Why do teeth hurt?

Pain in the teeth is a kind of signal from the body of the development of the inflammatory process in the teeth, so the main task when it occurs is a visit to a specialist in order to identify the cause. Among the huge list of dental diseases, the leading place belongs to caries, pulpitis, periodontitis and pericoronitis. Today we will tell you about why your teeth hurt.

Caries

Caries is a complex process of tooth decay, the initial stage of which is the dissolution of mineral substances in the composition of the tooth, gradually turning into the destruction of hard dental tissues with the formation of a cavity. Among the main causes of tooth decay are:

• non-compliance with oral hygiene, namely, not removing plaque, which contributes to the rapid multiplication of bacteria;
• malnutrition with a low content of proteins, mineral salts, fluorine and vitamins;
• the use of an increased amount of sweet foods;
• stress;
• malfunctions of the immune and digestive systems in the body.

Depending on the degree of progression of the disease, caries can be divided into classes, among which severe toothache occurs in the following conditions:

Medium caries

Characterized by carious destruction of the contact surface of the anterior teeth. The most susceptible to this condition are people who consume a large amount of sugar-containing foods, as well as constantly using dental floss. Medium caries has an unexpressed course, which is accompanied by food getting stuck in the cavity of the teeth, combined with minor pain, subject to exposure to stimuli of a different nature. The initial stages of this disease do not cause any discomfort in the patient, which can lead to damage to the adjacent teeth in the oral cavity.

Severe deep caries

There is a severe degree of tooth damage, in which a thin layer of not yet destroyed dentin is preserved in the pulp area. Vivid symptoms of the disease are the occurrence of pain in the tooth area when food debris enters the caries area, during dental treatment, as well as various irritants. Not timely access to a doctor can lead to the progression of the destructive process of the tooth, which will lead to the penetration of microbes through the dentin into the pulp of the tooth and inflammation of the pulpitis.

Pulpitis

Pulpitis is an inflammation of the dental pulp, which can be conditionally called a nerve. This disease is characterized by an inflammatory process as a result of infection of the pulp, which is a reaction to exposure to irritants from the area of ​​carious lesions. More often this happens under the influence of microorganisms and toxins, which lead to an increase in blood flow and high pressure on the nerve endings.

There are the following types of pulpitis:

• Acute pulpitis is a condition in which infection enters the pulp, provided that the pulp chamber is closed. The main symptom of acute pulpitis is the appearance of acute, paroxysmal pain that occurs at any time without exposure to any irritants. As acute pulpitis develops, there is a transition to pulsating and shooting painful sensations with a reduction in pain-free intervals, that is, pain constantly torments the patient.
• The most severe form of acute pulpitis is purulent pulpitis, which is the result of untimely treatment. The main sign of the inflammatory process is the presence of strong and spontaneous pains that do not stop for a minute. Thermal effects can increase pain, while cold, on the contrary, calms them. In some cases, there is a sharp increase in body temperature as a reaction of the body to the development of purulent pulpitis.
• Chronic pulpitis. The result of untimely disposal of acute pulpitis is chronic pulpitis, which is accompanied by bouts of pain when exposed to any nature.

The main signs of chronic pulpitis:

• periodic appearance of severe dull pain of a pulsating nature;
• biting on any product causes pain in the tooth area;
• sudden pain during cold windy weather;
• the process of opening the dental cavity is accompanied by paroxysmal pain and the appearance of bleeding from the pulp;
• bouts of pain during exposure to heat and cold;
• the occurrence of painful sensations is a reaction to hot, a gradual decrease in which occurs when the tooth is cooled.

In some cases, a painless process of the disease is observed, which is explained by the presence of a hard-to-reach cavity for the penetration of various stimuli. Failure to provide medical care leads to the development of complications of varying degrees of complexity, the leading place among which belongs to periodontitis.

Periodontitis

Periodontium is the location of the nerves, blood and lymphatic vessels that provide nutrition to the tooth. During chewing, periodontium provides cushioning of the load on the tooth and helps to distribute them evenly on the bones. Periodontitis should be understood as inflammation of the periodontium, which is a connective tissue localized in the space between the tooth and the alveolar process of the jaw.

There are the following types of periodontitis:

Acute periodontitis

having symptoms such as:

• increased pain while biting food;
• the appearance of pain of a pulsating nature with rare enlightenments;
• the presence of a sensation of elongation or growth of the tooth.

The lack of necessary treatment leads to the progression of acute periodontitis, which is accompanied by the appearance of the following sensations:

• the spread of throbbing pain over the entire surface of the face;
• fever and general weakness of the body;
• edematous condition of the gums in the area of ​​​​the diseased tooth, causing pain with any touch;
• an increase in the volume of the submandibular and chin nodes, as well as their soreness;
• the possibility of purulent discharge from the root canal.

