Most of us have seen a dark tooth, whether it is in our own mouth or in someone else’s, but does the dark color always mean the tooth is dead? There are many reasons that a tooth may turn dark and the most common reason that we see in our patients is the result of some sort of trauma. When you hit your leg, you can get a bruise which is a pooling of blood from the damaged blood vessels under the skin. Your teeth can also bruise and react to trauma and impact damage.
Common Causes of Tooth Death
If this sort of trauma happens to a tooth there can be bruising as the blood cells inside the tooth seep out and into the pulpy inside material of the tooth. This can take days or weeks and in some cases longer to show up because of how dense the tooth is. This sort of discoloration does not fade away like a bruise elsewhere on the body will due to the spongy nature of the inner tooth material. Oftentimes, trauma that is severe enough to discolor a tooth will be enough to cause permanent damage, thus rendering the tooth ‘dead.’ Here at Comfort Care Family Dental P.C. we see many of the most common causes of tooth death and as the leaders in dental care in Naperville, IL we invite you to see the difference we can make in your dental care.
Dental Care When You Need it Most
There are other things that can also kill nerves in the teeth and lead to the death of the affected teeth; the most common being infection, bacteria, loss of neighboring teeth, and complications from medical procedures. The reason for recognizing and dealing with dead teeth as soon as possible is that dead teeth have no circulation and are basically empty shells. Bacteria love warm dark areas and can quickly multiply within the dead tooth and without blood flow, the immune system can do next to nothing to fight the infection. The bacteria will then spread out from the tooth and get into the surrounding bone and gum tissue where they can cause an abscess. The infection can also get into the blood stream where it can spread throughout the body and cause life-threatening complications. While there are many common causes of tooth death it is more important to address the problem and deal with it than it is to try and figure out what lead to the death in the first place.
Dental Care in Naperville, IL – Treat Causes of Tooth Death
Fortunately, there are treatment options available for dead teeth and if the issue is addressed sooner rather than later, it is possible to treat the area so infection won’t occur. If you suspect you may have a dead tooth, our team of dental care experts can help confirm with a diagnosis and recommend a treatment plan for you as well. It is dangerous to ignore a dead tooth and putting it off not only risks the health of your teeth, it can jeopardize your overall health. Do not take that risk! To learn more about the common causes of tooth death, how to prevent it, and what to do if it occurs, we invite you to contact us today and schedule your consultation appointment. We here at Comfort Care Family Dental P.C., we are proud to be regarded as the leaders in dental care in Naperville, IL, and the surrounding area. Call us today to see the difference for yourself!
