Pulpitis

Video: Pulpitis - Causes And Symptoms Of Pulpitis

Causes and symptoms of pulpitis

What is pulpitis?

Among the complications of caries, pulpitis takes one of the leading places in terms of incidence. Pulpitis occurs with inflammation of the pulp - the neurovascular bundle of the tooth. The causes of pathology can be not only caries, but also improper actions of the dentist or infection of the pulp through the apical opening.

Pulpitis can be acute or chronic. The acute form of the disease occurs when an infection enters the pulp: serous focal inflammation becomes purulent over time, pus accumulates in the pulp chamber and exudate develops. The chronic form is predominantly a consequence of acute pulpitis.

Chronic pulpitis has several varieties: fibrous, hypertrophic and gangrenous forms. With fibrous pulpitis, fibrous connective tissue grows, with hypertrophic pulpitis, it goes into an open carious cavity, and with gangrenous pulpitis, the tissue in the pulp disintegrates.

Pulpitis reasons

The causes of pulpitis are most often microbes, the waste products of which have a detrimental effect on the pulp. The infection enters the pulp through the dentinal tubules, but pulpitis can develop after a tooth injury, especially a fracture. Also, the disease can occur due to improper work of the dentist and poor-quality machining. The intact pulp becomes infected and becomes inflamed.

Other reasons that contribute to the development of the disease include the action of certain chemicals (phosphoric acid, filling material, antiseptics) and surgical procedures such as injections into the gums, gingivotomy, gingivectomy.

Pulpitis symptoms

The symptoms of pulpitis depend on its shape. The common clinical manifestations are considered to be severe toothache, which lasts continuously and comes most often at night. The disease begins with unpleasant, aching sensations, but with the development of the disease, the pain becomes pulsating and severe.

Acute pulpitis makes a diseased tooth very sensitive to touch and knocking, cold and hot food. The course of chronic pulpitis is predominantly asymptomatic, and pain comes only during exacerbations. A symptom of hypertrophic pulpitis is the appearance of a fibrous polyp in the carious cavity. The exposed pulp is more susceptible to infection and constantly suffers from mechanical irritation. Chronic gangrenous pulpitis is characterized by severe pain, especially when hot food and drink are touched. At the same time, the cold can significantly reduce pain.

Incorrect or untimely treatment of pulpitis can lead to serious consequences - periodontitis (inflammation of the periodontium, passing with damage to the integrity of the ligaments holding the tooth, bone tissue and the formation of large cysts).

Pulpitis treatment

There are a number of treatments for pulpitis. The conservative method is similar to caries treatment and is suitable for young people. With him, the doctor preserves the vitality of the pulp. The affected cavity is treated with medication, antiseptics, antibiotics and proteolytic enzymes are used. The disease is also treated surgically by removing the inflamed pulp and filling the root canal. Removal of the pulp is performed either with local or general anesthesia, or after the death of the nerve.

Pulpitis can be avoided by taking preventive measures. First of all, a person must properly care for the oral cavity and treat caries in a timely manner, without delaying a trip to the dentist. It must be remembered that pulpitis is fraught with the development of serious complications (periodontitis, pulp necrosis), the treatment of which will be more painful and expensive.