The development of the inflammatory process can continue for several days. The severity of the symptom is markedly reduced when the pus comes out, which usually occurs through the bone under the periosteum.

Chronic periodontitis

Chronic periodontitis is the result of an untreated acute inflammatory process and is characterized by periods of exacerbation and remission of the disease. The chronic form differs from the acute form in the severe nature of the course of the disease as a result of the intensive development of inflammation, since the integrity of the periodontium is broken and there are damages.

Chronic periodontitis is characterized by a change in the position of the teeth, an increase in the degree of their mobility, as well as the appearance of gaps between the teeth. In the acute stage, there is bleeding of the gums at any time of the day, the development of abscesses and the appearance of pus. Complications of chronic periodontitis:

1. Granuloma

It is the result of advanced granulation periodontitis, since the process of granulation growth is accompanied by the destruction of the dental tissue surrounding the tooth. The impact of various provoking factors leads to an aggravation of the clinical picture of an acute inflammatory process in the form of:

• swelling and redness of the gums;
• severe pain in the area of ​​the tooth;
• the appearance of purulent discharge from the fistulous tract in the area of ​​​​granulomas;
• a sharp increase in body temperature with an increase in lymph nodes.

2. Root cyst

is the result of the progression of a granuloma, which is a neoplasm in the form of a rounded cavity in the bone tissue, the contents of which are liquid or pus.

The main reason for the development of this disease is infection of the root canals of the tooth, as well as improper treatment of dental canals and mechanical trauma. The cyst causes a displacement towards the teeth located in the area of ​​its localization. In some cases, there is a germination of the cyst in the maxillary sinuses of the nose, and the result of its development may be a pathological fracture of the lower jaw. The occurrence of severe pain can be the result of a decrease in immunity due to colds, trauma to the tooth, as well as festering of the cyst as a result of stressful situations.

3. Fistula

this is the presence of emptiness in the tissues that surround the root of the tooth. The fistula is not accompanied by the manifestation of acute symptoms, since the release of pus to the outside leads to a decrease in pain. An inseparable companion of this disease is an inflammatory process, the main signs of which are severe toothache, accompanied by an increase in body temperature. As a result of the opening of the fistula, purulent fluid begins to exit into the oral cavity, and if there is a lesion of the tissues of the face, through the cheek.

The main symptoms of the disease are:

• pain in the area of ​​the tooth;
• staggering of the tooth and increased toothache while touching it;
• swelling and purplish tint of the gums in the area of ​​fistula localization;
• damage to the soft tissues of the face is accompanied by swelling and soreness;
• bad smell from the mouth.

4. Phlegmon

is one of the most dangerous complications of chronic periodontitis, in which infections and purulent fluid enter the internal organs of a person. There is swelling of the soft tissues in the area of ​​inflammation, as well as organ dysfunction, combined with a decrease in appetite, weakness of the body and an increase in body temperature.

Symptoms indicating the development of phlegmon are as follows:

• inability to fully open the oral cavity;
• limited mobility of the tongue, as well as the functions of swallowing and chewing;
• the presence of severe edema, leading to asymmetric face;
• pain in the lower jaw and neck;
• increased body temperature and general weakness of the body.

Further development of phlegmon can be fatal.

pericoronitis

The process of tooth growth is not always simple and painless, in some cases the development of pericoronitis is observed - this is a painful and difficult eruption of “wisdom” teeth. It is this disease that is the answer to the question why wisdom tooth hurts . In this disease, food debris clogs the mucous membrane of the tooth, which is located above the crown of the erupting tooth.

The process of decomposition of residual food products leads to the formation of pathogenic microflora and the development of the inflammatory process. The initial stage of pericoronitis is accompanied by the following symptoms:

• the presence of pain at the site of the eruption of the wisdom tooth;
• an edematous hood of the mucous membrane covers the tooth;
• touching the hood is accompanied by the appearance of painful sensations.

Complications of pericoronitis

Like many inflammatory processes, pericoronitis has two forms of its course: acute and chronic. The acute stage of the course of the disease is characterized by the presence of bright painful sensations and swelling, accompanied by purulent discharge. A chronic disease is not permanent in nature, in which there are both periods of exacerbation and calm.

For purulent pericoronitis, the following symptoms are characteristic:

• the process of chewing is accompanied by a constant sensation of pain;
• severe pain radiating to the ear and temple area;
• high body temperature;
• discomfort, accompanied by an increase in submandibular lymph nodes;
• soreness and the presence of pus during pressure on the hood.

Failure to provide timely assistance in the progression of acute pericoronitis can turn it into a chronic stage with periodic alternation of moments of exacerbation with a state of rest.

Now you know why your teeth can hurt, and we hope that the information received will make you more carefully and carefully take care of your teeth, as the quality of your life depends very much on their health. 

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