What Is Tooth Resorption And How Can You Protect Yourself From It?
Tooth resorption is a dangerous condition that can strike silently and devastate your teeth before you know anything's happening. Read this simple guide to find out more about this condition, along with some pointers on what you can do to protect yourself from it.
What it Is
Tooth resorption is a disorder where the body reactivates the mechanism that allowed your baby teeth to fall out. If you've ever looked at baby teeth that have fallen out, chances are you would have noticed that they tend to be hollow on the inside. But in reality, teeth aren't hollow on the inside. They have an interior pulp made up of blood vessels, tissue, and nerves.
When it's time for a baby tooth to fall out, the body starts absorbing the interior of the tooth into the body. When enough of the pulp and roots of the tooth are absorbed, the tooth falls out of the child's mouth.
However, this mechanism shouldn't activate during adulthood. When it does, it's called tooth resorption. It has the same overall effect, but it can be painful as the tooth is gradually absorbed.
What Causes It
Unfortunately, scientists and doctors don't have a solid answer explaining what causes tooth resorption. Some believe that it may have a genetic component; in other words, if your parents had tooth resorption, there's a good chance that you will, too. Alternatively, some believe that it could be due to teeth being injured, like during a car accident or sports injury. Of course, it happens to people that don't have a family history or injury, so the answer here is still unclear.
Avoiding It
Without a known, certain cause, there's no way to completely avoid tooth resorption. However, if it's caught early on, performing a root canal can save the tooth and prevent it from falling out.
Part of your regular visits to your family dentistry clinic should include dental x-rays. Don't say no to these, as they're the one tool in your dentist's arsenal that can catch tooth resorption early on. X-rays show damage to the interior of the tooth and can reveal when it's becoming hollow. If it's found during this stage, your dentist can use a root canal to remove the pulp of the tooth, fill it, and put it back in. This will let you keep your tooth and will ensure that you don't experience the pain of the long process of tooth resorption.
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