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What is Dental Pulp Disease?

Posted on 12/30/2018 by Office of Dr. James A. Krippaehne

Poor dental hygiene and oral health can lead to dental pulp diseases. When these diseases occur, they can require major interventions for treatment. Without properly managing your dental pulp disease, you could ultimately lose your teeth.

Dental Pulp Diseases

Dental pulp disease actually refers to multiple diseases. They have different causes and treatments:

•	Irreversible pulpitis. This is a severe form of inflammation, and it can't be cured. You may experience sudden and intense pain. If you fail to treat this condition, widespread infections of the gum and connective tissues may occur.
•	Reversible pulpitis. This mild inflammation usually results in pain upon drinking or eating cold, hot, or sweet items. If you fail to treat the problem, inflammation can lead to an abscess. Good oral health typically reverses the problem.
•	Dental pulp stones. Also known as calcification, this condition involves hardening of the pulp tissues. Extreme pain and hypersensitivity may result due to compressed dental nerves. A root canal might also be required.
•	Dental pulp exposure. When the external tooth covering is damaged due to a crack or cavity, the dental pulp may be exposed. Pain is the most prominent symptom.

If the damaged pulp isn't removed, infection can spread into the jaw bone and other surrounding tissues.

Causes of Dental Pulp Disease

The causes of dental pulp diseases can be grouped into three main categories: bacterial, thermal, and physical. Bacterial is one of the most common causes, but thermal issues like heat form cavity preparation can also lead to pulp diseases. Accident trauma, pathological wear, and cracks through the body of the teeth are some of the examples of physical causes.

Regardless of the cause of your dental pulp disease, if you experience severe pain in the teeth or sensitivity, it is important to seek out help. Give us a call today to set up your next appointment.

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Dental Blog | West End Dental | Portland, OR
West End Dental, 833 SW 11th Ave, Suite 300 Portland, OR 97205 / (503) 446-2957 / west-end-dental.com / 12/7/2024 / Page Terms:dentist Downtown Portland /