When you’re experiencing a toothache, it’s a sign that your body is trying to tell you something. In this case, it means that there’s likely an underlying problem inside your tooth that needs attention. With that said, you may notice the discomfort associated with your toothache is beginning to diminish. While it’s rare, it may even go away entirely on its own! According to a dentist, this may not actually be a good thing. Learn why and what you should do instead of going about your day.
What Could Be Happening to Your Tooth
It can be a huge relief when your tooth pain goes away. Many people assume that the issue that was causing the pain was resolved by the body. Remember, teeth are not capable of healing themselves, so it’s likely that the problem has actually worsened instead of gotten better.
Enamel does not contain the same nerves that the pulp (center of the tooth) does, which is why you don’t feel any pain until decay has reached the center. However, if the pain was caused by tooth decay, the discomfort going away is a sign that the infection has destroyed the nerves inside the tooth.
The bacteria responsible for breaking down the tooth can easily trigger an infection in the pulp. This infection then travels to the bone, which leads to the pain coming right back. This can not only destroy the bone inside your jaw, but loosen the tooth and cause it to fall out completely. Even worse, the infection can travel to other areas of the body, making it life-threatening.
How to Prevent Further Damage to the Tooth
The best thing you can do moving forward is to get in touch with a dentist right away. The sooner you can get to a dentist, the sooner you can confirm the cause of your dental issue and receive a prescribed treatment that saves your tooth. Dentists will always take the opportunity to save teeth if they are able to, but this can only be a viable solution if you contact them right away.
How a Dentist Provides a Lasting Solution
When you arrive for your dental appointment, there’s a decent chance that the dentist will recommend a treatment known as root canal therapy. This procedure is designed to clear away the infection that’s made its way inside of the tooth and remove any dead or dying tissue that it took with it. Additionally, a dentist can replace this tissue with a rubber-like material called gutta percha. This is also designed to reduce the risk of the infection coming back.
Following the removal of decay, irrigation of the tooth, and placement of the gutta percha, the dentist will then cover the tooth with a dental crown. This is done because a small hole is created in the top portion of the tooth to access the pulp.
Your tooth still has a chance to survive, but only if you schedule an appointment with a dentist. Get in touch with one today to get the process started and address your toothache at the source!
About Shinkawa Dental
The dentists of Shinkawa Dental are highly trained to address all levels of tooth pain, including dental infections that require root canal therapy to save teeth. Their expertise is sure to give you confidence about your treatment plan as they work to get you out of discomfort as soon as possible. To schedule a same-day emergency appointment, you can contact them through their website.