What is a dead tooth?
A tooth has three layers – enamel, dentin, and pulp. The pulp contains the blood vessels and nerves.
Dead or dying nerves in the pulp can lead to a dead tooth. A dead tooth will also no longer have any blood flow to it.
Symptoms
It is not always easy to identify a dead tooth just by looking at it. Only a dental professional will be able to diagnose it, which is why regular trips to the dentist are important.
There are, however, two main symptoms of a dead tooth that can help with self-diagnosis:
pain
change in color
Pain
A tooth that is dead or dying can lead to a varying level of pain, from almost non-existent to extremely painful. The dying nerve or an infection usually causes an increase in pain.
Some people wonder why they experience pain if the nerve is dead. However, the pain is not coming from inside the tooth but from extremely sensitive nerve endings around the outside of the tooth, called the periodontal membrane.
Bacteria and dead nerve remnants, or pus, builds up in the pulp cavity inside the tooth and puts pressure on the periodontal membrane, which can cause immense pain.
If there is an infection, it may turn into an abscess and produce other symptoms, including:
bad taste
bad smell
swelling
a pimple on the gums
Change in color
If the tooth is dead, it will often get darker in color, and a person may notice a yellow, gray, or black discoloration.
A change in color usually occurs because the red blood cells are dying. This is a very similar effect to bruising.
The discoloration will usually happen if a dead tooth goes untreated and will increase over time.
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