formation of pus may be observed over the course of several days.
Many patients often wonder whether the nerve in a tooth can die on its own. Yes, maybe, if the destructive process has gone far enough. The main symptom will be a sudden cessation of pain. However, without timely dental intervention, the infection can spread further and affect the trigeminal nerve, leading to trigeminal neuralgia. The consequence will be impaired facial expressions, facial distortion and other anomalies.
Indications and contraindications for removal
Pulpitis is treated conservatively and surgically. If it is possible to preserve the pulp, the dentist tries to cure the disease with medications and physiotherapy.
The nerve must be removed in the following cases:
- if the carious lesion has spread to the canals and pulp;
- there is a concomitant disease of periodontitis (inflammation of the periodontium, which holds the tooth unit in the socket);
- severe damage to dentin by caries (large area, presence of several carious cavities);
- mechanical damage;
- the presence of concrements in the canals - hard deposits that cause irritation and inflammation of soft, sensitive tissues;
- lack of positive results from therapy;
- unbearable pain that cannot be relieved by medications.
Depulpation can also be carried out if the orthopedist indicates prosthetics.
The procedure is not performed if:
- stomatitis, acute infections, since pathogenic microorganisms can penetrate deep into the jaw and cause the development of serious diseases;
- poor blood clotting due to the risk of heavy bleeding;
- pregnancy due to the inability to provide the necessary anesthesia.
How to kill the pulp in dentistry
A dental procedure is performed under anesthesia, regardless of the nature and scope of the work. The specialist knows why there are nerves in teeth, so he selects an anesthetic taking into account the anatomical features, the patient’s possible allergic reaction and individual wishes. The depulpation process is as follows:
- Removal of dentin and enamel with anesthesia. The procedure is carried out using air cooling technology.
- Placing a special paste that allows you to kill the nerve of the tooth, both the canine and the molar. Today, modern pastes are used to devitalize nerve endings.
- Installation of a temporary filling.
- Removal of temporary filling, opening of the pulp chamber, extraction of nerve endings.
- Canal cleaning, disinfection, filling.
At the final stage, a control x-ray is taken, where the patient and the doctor can see how the canals were sealed. After the procedure, the question may arise about how to relieve toothache even though the nerve has already been removed. For this you can use drugs such as Ibuprofen, Pentalgin, Nimesil. It is recommended to use only those products prescribed by the dentist. After treatment for pulpitis, pain may be observed for a week.
Prevention
If you have dead teeth, care must be taken to preserve them. A crown that does not receive nutrients is fragile. Over time, it can deteriorate and tooth mobility appears. Prevention of diseases in such diseases is very important.
It is imperative to ensure proper daily oral hygiene. Teeth should be brushed with a suitable toothpaste; the brush should not have very hard bristles. After eating, you need to rinse your mouth with special compounds. This will help get rid of food debris and minimize the risk of developing plaque, tartar, and the proliferation of pathogenic microorganisms.
It is important to undergo regular examinations by the dentist, and at the first appearance of pain or signs of disease, immediately go to see a doctor for diagnosis and treatment.
How to calm the tooth nerve yourself
In some cases, it may not be possible to visit a dentist in the near future. For example, if you are far from the city, where it is impossible to find a specialized clinic. Then you can use traditional medicine recipes, use a soda-salt solution. To do this, you will need to dilute baking soda and salt in warm water and rinse your mouth. If soda and salt are not available, you can use 3 percent hydrogen peroxide, which is diluted with water in a ratio of 2:1. Then the swab is moistened in this solution and applied to the painful area of the dental system.
We looked at how to calm the dental nerve at home if you are unable to visit a dentist. Additionally, you can use herbal decoctions based on mint or chamomile. In some cases, clove essential oil is used. It is enough to drop it on a cotton swab and apply it to the painful area. It has good anti-inflammatory and antiseptic effects. However, if these funds are not at hand, and you do not know how to numb the tooth nerve that is inflamed, call the dentist on duty. It is better, of course, to immediately go to the doctor, since an independent decision can lead to the development of dangerous complications.
Complications and consequences that will not keep you waiting if your teeth are not treated
A far-fetched fear is extremely harmful: because of it, patients often take the situation to extremes and go to the doctor only when the disease spreads to neighboring teeth and gums, and serious intervention is required.
Deterioration of the general condition of the body
There is a misconception that bad teeth have no effect on the body as a whole. And that “one day the moment will come...” - the teeth will be cured, and there can be no complications. The immune system actually copes with the infection up to a certain point, and the problem is localized in the oral cavity. But one day the strength of the immune system weakens, because... he receives no help from outside. General intoxication of the body develops, which is poorly diagnosed, but manifests itself very clearly.
