Root Cancer

root inflammation, pulpitis, apical periodontitis

Introduction

In the case of an inflammation of the tooth root, the tip of the root is often inflamed. For this reason it is also called “apical periodontitis. An inflammation of the root can be caused by caries bacteria, a fall or by grinding the tooth for e.g. a crown. If the tooth is too strongly affected by one of these influences, the body reacts with an inflammation of the root of the tooth, more precisely the inner life of the tooth, i.e. the tissue that supplies the tooth with nutrients and gives it feeling. A root canal treatment can help to preserve the damaged tooth.

Symptoms- An overview

The root inflammation caused by periodontitis (inflammation of the periodontium) can be manifested by Depending on the extent of the destruction of the periodontium, a loosening occurs.

  • Pain especially with touch, sensitivity to knocking
  • Pain that radiates into the face and jaw
  • Pain when chewing, brushing teeth
  • Pressure pain
  • Gum pockets
  • Reddened gums
  • Possibly escaping pus
  • A “big cheek”
  • Fever
  • Toothpicks

Inflammation of the tooth root can lead to severe discomfort and unpleasant pain. Sport and physical exercise can intensify this unpleasant feeling.

In the majority of cases, pressure builds up as the abscess tries to spread and displaces the tissue. Due to the increased blood circulation during sports, this pressure can expand and become stronger. Furthermore, stress situations can also have a negative effect on pain, as the stress hormone cortisol leads to a stronger perception of pain.

The pain can change from a feeling of pressure to a pulsating, throbbing pain. As soon as this condition is reached, a doctor should be consulted as soon as possible to prevent systemic diseases from developing. The pain can radiate into other areas due to the central location and can also lead to severe headaches or pain in the paranasal sinuses.

Furthermore, patients also report pain due to restricted movement in head or neck movements. In these cases, even the mere turning of the head can lead to pain. If the inflammation of the tooth root has already caused a purulent abscess with swelling, physical exertion is not recommended.

An abscess describes an encapsulated cavity filled with pus. The body is already severely weakened by the infection and further physical exertion with additional weakening of the body can create a free gate for the bacteria to enter the bloodstream. The bacteria can not only lead to long-term cardiovascular diseases.

Acutely the pus cells can pass through the bloodstream and lead to sepsis, a blood poisoning. This disease is acutely life-threatening and only 50% of all sepsis diseases survive this acute condition. The bacteria reach all organs through the bloodstream and start to infect them systematically and simultaneously.

Therefore, in case of a purulent abscess, the dentist or the emergency room should be consulted and then physical rest should be ordered so that the body can regenerate. As soon as the caries-causing bacteria have reached the tooth pulp and the nerve fibers stored in it, a strong inflammatory process is triggered. The inflammation damages the nerve fibers and thus causes severe pain.

In some cases, however, the above-mentioned bacteria have a second entry portal: despite this second entry portal, an untreated carious tooth defect is still the main cause of a dental root inflammation. Since the main reason for the development of caries and/or periodontosis is considered to be the lack of or inadequate oral hygiene, an inflammation of the tooth root is to a certain extent also triggered by a lack of dental care.

  • They can also penetrate from deep gum pockets to the root of the tooth.

    These deep gum pockets are caused by a disease of the periodontium known as periodontosis. The gums (gingiva) are irritated by plaque deposits (biofilm consisting of food residues and waste products of the bacterial metabolism), which progress from the neck of the tooth along the tooth root. As a result, the first thing that happens is an inflammation of the gums (gingivitis), which leads to the commonly known bleeding of the gums.As the disease progresses, centres of inflammation develop around the root of the tooth, which spread towards the tip of the root and eventually spread to the jawbone.

A dead tooth must be treated in any case, because otherwise there is a risk that the inflammatory processes, after they have attacked the root and tip of the root (root inflammation), will attack the periapical membrane and then spread to the jawbone.

Further expansion can then lead to the development of an abscess and/or fistula. A dead tooth can remain in the jaw for a long time. This is because a tooth without vital (functioning) nerve fibers no longer causes pain.

Furthermore, the enamel and the dentin can survive for a long time without the supply of nutrients from the blood. A dead tooth can be recognized by a conspicuous dark discoloration, and parts of the hard tooth substance can also break off.

  • The loss of teeth or
  • The spread of inflammation to other tissues; particularly dangerous is the transfer of inflammatory processes to the eye socket, eye and neck region