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Definition - What is a neck infection?

A neck inflammation describes the condition when the gums retract primarily on the outside of the teeth so that parts of the tooth roots become visible.

This condition is accompanied by a sensitivity to cold and pain, as the sensitive areas under the gums are now unprotected. The causes of these symptoms are multiple, which makes diagnosis difficult.

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What are the causes of a tooth neck infection?

The mechanism underlying a neck inflammation is caused by the exposed neck of the tooth, which is popularly known. The gums usually lie against the crown of the teeth.

As the gums recede upwards over the enamel-cement border, the cement or dentin lies on the surface. These substances are not as robust as enamel. On the surface there are dentin tubules that immediately pass on stimuli of any kind to the dentin with the nerve and blood vessels. The stimuli that now reach the ducts are usually weakened by the gums or enamel. Therefore, the extremely pain-sensitive reactions to cold or heat occur, which are very uncomfortable.

There are various causes for this condition. The most common is brushing your teeth too forcefully. The patients scrub the sides too hard with the bristles, so that the gums retreat in response to this stimulus. With right-handers, the left side is usually affected, with left-handers the right side, as cleaning is easiest there.

Another cause is inflammation of the gums, which causes the gums to swell and thus pull themselves up over the enamel-cement boundary.
Bruxism, the so-called crunch, which affects every second German nowadays, is also a reason for the symptoms. Due to the excessive pressure and the pressing, the thin tooth necks burst and wedge-shaped tooth neck defects form. The dentin is exposed and gives the stimuli unhindered and in full strength to the pulp, which leads to pain.

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diagnosis

Diagnostically, the gums are reddened in the affected areas and very sensitive to the touch. Brushing your teeth is hardly possible at the places due to the symptoms.

The dentist checks the vitality of the teeth with a cold test. Cold spray is placed on a cotton swab and held against the tooth. With tooth neck inflammation, the tooth reacts more intensely to the cold. For the patient it comes close to a painful pulling pain. Nothing abnormal can be seen radiologically, which is why no x-ray is used for this diagnosis.

If bruxism is the cause, there are wedge-shaped defects everywhere on the outside of the teeth and there are strong bevel facets on the chewing surfaces.

If the plaster is defective, the symptoms are only visible on one side.

Read more about bruxism: grinding your teeth here

Symptoms of a neck infection

The changes in the tooth are already visible in the mirror for the person affected. On the outside of the teeth, where the cause of the grinding occurs, there are wedge-shaped notches that expose the dentin. The dentin looks more yellow than the enamel, which is why it stands out in color.

Furthermore, the patient suffers from pain in the temporomandibular joint, especially in the morning after waking up, or severe tension in the masticatory muscles in the face, which feel hard. A cracking of the temporomandibular joint can also be an indication of the cause of the pain. This mostly happens with patients who currently have a stressful everyday situation or suffer from problems, because stress promotes crunching.

In the case of neck inflammation caused by an incorrect brushing technique, the pain mainly occurs when brushing. The affected area is already painful when touched with the bristles of the toothbrush. Furthermore, the gums are not pale pink, but reddened and migrated upwards. Cold and warm dishes are barely tolerable for those affected at this point.

In the case of generalized inflammation of the gums, which cause the problem, the entire gum is bulging, swollen and fiery red. Touching a toothbrush causes discomfort everywhere. Furthermore, the use of dental floss and interdental brushes immediately causes irritation and increased bleeding.

Read more on the subject:

• Tooth neck is exposed - what to do?
• Pain in the neck of the tooth

Pain from a neck sore

The pain in a neck inflammation varies depending on the cause. What all have in common, however, is that the sensitivity to thermal stimuli, primarily to cold, is greatly increased, so that cold food and drinks are barely tolerable, since it actually triggers pulling cold pain.

Acidic foods such as juices and various types of vegetables encourage pain as they attack the dentin directly.

With bruxism as the main cause, tension, temporomandibular joint problems and cracking occur in the morning.

You can find more information here: What can I do about tooth neck pain?

What helps with a tooth neck infection?

If the cleaning is defective, it can already help to buy a new toothbrush, since the old one is already frayed, or to switch to a soft toothbrush. An electric toothbrush with a pressure sensor or an ultrasonic toothbrush is also advisable, as either no pressure is used here or the patient can learn exactly how much pressure is still healthy for the teeth.

As an immediate aid, there are also pain-relieving toothpastes that temporarily close the dentin canals and thereby temporarily relieve the symptoms.

In the long term, only going to the dentist can help, who will cover the "bare" part of the tooth again with filling therapies or connective tissue transplants and thus permanently alleviate the symptoms. However, fillings on the tooth necks usually do not hold up well and are often quickly scrubbed off due to the constant stress caused by the use of the toothbrush. The connective tissue transplant is therefore the longer-lasting form of therapy.

In the case of complaints due to bruxism, the patient can hardly achieve an improvement independently. Massaging the tense masticatory muscles can relieve tension and help slightly, but the temporomandibular joint complaints can only be relieved in the long term with professional splint therapy.

For neck infections that are generalized, thorough oral hygiene and concentrated therapy with chlorhexidine digluconate help to fight the bacteria in the oral cavity.

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Treatment by the dentist

The dentist acts differently depending on the cause and size of the defect. Generalized gum problems are treated with professional teeth cleaning and intensive therapy with chlorhexidine digluconate, in which the 0.2% preparation is rinsed in the morning and in the evening for two weeks, so that relief sets in quickly.

In the case of complaints due to bruxism, a grinding splint is made so as not to enlarge the wedge-shaped defects. These are covered with a filling therapy. Special physiotherapy can also help with muscle and joint problems.

In the case of small plastering defects, the dentist usually acts passively. To close the dentinal canals, a seal is applied, which is repeated approximately every three to six months. In the case of larger defects, an attempt is also made to place a filling and thus cover the defect.

If the problem recurs, the dentist uses a connective tissue transplant, in which the tooth neck defect is covered with the tissue from the palate and the gums are sutured together. Ideally, the transplant will grow in so that the sensitive area can no longer be seen.

You can find more information here: When do I need a tooth neck filling?

Home remedies for a neck sore

Home remedies can only help with neck infections if they are caused by inflammation of the gums or a defect in the toothbrushing.
In this case, herbal rinses such as chamomile or sage can provide temporary relief due to the antibacterial effect. Inserting a cotton ball soaked in clove oil or tincture of myrrh can temporarily improve symptoms.
In the long term, however, no home remedy can help and only dental treatment relieves the symptoms in the long term. In general, you should try to avoid irritating foods with a lot of acidity or spiciness so as not to put additional stress on the affected areas. Whitening toothpaste with coarse-grained particles should also be avoided due to the abrasive effect.

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How long does a tooth neck infection last?

The duration of a neck infection varies.
In the case of defects in the cleaning, a change to a new toothbrush or a switch to a softer brush can be used to provide relief, while in the case of complaints, through Bruxism A grinding splint has to be worn over the long term so that the problem does not keep returning.
In the case of strong increases in sensitivity, protective varnishes and fillings usually only help temporarily, so that long-term healing can only be achieved with a connective tissue transplant.