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Tooth pain after nerve extraction

 
, medical expert
Last reviewed: 05.07.2025
 
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Visiting a dentist is one of the most unloved procedures for most people, regardless of age. Despite the rapid development of dental technologies, treatment and procedures related to teeth and the oral cavity bring little pleasant sensations. That is why most of us put off visiting a dentist until the last minute, trying to cope with pain with painkillers, antibiotics or folk remedies. Subsequently, dental diseases can develop significantly and reach the point of needing to remove nerve tissue, the so-called pulp. But often there are also options for the outcome of the problem, in which the nerve has been removed, but the tooth continues to hurt. Why does toothache occur after nerve removal? What to do in such a situation?

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Causes of tooth pain after nerve removal

One of the reasons for tooth pain after nerve removal may be the natural effect of the procedure itself. The whole problem is that the doctor, having administered anesthesia, successfully removed the pulp and sent the patient home with a clear conscience. But after some time, the effect of the painkillers used during the operation ends and the pain returns. In such cases, you can also observe increased sensitivity of the tooth to external irritants or even general weakness of the body. Painful sensations may intensify at night. Do not panic. Such pain is absolutely not associated with the poor quality of the operation or the low qualification of the dentist. This is a kind of protective reaction of the body to the changes made in its integral structure. Taking mild painkillers will quite help to solve the problem. A warm solution of iodine and table salt will also help. Rinse your mouth and the sore tooth with this mixture, you can relieve pain and improve your well-being. To prepare the solution, take a teaspoon of soda and stir it in a glass of warm water. Then add 5-7 drops of iodine and rinse your mouth, holding the liquid in the area of the sore tooth.

Such pain usually lasts from one to three days. If the intensity of the pain does not subside, and the state of health is getting worse, then you should immediately consult a doctor, since severe pain can be a symptom of the development of inflammation in the bone tissue of the tooth, fluxes or purulent muscle damage.

If you have an increased tendency to allergies, you may also have an allergic reaction to the components of the filling material. In addition to pain, the symptoms of such a reaction will be a tooth, redness and rashes on the skin, fever and other signs of developing allergic reactions. In this case, it is necessary to replace the filling with a new one made of a different material. When choosing a filling, check the composition in order to avoid further contact with allergens.

If after the nerve is removed, a symptom such as gum swelling appears in the tooth, accompanied by constant pain, then this is already a sign of poor-quality treatment, in particular, filling the tooth not to the root tip. Microflora in the tooth canal remains even after the nerve endings are removed. Subsequently, if the tooth was not filled properly, bacteria begin to multiply and develop in the resulting unfilled area. This infection will spread to the periodontal tissues and contribute to the formation of a purulent sac at the root of the tooth. This disease is called periodontitis. Treatment of such an infection requires immediate unsealing of the tooth, neutralization of the abscess and bacteria, and a new filling procedure for the tooth.

Excess filling material in the tooth can also cause similar symptoms. If the doctor has inserted too much filling material, this can also cause pain. To treat such a case, surgical intervention may be required, which will involve a root apex resection operation. It involves creating an opening in the projection of the root apex and removing excess filling mixture through it. The operation is not considered complicated and takes no more than 40 minutes.

If after nerve removal tooth pain occurs with the slightest touch or biting, then this is a clear symptom of the development of trigeminal neuralgia. The primary symptoms of this disease are numbness of the soft tissues around the tooth and constant pain, which then turn into neuralgic attacks. Bursts of pain, as the disease progresses, can occur even from the slightest movement of the facial muscle and last from several hours to weeks. Therefore, treatment of trigeminal neuralgia does not require delay. Analgesics such as Nimesil or Nise will help to partially reduce the pain, but you should not postpone a visit to the dentist for a long time, otherwise you risk allowing significant progression of the infection, which will lead to the need for surgical intervention and tooth loss.

Of course, the procedure of removing a tooth nerve is not pleasant in itself. Therefore, it is better to keep the tooth in this condition than to lose it completely. Be more careful about the health of your teeth and do not tolerate severe pain after the operation, if it occurs.

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Prevention of tooth pain after nerve removal

Prevention of toothache after nerve removal does not involve any complicated procedures or methods. The main rule is to strictly follow your dentist's recommendations for oral care after pulp removal surgery. The main goal of prevention is to prevent possible infection and pain. Therefore, try not to disturb the wound site for several days after the surgery. Even brushing your teeth and rinsing abundantly should be postponed for now. After a few days, you can start rinsing your mouth with antiseptics, as recommended by your dentist. Never apply cold to the sore tooth if pain occurs - this will not help cure toothache, but it can lead to gum inflammation. And, of course, the main rule is to always take dental and oral care carefully and seriously. Then you can not only prevent toothache after nerve removal, but also reduce the number of visits to the dentist. Although it is still worth visiting these specialists at least twice a year.

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