When you wake up with a persistent ache in one of your teeth that will not go away within a day, seek treatment right away. Chronic toothaches are a common symptom of a dangerous infection that risks spreading to other parts of your body when left to fester. This condition results from an injury to your tooth’s enamel that exposes the sensitive inner chamber to the thousands of oral bacteria strains that live within your mouth. As bacteria take hold inside, the body’s inflammatory response swells your tissues which bump against sensitive dental nerves. This creates a pain that signals your tooth is in danger. Fortunately, we can take an X-ray of your mouth and determine if root canal therapy is necessary to remove all foreign material inside your tooth’s chamber.
At Sunny Smiles Family Dentistry, we know that tooth injuries can happen at any time. That’s why we offer emergency appointments on short notice to get you the help you need. When you report your pain to your staff, we will give you detailed instructions on caring for your injury before arriving at our office. After treating your initial pain, we can explore any additional treatments to restore your smile’s function and appearance.
How Infections Take Hold Of Your Teeth
If your tooth is healthy, its outer protective layer takes the pressure off your bite as you enjoy food each day. By regularly brushing and flossing, you clear meal debris that can combine with bacteria to create a plaque on your smile’s surface. However, neglecting your oral care allows this plaque to build over time. As bacteria feed, they create an acidic byproduct that wears away at the enamel that preserves your tooth. Eventually, these cavities can expose the inner portion of your tooth to bacterial infection.
If you chip or crack one of your teeth, we encourage you to report the injury right away. While a minor scratch on the smile’s surface may seem solely cosmetic, any injury that removes enamel can increase your odds of decay and infection.
Performing A Root Canal
If we detect bacteria in your tooth’s inner chamber, we will suggest a root canal to resolve your pain. Applying a local anesthetic prevents any additional pain while we work on the problem tooth. Using special tools, we access the inner chamber to fully clean out decaying material and bacterial deposits. Because this procedure alters the surface of your tooth, we will place a dental crown to restore your smile and prevent reinfection.
SPEAK WITH YOUR DENTIST AT SUNNY SMILES ABOUT RELIEVING YOUR TOOTHACHE
To learn more about how we can treat pain from a dental infection, contact your Sunny Smiles location on N Zaragoza Rd in El Paso, TX at (915) 849-9000.