Tooth Nerve Pain Treatment in Queens, NY

The outside of a tooth is called the enamel. It’s strong and hard with no living cells. Once the enamel gets worn down, dentin, the next layer of soft tissue, becomes exposed. By then, protection for that soft inner layer is gone and open to damage from bacteria and temperature changes.

The central part of a tooth is the pulp. That’s where the nerves, blood vessels and connective tissues are. You experience severe sensitivity and nerve tooth pain when those nerves become inflamed.

Nerve tooth pain usually indicates that the tooth has become damaged, injured or infected. There are any number of things that can cause tooth enamel to wear away or break to expose that soft tissue underneath, causing toothaches. Common causes of tooth nerve pain include:

• Tooth clenching or grinding that can happen while you’re sleeping or awake
• Dental decay that leads to a hole in the tooth, exposing the pulp under the enamel
• Aggressive brushing and using hard-bristled brushes
• Gum disease that leads to inflamed gums
• Broken tooth damage
• Smoking and substance abuse that over time wear down tooth enamel and irritate your gums

When you first experience pain, you may find tooth nerve pain relief by relying on over-the-counter pain medicine, warm water rinses or cold compresses held onto your cheek. Ideally, when you first seek tooth nerve pain relief, you make an appointment with your Queens family dentist so that he can examine your mouth and begin the best treatment to ease your pain.

Tooth sensitivity that comes and goes, or intermittent pain, may signal that a small cavity has formed or you have early stages of gum disease. Once root pulp is damaged or exposed, however, your risks of needing a root canal increase. If you have Intense throbbing pain that’s accompanied by facial swelling, it may be a sign that you have an infection that must be treated with antibiotics. And you still may need a root canal once the infection clears.

The American Dental Association reports: “The treatment for a toothache may involve a somewhat invasive dental procedure such as a dental filling, root canal, dental bridge, dental crown or ultimately, a tooth extraction. But treatment today can be comfortable, and in fact, often helps you avoid tooth extraction. In addition, today’s cosmetic dentistry options, like dental veneers and dental implants, offer alternatives to traditional treatment, and provide a greater esthetic and functional benefit.”

A root canal is performed in order to save the damaged tooth instead of pulling it. During the procedure, your family dentist removes decay, leaving an opening to give him access to the pulp so that it can be removed. The chambers holding the pulp then are cleaned and flushed.

Your tooth may need to be left exposed for a few days so that it can drain. Your dentist may insert medication inside the canal and vacant chamber. You wear a temporary crown while this takes place. Once any infection is clear, you can receive a permanent crown.

Prevent tooth nerve pain by avoiding anything that may damage your tooth enamel. In addition to taking safety precautions when you play sports or take other risks, avoid acidic foods like citrus juice and sodas, or at least brush after consuming them. Also, stop aggressively brushing your teeth.

Brush twice a day and after eating with a soft-bristled brush. Floss every day. Keep your professional cleaning appointments to help prevent the causes of nerve tooth pain. And call CitiDental when you do need tooth nerve pain relief.