A Guide to Tooth Pulp
Most of us don't think of our teeth as being alive, but they are. Each tooth contains what's called the pulp, composed of nourishing blood vessels and nerves.
If that pulp is damaged or exposed, the nerves can die, and the tooth can become infected, or abscessed. What can cause this? A deep cavity, a cracked tooth, or a hard blow to the tooth (from biting down on a popcorn kernel, for example). Your body cannot repair damaged or exposed pulp, so if you're experiencing pain in your mouth, see a dentist.
Toothache Myths
Don't fall for these myths -- you could end up causing more damage by believing in them:
- Put an aspirin on the tooth. If you want to use aspirin to help relieve the pain of a toothache, swallow it with a glass of water. Do not place it on the tooth or surrounding gum. An aspirin tablet does not work as a topical remedy; it has to be ingested. What's worse, applying an aspirin topically can cause a severe burn on your gum or cheek that can take four to five days to heal.
- A toothache means you'll lose the tooth. Not so anymore. Root-canal therapy can save an abscessed tooth or one with damaged pulp. Root-canal therapy involves making a small opening in the tooth, removing the pulp in the root canal (that's where the name of the procedure comes from), filling the canal with a material called gutta percha, and then, usually, crowning the tooth. Sometimes, tiny metal posts are placed in the canal to help strengthen the tooth.
- If the pain disappears, the problem's gone. Pain is a warning that something has gone wrong in your body, so don't ignore it. And the problem may be more serious than a dental woe; pain in the lower jaw, for instance, can be a symptom of heart trouble.
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