Introduction
The root of the tooth is the part of the tooth that secures the tooth in the tooth socket. It is not visible from the outside because it is located under the crown of the tooth. At the tip of the root there is a small opening, the Foramen apicale dentis.
This is the entrance port for nerves and blood vessels into the pulp cavity (tooth pulp). The pulp cavity contains blood vessels, nerve fibers and connective tissue. If the pulp is inflamed, it is colloquially called inflammation of the root of the tooth or pulpitis. It usually occurs at the tip of the root and can cause severe pain,
Symptoms
If there is an inflammation of the tooth root, the patient suffers from pain in the affected area. This is particularly noticeable when the tooth is subjected to pressure, e.g. when chewing. There is a so-called sensitivity to knocking.
Heat and cold can also lead to pain symptoms. The pain can extend to the eye and neck area. After a certain time, the tooth can also become loose. Other signs are gum pockets, strongly reddened gums and possibly pus. A thick cheek is also a symptom of such inflammation.
Causes
There are many different causes that can lead to an inflamed root. The most common cause is an untreated caries. At first, the caries is only present in the enamel area, but over time it progresses and gets closer to the tooth pulp.
Once there, it attacks the surrounding nerve fibers and blood vessels. The tooth becomes inflamed, causes severe pain and begins to die. An abrupt stop of the toothache is usually not a positive sign, because the inflammation has not disappeared into thin air, but rather that the tooth has died.
However, bacteria do not only get near the root in the form of caries, but also through existing gum pockets where they accumulate. These are normally caused by an untreated gingivitis. The deeper the gum pockets are, the more dangerous it becomes for the tooth.
A somewhat less frequent cause is a previous traumatic tooth damage. This includes blows to the tooth, unfortunate fall or very strong grinding. Especially when grinding, the patient does not notice the existing damage until the pain symptoms begin. Crooked wisdom teeth can also promote root inflammation.
