Why do your teeth feel numb suddenly?

Teeth are also another organs of our body. Underneath the hard white covering (enamel), a tooth has a system of nerves, blood vessels, and other connective tissues. The nerve fibers inside a tooth take care of controlling blood flow and nourishments. In simply, the nerve system and periodontal ligaments make a tooth alive.

It is not uncommon to lose feeling and sensation in teeth after injecting anesthesia or other sedation. Your teeth will come back to their senses once the sedation wears off. In contrast, if you feel numbness in a tooth suddenly for no reason, it is a sign of a dental emergency.

What causes a tooth to become numb?

The loss of sensation in a tooth indicates that its blood vessels and nerve tissues are no longer in contact with it. It means the tooth is dead or dying literally. It usually begins with the compromised dental pulp and occurs due to a variety of reasons. Here are the possible circumstances:

1) Infection inside a tooth

When a cavity in a tooth or infections in gums are left untreated, the infection grows bigger and penetrates deep inside a tooth. As discussed in the beginning, a tooth also contains blood vessels, and nerves that are habituated in an innermost living tissue called a pulp chamber. 

If bacteria spreads deep inside a tooth, the pulp chamber and nerves in it will be damaged. Right? In such cases, the infected tooth will become numb.

2) Traumatic dental injuries

When a tooth is traumatized due to an accident, sports injuries, hard biting, or other conditions, it will cause strain on the nerves, and tissues inside a tooth. The injured teeth get numbed as a consequence.

On the other hand, the cracks and breaks over a tooth provide a way for the oral microbes to enter inside the injured teeth. It implies the tooth’s fleshy part (Pulp Chamber) is likely to be affected and eventually end in tooth numbness.

3) Teeth Grinding

The practice of constantly grinding and clenching your teeth is called Bruxism. It is a poor oral habit because it applies extensive force to your teeth. Such bruxers are highly susceptible to getting chips or cracks in their teeth. As we discussed in the above section, the harmful microorganisms in our mouths get entry into the nerves inside through the cracks. When the infection spreads deeper inside a tooth, the pulp will die hence that the affected teeth will lose their ability to feel and sensation.

Is there any tooth numbness treatment available?

It is possible to save a numb tooth with early dental interventions. The appropriate treatment options are prescribed according to the patient’s dental conditions and the health of the infected teeth.

If you ignore numbness in a tooth, you are allowing the infections spread to the root region. Keep in mind that saving a tooth is not possible when bacteria get into the root of a tooth. In such cases, surgical extraction is needed and it can be replaced with dental bridges or dental implants. On the other hand, Root Canal Therapy can save a numb tooth at times if the pulp chamber is not severely damaged.

Even though the infected tooth can no longer get a fresh blood supply, endodontic treatments disinfect the infections inside the tooth and safeguard it from extractions.

Bottom Line

Tooth numbness is an alarming sign denoting a tooth is deeply infected inside. Even though you can preserve it with timely dental help, you should follow preventative measures like wearing safety equipment like sports guards while playing, and night guards (if you have sleep bruxism) to prevent injury to your teeth.

Needless to say, you should keep a proper dental hygiene practices to guard against bacterial penetration on your teeth.

Visit your dentist as soon as possible once you feel random numbness in one or more teeth.