If you’re experiencing tooth pain, whether sharp and throbbing or dull and achy, it can be difficult to bite and chew, concentrate, get through the day, even sleep at night, no matter what over-the-counter medication you take for some relief.  The source of tooth pain may be dental decay, an injury or an infection in the tooth. Regardless of the cause, if you have ongoing pain it’s time to see a dentist or endodontist for treatment. In the meantime, read on for information on common pain symptoms, possible causes and some steps you can take to ease the discomfort. Symptom: Momentary sensitivity to hot or cold foods. Possible problem: This generally does not signal a serious problem, unless the sensitivity remains for an extended period of time. It may be caused by minor decay, a loose filling or by minimal gum recession that exposes small areas of the root surface.  What to do: Try using toothpastes made for sensitive teeth and brush with a soft or extra-soft brush, using an up-and-down motion, never side-to-side, which wears away exposed root surfaces. If the issue persists, it’s time to see a dental health practitioner.   Symptom: Sensitivity to hot or cold foods after dental treatment. Possible problem: It’s possible that recent dental work has inflamed the pulp inside the tooth, causing this temporary symptom.  What to do: Wait two to four weeks and if the pain persists or worsens, have your dentist or endodontist check for a more serious problem. Symptom: Sharp pain when biting down on food. Possible problem: This jarring symptom may be caused by decay, a loose filling or a crack in the tooth. It’s also possible there is damage to the pulp tissue inside the tooth.  What to do: Get the matter evaluated by a dentist, who may refer you to an endodontist if there is pulp tissue damage. These specialists perform pulp-related procedures, such as root canals, which involve cleaning out the damaged pulp and filling and sealing the remaining space.  Symptom: Lingering pain, typically lasting more than 30 seconds, after eating hot or cold foods. Possible problem: It’s likely that the pulp has been irreversibly damaged by deep decay or physical trauma.  What to do: See your dentist or endodontist as soon as possible to save the tooth with root canal treatment.   Symptom: Constant and severe pain and pressure, swelling of gum and sensitivity to touch. Possible problem: A tooth may be abscessed, causing an infection in the surrounding tissue and bone. What to do: See your endodontist for evaluation and treatment to relieve the pain and save the tooth. Take over-the-counter medications until you see the endodontist. Symptom: Dull ache and pressure in upper teeth and jaw. Possible problem: Grinding of teeth, known as bruxism, can cause this type of ache. The pain of a sinus headache may also be felt in the face and teeth.  What to do: For bruxism, consult your dentist. For a sinus headache, try over-the-counter medication. If pain is severe and chronic, see your endodontist or physician for evaluation. Original Article Here. Reprinted with permission of the AAE. Copyright © 2017 American Association of Endodontists. All Rights Reserved. … [Read more...]

More than five million teeth are knocked out every year in children and adults but if this happens to you due to an injury or accident it doesn’t necessarily mean it’s lost for good. Proper emergency action can save the tooth so that it can be replanted successfully and last for years to come.  Act quickly, within 30 minutes, and visit the nearest dentist or endodontist. Review and remember these tooth-saving steps that take you and your tooth from the time it falls out until you reach medical support: 1. Pick up the tooth by the crown (the chewing surface) NOT the root. Locate the tooth immediately; don't leave it at the site of the accident. Handle the tooth carefully when you pick it up, and never touch the root of the tooth, only the crown (chewing surface). 2. If dirty, gently rinse the tooth with water.  Use only water to gently rinse off any dirt. Do not use soap or chemicals. Don’t scrub or dry the tooth, and don’t wrap the tooth in a tissue or cloth. 3. Reposition the tooth in the socket immediately, if possible. Try to put the tooth back into its socket right away. Gently push it in with your fingers, by handling the crown, or position it above the socket and close your mouth slowly. Hold the tooth in place with your fingers or by gently biting down on it.  4. Keep the tooth moist at all times. The tooth must stay moist at all times, either in your mouth or, if it can’t be replaced in the socket, put it in milk, in your mouth next to your cheek, or in an emergency tooth preservation kit (such as Save-a-Tooth®). Don’t use regular tap water; root surface cells can’t tolerate that for extended periods of time. 5. See an endodontist or dentist within 30 minutes of the injury.  Bring the tooth with you to your emergency appointment ideally. It's best to see the doctor within 30 minutes, however, it is possible to save a tooth even if it has been outside the mouth for an hour or more. Original Article Here. Reprinted with permission of the AAE. Copyright © 2017 American Association of Endodontists. All Rights Reserved. … [Read more...]