Intoxication is expressed in constant fatigue, fluctuations in body temperature, etc. The prolonged presence of rotten teeth leads to the following consequences:
- 1. Cardiac dysfunction. Endocarditis is an inflammation of the inner lining of the heart, which can only be treated surgically;
- 2. Loss of appetite. Impaired functioning of the gastrointestinal tract due to the entry of harmful microorganisms into it with saliva. Development of gastritis, food intoxication;
- 3. Frequent headaches due to tooth decay at the base of the root;
- 4. Many doctors are sure that bad teeth can cause problems with bone tissue and harm the musculoskeletal system. Arthrosis and polyarthritis often develop;
- 5. It has been scientifically proven that rotting of large chewing teeth leads to hair loss on the back of the head; destruction of small chewing units leads to baldness of the temporal part;
- 6. Rotting of any bone in the skull leads to brain damage;
- 7. Hearing impairment;
- 8. Poor condition of the skin;
- 9. An advanced putrefactive process spreads to the sinuses and can provoke chronic tonsillitis, hyperplasia of nasopharyngeal tissue, etc.
Pulpitis is a consequence of caries
The most common complication of caries is pulpitis. In fact, it is a natural consequence of caries and does not threaten a healthy tooth. With pulpitis, the dental nerve becomes inflamed; the disease is characterized by particularly severe pain when pressing on a tooth (biting on food).
A person can determine for himself when caries turns into pulpitis. With caries, pain appears only if a certain irritant acts on the diseased tooth. The unpleasant sensations disappear as soon as the irritant is eliminated. With pulpitis, pain can occur on its own. It can only be eliminated by the intervention of a doctor. A pain reliever will also help, but this is a short-term measure that loses effectiveness with frequent use. Taking painkillers is allowed only when it is not possible to visit the dentist. Their effect is only to relieve or weaken the pain syndrome; they do not have a therapeutic effect.
Periodontitis
If for some reason pulpitis has not been cured, the disease develops further. The ligaments that attach the tooth to the bone are affected.
Periodontitis has 2 phases:
- 1. Acute, characterized by severe pain;
- 2. Chronic – this phase may practically not appear.
Is it possible to kill a nerve yourself?
Many people try to remove the nerve endings in the tooth on their own. When a pathological process develops, the help of a specialist is required, otherwise complications may occur. There are various techniques that show how to kill the nerve of a tooth at home. All of them are for informational purposes only. Vinegar can be used for killing; a piece of cotton wool is treated with vinegar essence and applied to the tooth. It is important to note that the essence can completely destroy enamel and dentin and lead to irreversible consequences.
We looked at what would happen if you removed the nerve in a tooth yourself. This can lead to complete destruction of an element of the dentition. The patient will lose a tooth and may subsequently require the installation of an implant, crown, or other suitable orthodontic structure.
Advantages of contacting FamilySmile
In our clinic, tooth nerve removal is performed by doctors with extensive experience. We provide dental services of any complexity, including implantation, prosthetics, treatment of baby teeth, teeth with thinned enamel, loose gums with increased sensitivity and much more. We carry out diagnostics and dental treatment under a microscope, which magnifies the image 30 times. The doctor can see all the defects in the root part and eliminate them accurately and painlessly.
We use only safe drugs, high-quality injections and filling materials. At the patient's request, we treat under anesthesia or sedation.
Practical recommendations after visiting the dentist
If depulpation is performed correctly, pain may be observed. The pain may persist for several days. In this case, you can use painkillers prescribed by your dentist. However, if the pain does not stop for a week or more, you should immediately consult a doctor.
In this article, we learned why there are nerve endings in teeth, what important function they perform, and how to act in case of severe pain. In addition, you can learn more about why nerves are needed in teeth on specialized medical web resources, where dentists describe and explain everything in detail.
Alpha Dent specialists provide high-quality dental services. The clinic uses advanced equipment and innovative drugs, which ensures impeccable quality of therapy. Dentists will be happy to tell you how the nerves are located in a person’s teeth and what treatment is needed to achieve the desired result.
How to prevent trouble
It is much easier to prevent this situation than to solve it. Preventive measures are extremely simple. Just follow a few important tips:
- Make it a rule to go to the dentist every six months for preventive examinations.
- At least once a year you should get rid of tartar and accumulated plaque (this is done in the dentist’s office).
- Hygienic measures must be carried out efficiently and regularly (at least twice a day).
- Nutrition should be complete and varied so that the body does not experience a deficiency of beneficial microelements.
- Try to drink only filtered water.
- Stop smoking as soon as possible.
- Carry out dental treatment in a timely manner.
