Will Teeth Whitening Work on ADead Tooth? Explained
Have you ever heard the phrase “dead tooth”? It usually refers to a tooth that has undergone a root canal or something similar done to it, effectively allowing the tooth to die at the root. It’s still in your mouth, and you’re unlikely to have any further issues with it, but it’s distinct from the other teeth because it’s effectively dead.
While you will not experience any additional pain due to this tooth, it may begin to turn a brownish color over time. In fact, most people can easily identify a dead tooth because, even if their other teeth are gleaming white, there is that single tooth that is discolored. This causes many people to wonder if any teeth whitening methods can effectively whiten a dead tooth.
To make matters worse, traditional teeth whitening methods don’t work very well on these types of teeth. The more aggressive forms of treatment may cause the tooth to whiten slightly, but it won’t be long before it returns to its original brown color. To make matters worse, you may be using chemicals that are so harsh that they may cause damage to all of your other teeth.
What is A Dead Tooth?
A dead tooth can hurt and change color. A tooth comprises three layers: enamel, dentin, and pulp. Blood vessels and nerves are found in the pulp. A dead tooth can result from dead or dying nerves in the pulp. It will also have no blood flow to it. A deadly nerve in a tooth is also known as a necrotic pulp or a pulpless tooth.
When this occurs, your tooth will eventually fall out. However, waiting for this to happen can be dangerous because the tooth can become infected and affect the jaw and other teeth.
Tooth decay and tooth trauma are the two most common causes of a dead tooth.
- Tooth Decay
Tooth decay can result in tooth death. Tooth decay begins on the tooth’s outermost layer but can cause cavities that penetrate deeper layers over time.
If these cavities are not treated, they will eventually reach the pulp, allowing bacteria to enter the tooth and causing the nerve to die.
To combat the infection, the healthy pulp will produce an inflammatory response to the bacteria, but white blood cells can only do so for so long.
The pressure inside the pulp will rise, cutting off the blood supply, starving the nerve, and eventually killing it. This can result in excruciating pain.
- Trauma to the teeth
If the tooth suffers physical trauma, such as from a sports injury or a fall, the blood vessels may burst, or the blood supply to the tooth may be cut off.
Because there is no blood flow to the tooth, the nerve and other living tissues within the pulp will eventually die.
What Do Dentists Use to Whiten Teeth?
If you want to whiten a dead tooth effectively, you should use a system that can be used repeatedly without potentially causing harm to the rest of your teeth. The last thing you would want to do is add to your problems, so you should avoid using harsh chemical-based whiteners several times per week.
Dentistry by Sea Bridge employs a blue LED light in conjunction with hydrogen peroxide, which is safe to use on your teeth regularly. In some cases, this type of treatmentis more effective at whitening a dead tooth. As a result, using this method may provide you with better results.
During the teeth whitening in Oxnard, your dentist may also use laser teeth whitening and zoom teeth whitening to whiten your teeth. So even if you can’t get the dead tooth to the desired shade of white, you can improve its appearance without jeopardizing your overall health.
Some people may choose to have a dead tooth capped, so they are no longer bothered by it. However, if that isn’t something you’ve decided to do yet, visiting your dentist near you for cosmetic treatment might be just what you’re looking for. At the very least, you can apply it three or four times per week without worrying about what you’re doing to your other teeth. That fact alone convinces most people to give it a shot, especially when dealing with difficult cases like whitening a dead tooth.