How Does the Dental Pulp Become Damaged or Infected?
The reason is bacterial contamination. Bacteria are a normal host present in the mouth and saliva, but when it gets inside the tooth and enters the pulp (through decay, or a fracture in the tooth, broken down old filling, or a gap between your tooth and an existing crown), then it becomes pathologic. The time frame for this to occur can vary significantly. Sometimes it is very fast and usually painful, but also, it could be a very slow process in which the patient is unaware and no pain is manifested until it is significantly advanced.
The dental pulp gets contaminated by bacteria. Bacteria are a normal host present in the mouth and saliva, but when it gets inside the tooth and enters the pulp (through decay, or a fracture in the tooth, broken down old filling, or a gap between your tooth and an existing crown), then it becomes pathologic. The time frame for this to occur can vary significantly. Sometimes it is very fast and usually painful, but also, it could be a very slow process in which the patient is unaware and no pain is present until it is significantly advanced.
