How Serious Is Your Tooth Pain? Reversible Pulpitis vs. Irreversible Pulpitis

Almost everyone has experienced some level of tooth pain at one time or another. The discomfort can be caused by a variety of different factors, ranging from infections in the mouth to severe cavities and cracked teeth. Among the most common causes for dental pain, however, is something known as pulpitis – a condition that occurs when the dental pulp suffers inflammation due to irritation. If you’re suffering the effects of potential pulpitis, Dr. Karen Kang of Ebenezer Dental can help.

As a premiere dentist in Midtown Manhattan, she can provide you with the education and treatment you need for your dental pain. Even if you are one of those people who are reluctant to visit dentists except in the most dire of circumstances, this kind of pain is something that should be properly diagnosed as soon as possible. The reason why diagnosis and treatment is so necessary is simple: reversible pulpitis is easy to treat when it is addressed early. Untreated, however, it can quickly become irreversible and necessitate more drastic treatment options.

The difference between reversible pulpitis and irreversible pulpitis is no small matter when it comes to the health of your teeth. Inflammation in the dental pulp is unlike inflammation anywhere else in the body. For while normal inflammation in your arm, leg, or elsewhere simply causes that body part to swell and expand, that is simply not possible for the teeth. Dental pulp inflammation has nowhere to go except to push against the nerves in the pulp.

Reversible Pulpitis:

Your dentist will understand how even mild inflammation can worsen over time, and will work to quickly identify the source of the inflammation and correct it while the pulpitis is still reversible. These causes can range from cavities or tooth erosion, to fractured enamel, poor dental work, or even dental cleanings that errantly scraped the roots of the teeth.

Once your dental professional identifies the source, she can help you to eliminate the inflammation and the pain. Often times, the solution can be something as simple as learning to brush and floss properly, or using the right mouthwash. With the source of the inflammation removed, the pulp will heal and the problem will disappear.

Irreversible Pulpitis:

Irreversible pulpitis can be caused by the same factors that cause reversible pulpitis, as well as more severe pulp damage, a disruption in blood flow to that part of the mouth, and bacterial infestation that literally kills the cells that make up the pulp. When those things happen and are not treated quickly enough, it leads to an irreversible condition that can only be resolved with a root canal procedure or extraction of the tooth.

There are two important things to take away from all of this. First, reversible pulpitis should be treated by a dentist in midtown Manhattan as soon as it is discovered to minimize the chances of it progressing to irreversible pulpitis. Second, when you experience dental pain that persists for more than a few hours, you should contact Dr. Karen Kang at Ebenezer Dental so that she can examine your teeth.