Oral surgeons say nearly all non-vital teeth require professional treatment. You might not experience any pain when a tooth dies. If that's the case, you may be tempted to just leave it in place. Going that route is risky, however, as keeping non-vital teeth can lead to further oral health problems.
It is not a wise decision to allow this to happen, however, as it can harm your other teeth and jaw and can actually be pretty dangerous. Depending on the type and extent of the damage, it may be days, weeks, months, and sometimes even years before the tooth falls out.
A dying tooth may appear yellow, light brown, gray, or even black. It may look almost as if the tooth is bruised. The discoloration will increase over time as the tooth continues to decay and the nerve dies. If you experience any symptoms of a dying tooth, it's important to see your dentist right away.
A dead tooth occurs when those tissues are damaged and the blood supply to the tooth is lost. It may be painful or may cause no symptoms at all. A dead or dying tooth should be treated quickly because it can become infected and have negative effects on the jaw, gums and other teeth.
The empty space inside dead teeth is an ideal breeding ground for bacteria, the perfect setting for an infection. You could also end up with a painful abscess. With treatment, you can avoid both these issues.
The decaying nerves in the tooth socket are the perfect breeding ground for bacteria. This can lead to a severe infection, which is not only painful but can increase your risk of a chronic health condition, such as cardiovascular disease. For this reason, a dead tooth should never be left alone.
Most of the time, the dead tissue gets infected with oral bacteria through saliva or plaque. Depending on your immune system and how aggressive these microbes are, the infection can be slow or fast developing. Yes, you may not feel a toothache anymore, but this will be only for a while.
The tooth hurts a lot for 3-4 days, then this pain slowly subsides. This is the phase when the nerve of the tooth dies. You no longer notice the tooth after 3-4 days of the pain sensation because the nerve has now died.
A dead tooth can stay in your mouth for up to several days or months; however, keeping a dead tooth may lead to problems with your jaw and also result in the spreading of decay and bacteria to other teeth.
What is a “Dead Tooth?” When a single tooth changes to become grey in color, you may have a condition known as a necrotic pulp. The pulp is the collection of nerves and blood vessels residing within the hollow chamber of each tooth. It is this pulp tissue that “dies” and most often causes color changes.
Sometimes a tooth may still be too weak or unpleasant looking, so a crown (cap) is needed to make the tooth both functional and more pleasant-looking. The minimum therapy to remedy a dead or dying tooth is a root canal only.
A dead tooth might be painful, discolored, or emit a foul smell. If left untreated, it could impact your health and lead to infection in other parts of your body.
If, however, the tooth has been hit so hard as to damage the blood supply then the tooth may begin to go black if the nerve dies. If you have hit your tooth and there is bleeding around the gum margin, we recommend you visit an emergency dentist to have an assessment.
Untreated pulp necrosis can lead to more severe problems, including: Sinus infections. A dental abscess, which is a buildup of pus around the tooth and gum. Gum disease.
Tooth Sensitivity or Pain – As the nerves that lead to a dying tooth begin to die away, they may become extra sensitive, causing you a tooth ache or sensitivity to hot or cold foods. You may experience pain while chewing at or around the site of the dead tooth.
Extracting or removing a tooth that has died is a relatively simple relatively painless form of treatment.
Tooth decay may not cause any pain. However, if you have dental caries you might have: toothache – either continuous pain keeping you awake or occasional sharp pain without an obvious cause. tooth sensitivity – you may feel tenderness or pain when eating or drinking something hot, cold or sweet.
Do you think you or someone you know may have a dead tooth? The first thing you and others close to you will notice is the smell. Similar to fruits and vegetables you bought and never ate, your tooth gets rotten and starts to release a foul smell.
Bad Smell is Common From Dead Teeth
When a tooth may die, they begin to smell like rotten meat. It is not surprising this is what brings most people to the dentist. The smell can often become quite strong.
Unfortunately, if the decay has progressed too far, it may not be possible to save your natural tooth. If so, your dentist will have to remove your dead tooth and will recommend a replacement option.
You might, however, feel a sense of pressure in the mouth as the tooth is manipulated in the socket before its removal. Overall, this step of the tooth pulling process typically takes anywhere from ten to thirty minutes, depending on the tooth's individual characteristics.
This bunch of nerves and vessels is known as pulp and if it dies, your tooth will turn gray or even purplish. The change in color can be likened to that of how a bruise will change color over time, however, most bruises eventually heal on their own. A dead tooth will not.