ACUTE DENTAL PAIN—A NIGHTMARE
Oral health means more than just an attractive smile.Poor oral health and untr eated oral diseases and conditions can have a significant impact on quality of life.
Dental pain is one of the most severe pain of all which disturbs the person by all the means.
There are various cause behind acute dental pain which may be:
1) DENTAL CARIES(TOTH DECAY/CAVITY):
Symptoms: Moderate to severe pain depending on extent.
Black spot or discoloration.
Pain increases during night time.
Signs: Presence of decay.
Food lodgement.
Pain on percussion.
Facial cellulitis & swelling possible.
Treatment: Removal of decay followed by restoration or ROOT CANAL
TREATMENT.Extraction of tooth,if tooth is totally decayed.
2) PERIODONTAL ABSCESS:
Symptoms: Severe pain.
Tooth feels loose or spongy.
Thermal sensitivity.
Signs: Pockets with loss of attachment.
Lateral tooth mobility.
Presence of purulence.
Gingival swelling & erythema.
Presence of calculus or deposits.
Treatment: Scaling & subgingival curettage. Drainage of pus.
Flap surgery & periodontal therapy.
3) GINGIVAL ABSCESS:
Symptoms: Slight to severe pain
No history of thermal sensitivity.
History of food impaction or traumatic injury.
Rapid onset in a previously disease free area.
Signs: Gingival swelling and erythema.
No pain on percussion.
No tooth mobility or extrusion.
Pain on palpation of gingival.
Bleeding on probing with pain.
Treatment: Localised supragingival and subgingival scaling & polishing.
4) IMPACTED THIRD MOLAR(WISDOM TOOTH):
Symptoms: Severe pain radiating to ear, neck & head.
Restricted mouth opening.
Signs: Third molar is embedded or impacted with pericoronal flap.
Submandibular lymph nodes enlargement.
Treatment: Pericoronal flap surgery. Surgical removal of wisdom tooth.
5) TOOTH FRACTURES:
Symptoms: Visible cracks or transillumnation.
Part of the tooth may be mobile.
Sharp pain on biting.
Signs: Fractured cusp or cracked tooth.
Dye will trace to crack.
Treatment: Root canal treatment for horizontal tooth fracture.
Extraction for vertical root fractures.
6) ACUTE SINUSITIS:
Symptoms: Pain usually dull
No thermal sensitivity.
History of recent cold or sinus problem.
Pain changes when head position changes.
Signs: Pain on percussion of maxillary teeth.
Facial cellulitis especially suborbital.
No purulence, Could be bilateral.
No gingival changes.
Multiple teeth could be involved.
Treatment: For sinusitis.
BY:
DR MEHUL LALSETA
B.D.S.
Shraddha hospital,Indira circle chowk,
RAJKOT-360005
09879189392
dr_lalseta@yahoo.co.in
