Causes of dental and oralfacial pain and what to do? (Call now)
When a tooth-ache develops, there are very few things that will settle it. Over the counter analgesic medications can dull the pain for a short period of time but it won’t alleviate the pain completely nor will it solve the underlying problems. When a tooth pulp/ nerve becomes inflamed due to decay, cracks or trauma, it becomes hypersensitive to cold, heat and sometimes sweet. When this becomes extreme, the heat from your own body temperature will become unbearable to the aggravated tooth. This is your body’s natural warning system telling you that there may be an impending infection. Untreated dental problems eventually lead to the necrosis (death) of the tooth which becomes infected by the mouth’s naturally occurring bacteria. These germs can then enter the body via the tooth’s root canal system. In the best case scenario the infection is held back by the immune system and there may or may not be a little bit of pain when biting on the offending tooth. The chronic infection can lead to a draining pimple inside the mouth where pus will periodically drain from. In the worst cases, this can lead to spreading infections of the head and neck. In immune compromised people including the very young or very old, the spead of infection can become life threatening and require hospitalisation. This is why it is imperative to seek professional advice and treatment as soon as any symptoms occur.
