Pain at the root of the tooth

Introduction

Pain at the root of the tooth is widespread and usually results in an unpopular trip to the dentist. Those affected complain of a feeling of pressure, a pulsating pain and an unpleasant swelling. The perception of pain can vary individually.

The subjective perception often influences the severity of the pain. Therefore, the intensity of pain varies from endurable to unbearable, as the pain inhibition of the brain and the emotional processing varies from person to person. It is also not uncommon for the pain to radiate to other regions of the face or head. Often the gums (gingiva) also show pathological changes and cause discomfort. The gingiva is reddened and swollen above the root tip and is usually slightly heated thermally, which leads to a burning, unpleasant feeling and hypersensitivity.

Causes

The reasons for this suffering can be of various kinds. The most common cause is probably the commonly known root inflammation or apical periodontitis. Apical periodontitis is an inflammatory reaction that affects the surrounding tissue of the tooth root and is the result of a bacterial infection of the pulp of a dead tooth.

The inflammation can migrate from the infected pulp to the tip of the root and infiltrate the surrounding tissue, including the bone. In addition to the feeling of pressure and pulsating pain, the tooth can also become sensitive to biting. The gums around the root of the tooth are severely inflamed, swollen, red, hot and painful even just by touch.

Even the aggressive form of caries can penetrate the tooth pulp if not treated properly, infect the nerve and lead to inflammation of the tooth root with accompanying pain. Another cause of the complaints at the root of the tooth is a fracture (break) below the gingiva in the longitudinal axis of the tooth. This fracture is caused, for example, by a fall or mechanical irritation.

The bacteria now have a free path to spread in the fracture gap and infect the tooth pulp. This reaction is perceived by the affected patients as an inflammatory pain at the root of the tooth. Even a trauma (injury), for example from a blow in childhood, can lead to an inflammation of the tooth root and thus pain at the root tip even decades later.

Another cause is generalized periodontitis, which turns into local apical periodontitis and affects individual root tips. Periodontitis is an inflammation of the periodontal apparatus. The root apex becomes inflamed and the tooth can develop severe pain.

A swelling of the gums is also realistic as in the case of the classical inflammation of the tooth root. Another cause describes a generalized periodontitis, which turns into a local apical periodontitis and affects individual root tips. Periodontitis is an inflammation of the periodontal apparatus. The root apex becomes inflamed and the tooth can develop severe pain. A swelling of the gums is also realistic as in the case of the classical inflammation of the tooth root.