You should always have some feeling in your teeth. The tooth consists of living nerves and blood vessels. None of your teeth should feel numb. If one or more of them do, then you may have an emergency dental situation. You could be at risk for a more severe problem if you don't see an emergency dentist immediately. Here are some reasons why your tooth feels numb and what an emergency dentist will do to help.
You Injured Your Tooth or Jaw
If a foreign object hits your teeth or jaw, you may feel numbness. In minor cases, the numbness could go away after a few minutes. You could also have trauma by biting down too hard on a hard object. Injury around the mouth can affect your tooth's blood vessels and contribute to numbness.
You Have Major Tooth Decay
If you let a cavity go too long, you could end up with severe tooth decay. This decay can extend deep into the tooth and affect the nerves. In the early stages, you may feel pain or increased sensitivity. Eventually, the pain may stop, and your tooth will be numb. Though you may feel relieved, this is not a good thing. You may lose your tooth without intervention.
You Have a Severe Infection
You could have a severe infection of the tooth or jaw and not realize it. You can get an infection from a decayed tooth or gum problems. In some serious cases, you may also have an abscess. Anything that disrupts blood flow and damages the nerves both inside or outside the tooth can contribute to tooth numbness. Removing infected tissue and treating the area may restore feeling and reduce the chance of tooth loss.
You Have a Medical Condition
Some medical conditions can affect the blood vessels and nerves in your mouth. Vitamin deficiencies, allergies, and oral cancer can contribute to numbness around the teeth. In these cases, your teeth may be fine. Relief may come by controlling the health condition. However, if you aren't sure, see a dentist if you are due for an exam.
Numb teeth shouldn't be ignored, especially if the numbness comes on suddenly. In many cases, a numb tooth is a sign your tooth may fall out. It can also be a sign of a medical problem or deficiency. Either way, see an emergency dentist as soon as possible. The earlier you have your teeth and jaw checked, the more likely you are to stop any serious problems.
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