Having your tooth feel numb is a weird sensation. It’s like any other part of your body being numb in that you’ll feel some tingling and prickling. You may also no longer feel like your tooth is even there, even when biting down on it.
What Causes Numb Teeth
When you injure your mouth, your tooth may go numb temporarily while it heals. This typically isn’t as serious as when your tooth goes numb because of decay. When your tooth goes numb because of decay, it either means that your tooth is dying or that it’s already dead.
Unfortunately, most people don’t realize that teeth are alive – they contain blood vessels and nerves. In this case, the numbness is an indication that your tooth is no longer getting the blood and nutrients it needs to stay alive.
What to do About a Numb Tooth
It’s important for you to call our office immediately when you feel a numb tooth. We may be able to keep your tooth from dying, but only if you act quickly. Failure to do so may not only result in this tooth being lost, but it could also negatively affect the teeth that are surrounding it.
It may also affect your gums. Sometimes we will need to do a root canal right away to fix the root and remove any dead pulp. When we’re unable to save your tooth, you may need to have a crown put in the spot where we remove this tooth from.
This will prevent you from developing any further infection. A dental implant, bridge, or partial implant are your other options. The important part here is filling the gap that your extracted tooth has left in a way that prevents the gum and bone loss that can occur when your teeth shift.