Sometimes it can be difficult to detect exactly where pain in your mouth is coming from. And with the combination of symptoms you’re experiencing, it may be even harder to decipher which oral complication could be happening. Typically, when an infection is taking place, it has either started in the pulp of the tooth or in the gum tissue. The infection spreads from one location to the other, or vice versa, making it complicated to pinpoint from where the infection originated.
Symptoms
If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, they should never be ignored:
- Dull or intermittent discomfort
- Tooth sensitivity due to temperature
- Tooth sensitivity due to pressure
- An ache from a group of teeth or single tooth
- An ache from your sinuses
These symptoms can suggest a variety of dental issues, including root canal and gum problems. Disregard the pain and it sometimes will go away on its own. However, this usually signifies that the pulp in your tooth has died. With the nerve no longer functioning properly, there will be the absence of pain. If your condition has gotten this far, it can become far more serious.
How Infection Occurs
Once the pulp inside your tooth has become severely infected, these stages of infection occur:
- The disease moves through the end of the root and outside the tooth.
- Infection then spreads to the periodontal ligament, which is vital for anchoring the tooth to the surrounding bone and gum tissue.
- Gum tissue is infected and can cause periodontal disease or a gum abscess.
In reverse, the infection begins in the gums and goes through these stages:
- The gums have developed periodontal disease due to plaque buildup.
- Infection travels through passageways in between tooth roots.
- Infection then spreads to the pulp inside your tooth.
Prognosis of Saving Your Natural Teeth
Your dentist will want to do everything they can to save your natural tooth or teeth. But sometimes, this can be challenging due to the progression of infection. An infection that begins in the tooth root has a better chance to be treated than an infection that began in the gums. If the gums are infected severely enough with periodontal disease, it is likely that most of the bone has been eroded away. In this case, saving the tooth may not be possible.
It’s important to note that root canal and gum problems do not get better as time passes. Immediate care is essential for stopping the infection in its early stages.
