What happens when dental pulp gets injured? - Dr. Sowmya Vijapure

Basically the teeth contains three layers, the outermost being the enamel, the innermost being the pulp and in between we have a layer called the dentin. Enamel is the layer which is completely inorganic and it doesn’t contain any nerves and blood supply. Dentin is the second layer of the tooth where the nerves end. Hence it is sensitive. The innermost layer which is responsible for all the sensations which comprises of the blood vessels and the nerves is the pulp. What happens when the teeth gets decayed? The bacteria adhere to the surface of the teeth that is the enamel surface and the destructions starts. If at all the cavity is not filled at this stage, it progresses to the second layer, that is the dentin. Since the dentin contains the nerve endings. It feels sensitive and once the cavity is still not filled, it reaches the third layer, which is the pulp. At this stage a root canal treatment is indicated. The injury to the pulp is due to hot or blow to the tooth the fracture lines extend inside towards the pulp and cause infection of the pulp. If the infected or the injured pulp is not removed, it leads to infection of the surrounding tissues which may cause complications. It can cause pus or abscess which we call and the bacteria within can cause swelling and serious problems to the patient and hence it is advised to get rid of the infected pulp or the tooth to be safe.