Dead teeth: causes, signs and how to deal with them

The condition of the dead teeth usually does not cause pain for the sufferer. However, you may notice a discoloration of the affected tooth.

Routinely checking your teeth at the doctor can prevent and early detect this common dental disease. Besides that, doing dental care, for example by brushing your teeth properly, using mouthwash, and avoiding various risk factors can be the right preventive steps.

Then what are dead teeth, causes, symptoms, and how to deal with them? For details, you can see the following review.

What are dead teeth?

The tooth structure consists of three layers, namely enamel, dentin, and pulp. Enamel is the outer part of the tooth that is hard, provides protection, and is not sensitive to pain.

Meanwhile, dentin is part of the main tooth-building structure that is under the enamel and is sensitive. Then in the tooth pulp that is protected by dentin, there are blood vessels and nerves that are in the middle of the tooth structure.

Dead tooth is a condition in which the tooth pulp nerve is dead. In addition, this tooth condition, also known as rotten teeth, no longer has blood in it. After this process occurs, in general, dead teeth will fall out on their own.

Although it rarely causes serious pain in some sufferers, you need to be careful about this dental health problem. This is because dead teeth can be dangerous and cause infection and affect other areas of the mouth.

Recognize the characteristics of dead teeth

Sometimes you will find it difficult to detect the characteristics of a tooth that is rotten or dead just by glancing at it. Only a dentist can diagnose it by performing routine dental examinations every six months.

Moreover, patients usually do not feel pain in their teeth. The pain in the tooth when it is dead will appear in some cases, for example an infection occurs.

There are at least two symptoms of dead teeth that can help you identify this one dental health problem, including discoloration and pain due to infection.

1. Teeth change color

If the teeth are dead, usually there will be a change in color that becomes darker, for example turning into yellow, gray, and black teeth. Tooth discoloration occurs because the red blood cells in the teeth also die. This is a similar effect when your body is bruised.

Tooth discoloration will experience an increase from yellow to black teeth if it is not immediately treated by a dentist. Especially if you don't do dental care regularly and properly.

2. Teeth ache

Another cause of tooth decay and death is pain, of which the levels vary. The pain that is experienced does not originate within the tooth, but comes from the very sensitive nerve endings around the outside of the tooth, namely on the periodontal membrane.

Bacteria and the remnants of dead nerves will collect in the pulp cavity in the teeth, thus putting pressure on the periodontal membrane. This is what causes pain to appear in dead teeth.

If this is accompanied by infection, it is likely that it will develop into a pocket of pus (tooth abscess) and cause other symptoms, such as:

• Pain around the tooth abscess area
• Sensitive teeth
• Discomfort in the mouth
• Bad odor
• Swollen gums
• Tooth decay
• Unwell
• Difficulty swallowing
• Swelling of the face and cheeks

Various causes of dead teeth

Broadly speaking, there are two main causes related to the problem of dead teeth, including tooth decay due to improper treatment and dental trauma due to injury or accident.

1. Tooth decay

The first cause of the death of your teeth is decay. The damage that occurs to the teeth can cause tooth decay to cause cavities (caries) due to poor and correct dental care patterns.

The decay occurs starting in the outer layer of the tooth or enamel and can penetrate the deeper layers over time. If this cavity is left untreated, it creates a path for bacteria to gnaw into the pulp.

Healthy pulp has a response to inflammation that occurs due to bacteria. This process can make you feel quite disturbing toothache. The pulp and white blood cells will resist infection caused by bacteria.

Furthermore, the pulp and white blood cells that fight these bacteria can cause an increase in pressure in the tooth cavity. This then cuts off the blood supply and kills the pulp.

2. Dental trauma

Then the second cause of dead teeth is trauma. Dental trauma can occur as a result of a sports injury, fall, or blow that is experienced around the face and mouth area.

These injuries and accidents can cause blood vessels to break and the blood supply to the teeth is cut off. As a result, the nerves and living tissue in the pulp will die due to lack of blood supply.

Not only injuries and accidents, but the habit of grinding your teeth gradually that you often do can also be traumatic. This also increases the risk of your teeth dying.

Can dead teeth be treated and how can they be treated?

Dead teeth are very important to be treated as soon as possible. Especially if it is accompanied by infection and not treated immediately, bacteria can grow and move to the roots of the teeth and start attacking other parts, such as the jawbone and other teeth.

If the dead tooth is not causing pain and symptoms such as discoloration, the dentist can make a diagnosis using X-rays (X-rays).

There are two treatments that can be done to overcome this dental problem, namely tooth extraction and treatment of the root canal of the tooth. The doctor will suggest which treatment is better for the patient's teeth, usually the treatment will be selected according to the condition of the teeth.

1. Perform tooth extraction

If the cause of the dead tooth makes the maximum damage and cannot be treated, what you need to do is to do the tooth extraction process. The dentist may also recommend removing the tooth if it can't be repaired.

This procedure is very simple, relatively economical, and painless as well as follow-up care. Extracted teeth can be replaced with dental implants to replace bone tissue in missing teeth or with dentures.

2. Root canal treatment

Treatment through root canal treatment methods is usually recommended first if the cause of the dead tooth is not too severe and the tooth is still in good condition.

Launched by Oral Health Foundation This endodontic or root canal treatment aims to clean all infections from the teeth and roots of the teeth. Then fill the tooth cavity to prevent further infections in the future.

Root canal treatment may be a lengthy process, requiring the patient to make two or more visits to the dentist.

Dead teeth that are still in good condition and do not need to be removed will first be cleaned of the infected tooth pulp and any remaining pockets of pus (tooth abscess).

After that the root canals are cleaned and then this cavity will be given a temporary filling, before finally a permanent tooth filling is carried out so that the shape and color of the teeth return to resemble the condition of the previous teeth.

The root canal treatment method is painless, because in the process the dentist will administer local anesthesia. The only side effect is discomfort in the mouth which will fade away.

Natural treatment methods to prevent dead teeth

Sharing the method below is not a way to treat tooth decay naturally, but rather a preventive measure to avoid the risk in the future. To prevent dead teeth, there are some habits that you need to do, including:

• Gargle first before brushing your teeth.
• Use toothpaste that contains fluoride (a substance that strengthens teeth).
• Brushing your teeth with the right technique and not so hard that you injure the gums.
• Brushing teeth can be routinely done 2 times a day, morning and evening after eating.
• Avoid the causes of cavities, such as reducing consumption of sweet foods and drinking.
• Avoid opening packages that are hard enough with your teeth.
• Routinely check dental health to the doctor.
• Using a mouth guard (mouth guard) while exercising to prevent dental trauma.