The pulp is the soft connective tissue that fills the pulp cavity, the space inside the tooth. It plays a role of supplying moisture and nutrition to the odontoblasts through the supply of blood flow, and at the same time, it plays various roles, such as transmitting pain to the sensory nerve fibers, and discharging external stimuli from the teeth so that they do not accumulate. there is. Pulpitis is an infection of the pulp, which is the nerve tissue inside the tooth, causing severe pain. It is known as one of the three major pains that cause excruciating pain along with childbirth pain and urolithiasis. Pulpitis, which is largely classified into acute and chronic types depending on the progress of the disease, is caused by various factors such as trauma, mechanical stimulation, thermal stimulation, chemical damage, and bacterial infection that may occur during treatment and treatment. In particular, it is known that the cause of tooth decay is caused by bacteria and toxins. It is said that poor oral hygiene and excessive sugar intake act as risk factors that cause tooth decay due to these factors. Now, let’s learn about the various symptoms that can appear when pulpitis occurs, as well as various information on treatment and prevention.
The main symptoms of pulpitis
The main symptom of pulpitis can be called severe toothache. This pain is a symptom that is caused by inflammation of the pulp, where the blood vessels and nerves are distributed, causing the blood vessels to expand, resulting in congestion and increased internal pressure. It is characterized by severe pain when drinking cold water or eating sweet foods. Also, when you lie down to sleep at night, a lot of blood rushes to your head, and this action increases the expansion and pressure of blood vessels, which can make the pain worse. In the case of acute pulpitis, it is often treated through a visit to the hospital because of severe pain, but in chronic pulpitis, the inflammation has spread to the tissues around the root of the tooth, but there are many cases where they do not recognize any symptoms. If the treatment of pulpitis is delayed in this way, inflammation progresses to the tooth root and surrounding pulp tissue, which can damage teeth and gums, and in severe cases, tooth extraction is required. In addition, if it progresses to chronicity, the teeth may become darkly discolored or pus may form under the root of the tooth, which may cause continuous pain due to food intake. And if the symptoms get worse, the inflammation may spread to the periodontal membrane, the membrane that exists between the root and jawbone, and progress to periodontal fasciitis. It is known that pulpitis does not recover naturally, so it is important to seek treatment as soon as the above-mentioned symptoms appear.
How to treat and prevent pulpitis
1. Diagnosis and treatment
To diagnose pulpitis, an X-ray examination is performed to check the condition of the root canal. Afterwards, depending on the diagnosis result, the inflamed area can be removed and dental nerve treatment can be performed. If the pain is severe, treatment is performed to extract the tooth that is the cause of the pain. And in order to prevent pulpitis, it is important to receive scaling every 6 months and to detect small cavities early through regular check-ups and receive appropriate treatment.
2. Proper brushing habits
To prevent pulpitis, it is important to make a habit of brushing your teeth properly. In particular, this habit of brushing teeth is an essential management habit to prevent not only pulpitis, but also various periodontal diseases such as periodontitis and gingivitis. When brushing your teeth, it is said that it helps to reduce tooth wear by wiping short up and down rather than long horizontally. In addition, it is very helpful to use a functional toothpaste that relieves sore symptoms by depositing specific ingredients such as fluoride on worn hemorrhoids and exposed roots. In addition, please note that not only cleaning the outer surface of the teeth, but also removing foreign substances and impurities between the teeth by using oral supplements such as dental floss and interdental teeth is an important management habit for clean oral care.
