A tooth is actually a mixture of hard and soft tissues. You may think that tooth is a dead thing, but healthy teeth are alive. The inner layer of the tooth, i.e. the nerves in the pulp of the teeth, when they become damaged by decay or injury it stops the supply of blood to the tooth. It causes the tooth to get infected and the cause the nerves to die. This is sometimes called a dead tooth. Learn how to spot a dead tooth and what you should do if the tooth got injured.
Signs of a non-vital tooth (dead tooth)
As mentioned above a dead tooth is a tooth that received no blood supply. Discoloration can be one of the signs of a dying tooth and you may experience pain in the tooth gum.
On the other hand, healthy teeth appear in a shade of white and depending on the diet and oral hygiene the color can change. If you have the habit of consuming foods that leaves stain such as coffee, red wine or smoke, the teeth appear to have off-white shade or light yellow. This discoloration will likely be even, however. It may look as if the tooth is injured and the discoloration continues to spread over time as the tooth continues to decay and nerve dies.
If the discoloration of teeth happens because it’s dying, the color of teeth will be different from the rest of other teeth. The color of dying teeth appears to be in yellow, light brown or even black.
Pain is another possible indication. Not everyone feels the pain. The way people feel pain will differ, some feel mild pain and others feel intense pain. It is the result of the dying nerve and can also be caused by infection. However other signs include the bad breath, bad taste in the mouth, swelling around the gum line. If you face any of these symptoms frequently, consult your dentist immediately.
What causes a tooth to die?
One possible reason could be the trauma or injury to the teeth. For example, hitting the mouth against a wall or getting hit with a ball or hard thing cause the tooth to die. Depends of the severity of the hit, the tooth may die quickly or slowly.
Poor dental hygiene is another reason that leads to dental cavities. If left untreated, it leads to decay and destroy the teeth. It can gradually eat away the enamel and affect the pulp which results in blocking the blood supply to the pulp gradually causes it to die. Here you will experience intense pain.
Diagnosis and Treatment
Dying teeth can be recognized through dental X-rays. The dentist can easily spot the issue if you have pain or uneven discoloration of the teeth. However, you should always see a dentist following any tooth injury or if you have any signs of dying tooth. Depending on the severity of the condition your dentist may recommend for root canal treatment, removal or extraction of dead teeth or pain management.
Tips to prevent it
You can follow some tips to reduce the risk
- Follow a good oral hygiene.
- Maintain a healthy diet
- Drink water, particularly after eating
- Wear a mouth guard when playing sports
When it comes to dental treatment in Dearborn, Michigan, Lakewood Dental Smile holds a prominent position that provides class dental treatment to its patients. If you experience intense teeth pain, decay, or uneven discoloration of teeth you can consult with this dental clinic
