Each tooth is made up three distinct layers: an inner pulp layer that is made up of nerves, blood vessels and cells; a layer of calcified tissue called dentin; and an outer layer of enamel, an extremely hard tissue that protects the tooth. Tooth...
Most of us at one time or another suffered the discomfort of a toothache. Who can forget the throbbing pain when eating or when a hot or cold liquid makes contact with your tooth's nerve? The worse type of dental pain results from infection or...
The exterior of a tooth is a hard surface called the enamel. Another layer called dentin is beneath the enamel. The dentin surrounds a core area of soft connective tissue, blood vessels and nerves. This core is called the pulp. It extends from the...
An abscess is a limited area of pus formed as the result of a bacterial infection of the tooth or the gum. As the body's immune system reacts to the infection, white blood cells are sent to the area, and the resulting mixture of live and dead...
In the early stages of tooth decay, bacteria dissolve the enamel, or hard surface of the tooth, creating small holes, or cavities. Cavities that are left untreated can cause an infection where pus forms at the site of the damaged tooth, according...
Abscessed tooth pain may begin as a slight sensitivity to hot, cold and biting or as a constantly throbbing toothache. Mild to severe swelling may accompany and contribute to the pain. Immediate attention to the problem may mean the difference...
Mercury is one of the most toxic substances on the earth, surpassed only by plutonium, according to Dr. Paul Gilbert of the Academy of General Dentistry. Mercury amalgam dental fillings have been used in the United States since 1833 and 50 percent...
When your teeth already hurt, an upset stomach only contributes to your anguish. However, both symptoms can indicate the presence of a medical condition that a physician should treat. Knowing how your symptoms interrelate can help you to get the...
A large muscle called the sternocleidomastoid, or SCM, runs from the base of the neck to the lower jaw and behind the ear. It is a prime source of many muscle tension headaches, which usually begin in the neck. Prolonged tension in the SCM...
A tooth abscess is the result of a bacterial infection. When trauma or decay damages a tooth, it leaves an opening in which bacteria can enter. If the tooth becomes infected, a pus-filled sac develops that is actually a collection of the bacteria,...
Some throbbing toothaches occur suddenly and without warning. Others begin as a slight sensitivity and become increasingly painful over days or weeks. According to the American Dental Association, people experiencing toothaches turn to dentists,...
There are normally three molar teeth in each quadrant of the human dentition. These are the largest teeth and may have three or more roots. Removing the third molars or wisdom teeth is common when sufficient room for complete eruption is lacking....
A toothache can be a minor inconvenience, or it can be fatal, according to ABC News. A painful tooth can arise from minor inflammation or signal an infection accompanied by serious medical complications. Toothaches require immediate attention to...
Teeth are living parts of our bodies. They have their own sets of nerves and their own blood supply. The outside of the tooth is called the enamel. Under the enamel is a substance called dentin. Pores in the dentin "communicate" with the nerves in...
Tooth pain comes in the form of mild sensitivity or a throbbing toothache. The pain may occur quickly without warning or start with slight sensitivity that gradually worsens. Walking and other forms of bodily movement have the potential to worsen...
An infected tooth can cause pain and swelling of varying degrees. Management of most cases is relatively simple, while others are severe enough to require hospitalization and the administration of intravenous drugs. Fortunately, the majority of...
A tooth abscess is a pus-filled area where bacteria has entered the tooth pulp though a crack or cavity in the enamel and caused an infection. It is a sign that your tooth and jawbone are being destroyed, and it requires prompt treatment. It also...
Teeth are calcified tissues made up of three distinct layers. The outer layer is made up of enamel, a very hard substance designed to protect the teeth. The middle layer contains dentin, another mineralized tissue that contributes to tooth...
Even those with unimpeachable dental habits can wake up one day with a painful, throbbing tooth. Sometimes the cause of the pain is obvious, such as a cracked tooth or a cavity. In other cases, the source of the pain might be more elusive....
The teeth are hard calcified structures that play a role in eating, speech and communication. Each tooth is made up of three layers: an innermost layer of pulp, which contains blood vessels, nerves and pulp cells; dentin, a calcified layer that...
Most dental abscesses remain localized and pose no serious threat to general health. Still, each year work and school time is lost because of dental abscesses and facial cellulitis, according to the “California Dental Association...
Many people delay trips to the dentist because they dread the discomfort of dental treatments. However, tooth and jaw pain associated with untreated oral health problems can be far more severe than the discomfort of preventive procedures. The...
A tooth abscess is caused by an infection either in the gums between the teeth or the tooth itself. It may develop from a decayed tooth. Gum disease that becomes severe can also lead to a tooth abscess. A broken tooth may also be a cause....
Some abscessed teeth occur without causing the slightest pain or swelling. X-rays detect these during a dental examination. However, other abscessed teeth cause severe pain that can interfere with work, school and routine daily activities. In...
Angina or a heart attack can cause pain in the jaw. Temperomandibular joint syndrome and sinusitis are two other possibilities that require consideration during the diagnosis of jaw pain. However, an abscessed tooth is among the most common causes...
A tooth abscess is a pocket of infected material resulting from an infection in the center of the tooth. Tooth decay is often the main culprit of a tooth abscess. Tooth decay causes openings in tooth enamel, allowing harmful bacteria, dead tissue...
A severe toothache can begin at any time of the day or night. There may be some warning signs leading up to a constant and throbbing pain; however, it can also wake you during the night with no prior warning at all. There are several reasons a...
Beneath the hard outer structures of a tooth lies a small quantity of soft tissue known as the dental pulp. This tissue contains blood vessels, nerve fibers and connective tissue that build the tooth during its development, according to the...
A diseased dental pulp within a tooth can cause a severe toothache and result in an abscessed tooth. Plaque accumulating outside the tooth can cause a gum abscess with pain and swelling. At one time, a diseased tooth required extraction, according...