If you experience a dislodged or dislocated tooth during an injury, you should see a dentist or endodontist as soon as possible to stabilize the tooth. A tooth that has been partially pushed into or out of its socket, or sideways, almost always requires root canal treatment that should be started a few days following the injury. To avoid infection, medication may be placed inside the tooth as part of the procedure and you will be carefully monitored while you heal so that your specialist can intervene immediately if you aren’t healing correctly. Children ages 12 and under may not need root canal treatment for this type of tooth injury, since their teeth are still developing. New research indicates that stem cells present in the pulps of their teeth can be stimulated to complete root growth and heal the pulp following such injuries or infections. In this instance, your endodontist will discuss potential regenerative treatment options available for your child.       Original Article Here. Reprinted with permission of the AAE. Copyright © 2017 American Association of Endodontists. All Rights Reserved. … [Read more...]

 If your mouth or jaw is aching, you experience pain while chewing or you have swollen gums, you may have an abscessed tooth. These are just a few of the symptoms that can occur when the pulp (the soft tissue inside the root canal of a tooth) dies, becomes inflamed and goes untreated. The resulting infection in or around the root of the tooth may or may not be painful but any ongoing symptoms should be tended by an endodontist who specializes in treating infected teeth and pulp. An endodontist will typically treat your abscess with a root canal procedure or endodontic surgery. This involves removing the bacteria from the empty canals within your tooth, cleaning, shaping and filing the root canals, and sealing the empty space. Then, after some time to be certain the treatment was successful, you’ll visit your dentist who will put a crown or other restoration on the tooth to protect and restore it to full function. After the dentist restores it the tooth will continue to function like your natural teeth.       Recommended Educational Video    Endodontic Surgery Learn how endodontists perform surgery to treat an abscess or infection and save your tooth. Original Article Here. Reprinted with permission of the AAE. Copyright © 2017 American Association of Endodontists. All Rights Reserved. … [Read more...]

Whether your tooth cracks from an injury or general wear and tear, you can experience a variety of symptoms ranging from erratic pain when you chew your food to sudden pain when your tooth is exposed to very hot or cold temperatures. In many cases, the pain may come and go and your dentist may have difficulty locating the tooth causing the discomfort. If you experience these symptoms or suspect a cracked tooth, it’s best to see an endodontist as soon as possible.  Endodontists specialize in saving cracked teeth and will cater treatment to the type, location and extent of the crack. The sooner your tooth is treated, the better the outcome. Once treated, most cracked teeth continue to function as they should, for many years of pain-free biting and chewing. Recommended Educational Video    Understanding Cracked Tooth Symptoms and Treatment Learn about the symptoms and types of cracked teeth and how endodontists help patients avoid tooth extraction.   Visit the AAE YouTubeChannel for more patient education videos. How do I know if my tooth is cracked?  Cracked teeth show a variety of symptoms, including erratic pain when chewing, possibly with release of biting pressure, or pain when your tooth is exposed to temperature extremes. In many cases, the pain may come and go, and your dentist may have difficulty locating which tooth is causing the discomfort.     Why does a cracked tooth hurt? To understand why a cracked tooth hurts, it helps to know something about the anatomy of the tooth. Inside the tooth, under the white enamel and a hard layer called the dentin, is the inner soft tissue called the pulp. The pulp contains the tooth's nerves and blood vessels.  When the outer hard tissues of the tooth are cracked, chewing can cause movement of the pieces, and the pulp can become irritated. Eventually, the pulp will become damaged to the point that it can no longer heal itself.  The tooth will not only hurt when chewing but may also become sensitive to temperature extremes. In time, a cracked tooth may begin to hurt all by itself. Extensive cracks can lead to infection of the pulp tissue, which can spread to the bone and gum surrounding the tooth.         