What are the symptoms of pulpitis?

Written by Tian Hua
Otolaryngology
Updated on December 29, 2024
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Pulpitis is divided into acute pulpitis and chronic pulpitis. The symptoms of chronic pulpitis are not as apparent. When acute pulpitis occurs, it manifests as nocturnal pain, pain stimulated by hot and cold, spontaneous pain, and the pain is difficult to localize. Patients experience severe pain when rinsing with cold or hot water, or when brushing their teeth. The pain intensifies during the quiet of the night. Another symptom is referred pain; when one tooth hurts, it can cause pain in half the face and half the head. If these symptoms appear, it is generally diagnosed as pulpitis, and it is crucial to go to the hospital for diagnosis and treatment as soon as possible.

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Written by Fang Xiao
Dentistry
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Pulpitis is sensitive to cold or heat?

Pulpitis is sensitive to both cold and heat, and this sensitivity is a symptom of the condition. The dental pulp is protected by enamel and dentin, and generally does not exhibit sensitivity. However, if there are deep cavities, split wedge-shaped defects, severe wear, or fractures that compromise the outer protection, it can lead to inflammation of the dental nerve and sensitivity to temperature changes. In such cases, nerve removal treatment, also known as root canal treatment, is required. Root canal treatment involves the removal of the pulp and necrotic material from the root canal, disinfecting it, and tightly filling the root canal to eliminate any infection that could adversely affect the surrounding periapical tissue and prevent re-infection. Root canal treatment requires three to four follow-up visits and can be costly. Therefore, it is important to detect and treat cavities early.

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Written by Li Bao Hua
Dentistry
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Is pulpitis suitable for bloodletting?

Bleeding for pulpitis is useless, and dental treatment is necessary. In the early stages of pulpitis, the pulp can be soothed, which is often seen in reversible pulpitis, and early soothing can relieve pain. Sometimes the pulp can revert to a normal state. If it's the late stage, the tissue pressure inside the pulp is relatively high; in this case, pulp opening can be performed to relieve pressure, and dental treatment is necessary, as bleeding is useless. If the tooth undergoes fundamental treatment promptly in the early stages of pulpitis, the inflammation of the pulp can be controlled in time. Otherwise, further development may lead to inflammation of the root tip. Apical inflammation can sometimes result in abscesses or even facial swelling.

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Written by Li Bao Hua
Dentistry
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How to deal with the pain from molar pulpitis?

Pulpitis in molars can be painful and requires dental treatment. During the treatment of pulpitis, the first step is to use a drill to remove the infected dentin and bone. If the dental nerve is exposed and the inflammation of the pulp is severe, a nerve-killing treatment can be conducted. In cases of acute inflammation, it is necessary to first open up the tooth. Once the inflammation subsides, nerve-killing treatment can proceed. Otherwise, the pressure is too great and the pain may intensify. If the pain is unbearable during the drilling process in the treatment of pulpitis, local anesthesia can be administered to the tooth. Once the anesthesia takes effect, the pain will be significantly less during the drilling stage.

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Written by Fang Xiao
Dentistry
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Can pulpitis heal by itself?

Pulpitis is more difficult to heal on its own. It is a disease caused by bacterial infection of the pulp tissue and is irreversible. The pulp is located inside the pulp chamber, and once inflammation occurs, it is difficult to heal on its own, and even if it heals, it is only temporary. Pulpitis requires timely treatment. If not treated promptly, the progression of the disease may lead to complications such as periapical periodontitis and periodontal abscess, which not only increase the difficulty of treatment but also cause pain to the patient, affecting their normal life. To treat pulpitis, it is necessary to remove the pulp and eliminate the infection inside the root canal with root canal treatment. Only by doing so can the tooth be preserved. Therefore, it is important to maintain oral hygiene, brush teeth in the morning and evening, rinse after meals, and use the internationally recognized Bass method for brushing.

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Written by Li Bao Hua
Dentistry
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Can pulpitis cause headaches?

Pulpitis can cause headaches. Pulpitis is caused by the progression of dental caries, and it is the natural outcome of dental caries. Bacterial infections cause the dental nerve to become purulent and necrotic, or cause an acute inflammatory response in the dental nerve, which is pulpitis. The clinical symptoms of pulpitis include pain stimulated by hot and cold, which becomes more noticeable when consuming hot or cold food, or the pain may be non-localizable, which is also a typical symptom of pulpitis. It often happens that if one tooth suffers from pulpitis, the pain may occur in teeth on the same side of both the upper and lower jaws, and it is unclear which specific tooth is causing the pain, due to the non-localizing nature of pulpitis. Additionally, sometimes the pain may radiate towards the ear causing headaches, which is why pulpitis can lead to headaches.