What is a Dead Tooth? Exploring the Causes and Consequences

Demanding emergency dental care, a dead tooth can be painful and uncomfortable for whoever is experiencing it. To learn more about these dental emergencies, find out everything you need to know in this article from Acorn Dental Health.

What is a Dead Tooth?

To continue to function and work properly, a tooth requires a fresh supply of blood to travel within. Unfortunately, if the inner layer of the tooth decays or becomes injured, it has a strong chance of stopping the supply of blood to the tooth. Once this happens and an infection sets in, the nerves inside can die, resulting in a ‘dead tooth’.

Signs of a dead tooth can include:



●     Discolouration, turning a tooth yellow, brown, grey or black

●     Pain in the tooth or gums

●     Bad breath

●     Swelling

●     Bad taste inside of the mouth

Potential Causes

One thing that can prompt the death of a tooth to begin is injury. Injuries can happen easily, for example, getting hit in the mouth with an object. Afterwards, your tooth could take only a few days to die, up to several years.

Another common cause of tooth death is a lack of dental hygiene. The cavities that form as a result of not brushing your teeth can prompt your teeth to slowly decay. The cavity eats away at the enamel until it reaches the pulp of the tooth, which becomes infected and soon after dies. The best thing to do to prevent a tooth from dying is to have your cavities addressed by a dental professional as soon as you notice it.

Treating a Dead Tooth

As not everyone experiences pain or discomfort with a dead tooth, you might find that it’s discovered during a routine appointment. This makes it important to visit your dentist regularly. If you suspect that you have a dead tooth, on the other hand, it’s important to have it checked out by a dental professional as a matter of urgency. Left to its own devices, a dead tooth can spread to other teeth and cause them to die too.

To treat a dead tooth, your dentist will typically recommend either a root canal or an entire removal. If you have a root canal, there are some ways you can restore your tooth to its former appearance, where possible, so ask your dentist about this. Alternatively, if you have complete removal, you may find it preferable to undergo a missing tooth replacement.

Dental Service Services in Southampton

If you’re concerned about the health of your teeth, please don’t hesitate to come visit us at Acorn Dental Health in Southampton. We can arrange the full treatment of your teeth and missing tooth replacements, ensuring you remain happy with the overall condition of your mouth. Please visit our website to discover more about our dental treatments, including our emergency dental care. Alternatively, please get in touch with our team directly to book an appointment today.