What if my tooth is chipped? Chipped teeth account for the majority of dental injuries. Most chipped teeth can be repaired either by reattaching the broken piece of tooth enamel or by bonding a tooth-colored filling or crown in place. See your dentist as soon as possible after the injury to treat your chipped tooth and keep it from worsening.         How will my cracked tooth be treated? There are many different types of cracked teeth. The treatment and outcome for your tooth depends on the type, location and extent of the crack. Craze Lines Craze lines are tiny cracks that affect only the outer enamel. These cracks are extremely common in adult teeth. Craze lines are very shallow, cause no pain, and are of no concern beyond appearances. Fractured Cusp When a piece of a tooth’s chewing surface breaks off, often around a filling, it’s called a fractured cusp. A fractured cusp rarely damages the pulp, and usually doesn’t cause much pain. Your dentist can place a new filling or crown over the damaged tooth to protect it.  If you've cracked a tooth and breathing through your mouth or drinking cold fluids is painful, bite on clean, moist gauze or cloth to help relieve symptoms until reaching your dentist’s office. Never use topical oral pain medications (such as Anbesol®) or ointments, or place aspirin on the affected areas to eliminate pain symptoms.     Cracked Tooth A cracked tooth means a crack extends from the chewing surface of your tooth vertically toward the root. The tooth is not yet separated into pieces, though the crack may gradually spread. Early diagnosis is important in order to save the tooth. If the crack has extended into the pulp, the tooth can be treated with a root canal procedure and a crown to protect the crack from spreading. However, if the crack extends below the gum line, it is no longer treatable, and the tooth cannot be saved and will need to be extracted. That’s why early treatment is so important. A cracked tooth that is not treated will progressively worsen, eventually resulting in the loss of the tooth. Early diagnosis and treatment are essential in saving these teeth.       Split Tooth A split tooth is often the result of the long term progression of a cracked tooth. The split tooth is identified by a crack with distinct segments that can be separated. A split tooth cannot be saved intact. The position and extent of the crack, however, will determine whether any portion of the tooth can be saved. In some cases, endodontic treatment may be performed to save a portion of the tooth.       Vertical Root Fracture Vertical root fractures are cracks that begin in the root of the tooth and extend toward the chewing surface. They often show minimal signs and symptoms and may therefore go unnoticed for some time. Vertical root fractures are often discovered when the surrounding bone and gum become infected. Treatment may involve extraction of the tooth. However, endodontic surgery is sometimes appropriate if a tooth can be saved by removal of the fractured portion.       After treatment for a cracked tooth, will my tooth completely heal? Unlike a broken bone, the fracture in a cracked tooth will not heal. In spite of treatment, some cracks may continue to progress and separate, resulting in loss of the tooth. Placement of a crown on a cracked tooth provides maximum protection but does not guarantee success in all cases. The treatment you receive for your cracked tooth is important because it will relieve pain and reduce the likelihood that the crack will worsen. Once treated, most cracked teeth continue to function and provide years of comfortable chewing. Talk to your endodontist about your particular diagnosis and treatment recommendations.     What can I do to prevent my teeth from cracking? While cracked teeth are not completely preventable, you can take some steps to make your teeth less susceptible to cracks. Don't chew on hard objects such as ice, unpopped popcorn kernels or pens. Don't clench or grind your teeth. If you clench or grind your teeth while you sleep, talk to your dentist about getting a retainer or other mouthguard to protect your teeth. Wear a mouthguard or protective mask when playing contact sports. Original Article Here. Reprinted with permission of the AAE. Copyright © 2017 American Association of Endodontists. All Rights Reserved. … [Read more...]