Tooth pain is a sign of a serious issue with your teeth. However, a toothache does not mean you need a root canal therapy. It is nearly impossible to go through many years of life without facing any oral health problem like tooth pain, tooth sensitivity or discomfort.
When a tooth pain and sensitivity is normal, and when it is a sign that you may need root canal therapy? Only the dentist in Penrith can determine whether you actually need a root canal or not. However, there are warning signs that indicate the need for a root canal treatment and let us explore those in this blog.
What causes root canals?
The following are the common causes of the root canals pain:
- Decay: tooth decay may have penetrated the outer layers of the teeth
- Damage: Cracks or chips in teeth can lead to tooth decay and root canal pain
- Disease: risk factors for infection in tooth pulp include trauma to the tooth, severe tooth decay, and recent dental procedures. If the cause of your teeth pain is due to severe tooth decay or infection in tooth pulp, Penrith dentist may recommend a root canal.
- Teeth pain when you are eating:
Tooth pain, while eating or putting pressure on the tooth areas, is one of the common symptoms of a tooth that needs a root canal. You can feel like the pain is throbbing and it may continue on and off throughout the day.
- Swollen gums near the area of tooth pain:
Swollen or tender gums can indicate the infection around the affected tooth. If your tooth pulp is severely infected, you may need root canal therapy to save the tooth. If you are noticing tenderness or swollen gums near a tooth that is experiencing pain, the dentist will check whether the infection is from a tooth.
- Darkening of the tooth:
While dark coloured teeth are not always an indication for infection in the root canal, a tooth that is significantly darker than others is a tell-tale symptom that will clue your dentist to take a closer look and examine to see if the tooth is infected inside or not. It can be caused by trauma to the tooth and it may take years to darken fully.
In most of the cases, the darkened tooth doesn’t pain, but still, you should visit a dental clinic in Penrith to examine and to prevent future pain or damage to the tooth, and surrounding bone.
- Pain or sensitivity:
Pain or sensitivity that remains after the hot or cold sources have been removed is also a warning sign that there is an infection in the root canal. If your dentist in Penrith diagnoses this, root canal therapy offers the opportunity to save the tooth.