Toothache and Erosion Toothache

Pain in or around a tooth or teeth.

There are many causes for toothaches, but dicey all have one thing in common; they are the result of inflammation or injury to dental pulp. The most common cause of a toothache is simple tooth decay (caries) that irritates and can possibly affect the pulp of the teeth. As infection sets in, the pain increases.

The infection can progress to become an abscess. An abscess occurs when a pus-filled sac forms around the root. This can be painful and dangerous; the abscess infection can spread into the bloodstream. Interestingly, a burst abscess is often mistakenly thought to be a good sign, since it relieves the pain because there is no longer pressure.
Toothache always warrants the attention of a dentist. Sometimes the pain will go away for a while; this may be sign of a dead nerve, which needs to be addressed promptly if the tooth can be saved.

Erosion and Abrasion of Teeth

People who complain that their teeth are "wearing away" or becoming more sensitive to the cold aren't imagining things. But they may not realize that these symptoms are due to erosion and abrasion of the tooth surface that's almost entirely, if unintentionally, Self-inflicted.

Dental erosion is a chemical process that gradually eats away at your teeth's tough outer enamel coating. Abrasion also removes tooth enamel, but by physical instead of chemical means.
Neither should be confused with cavities, or caries, which result from a bacterial process that can bore through not only the enamel but also the inner dentin layer of the tooth. Eroded or abraded teeth can change shape and colour as the yellowish dentin begins to show through the thinned enamel. More significantly, teeth can become ultra-sensitive to cold.

Erosion

The major culprit in erosion is acidity: the crystalline calcium salts that make up most of toodi enamel start dissolving below a pH level of 5.5. In most people the main offenders are the mild acids contained in many beverages and citrus fruits.

Surprisingly, according to a study on extracted teeth in the General Dentistry, the worst enamel erosion is produced by non cola drinks, such as ginger ale, Mountain Dew, Sprite, and bottled iced tea.

In this study brewed black tea, brewed black coffee, and root beer produced minimal erosion; colas were more erosive than these beverages but less so than the non cola drinks. There was no difference between the sugar-free and regular versions of these products.

Other sources of oral acidity include gastro esophageal acid reflux (GERD) and acidic medications, such as chewable vitamin C and aspirin tablets.

Saliva is an important defense against tooth enamel erosion. It dilutes and helps neutralize acids and contains minerals to replace those lost to erosion. Therefore, people who experience low saliva levels, or dry mouth, whether from disease, radiation treatment, or medication, have a higher risk of developing the problem.


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