Flesh in a tooth cavity, is it dangerous?

Friends of Hermina, have you ever noticed the presence of gums coming out of cavities? This is called a pulp polyp.

Pulp polyps, in medical terms known as chronic hyperplastic pulpitis, are an inflammatory condition of the dental pulp, which is the center of the tooth that contains the tissue and cells that form the tooth. This condition occurs due to an increase in the number of cells in the tissue as a reaction to chronic inflammation and usually occurs in teeth whose nerves have died.

The inflammation that occurs is caused by irritation or bacterial infection of the exposed dental pulp due to damage to the crown of the tooth, such as cavities. The infection can be triggered by exposure to bacteria, leftover food, and other substances found in the oral cavity, as well as several other things, as follows:

• Dental caries, which cause a lot of loss of tooth structure, especially the enamel,
• failure to repair dental tissue, so that the dental cavity is exposed to bacteria and other pathogens in the oral cavity.
• Broken teeth due to injury
• the emergence of hypersensitivity reactions in the teeth.
• The influence of hormones, especially estrogen and progesterone,
• the presence of an open tooth cavity that still has good blood flow.

Pulp polyps generally appear in the front and back molars because they have a fairly large tooth cavity. Pulp polyps often appear as a single lesion on a single tooth, but sometimes they can occur in several teeth. Usually, the polyp will grow to its maximum size within a few months, after which it will settle in size. Some other symptoms that appear in the oral cavity when experiencing a pulp polyp include:

• the appearance of a soft tissue lump that is visible through a cavity or a tooth crack.
• The color of these bumps varies; some are red and some are pink.
• The occurrence of bleeding in the polyp, especially when scraped by hands or other tools, can cause open sores (ulcers).
• It feels hard or swollen in the cheek and mouth area, especially in the area close to the polyp.

There are several medical treatments that can be done to treat pulp polyps, namely:

1. Surgery

Surgical procedures are the mainstay of treatment for removing pulp polyps. The type of surgery performed can also vary according to the condition of the polyp and the patient's tooth. The usual surgeries are:

• Complete removal of the polyp-affected tooth is performed by removing the polyp-affected tooth and its roots. Surgery is performed by leaving the part of the tooth affected by the polyp as small as possible in the oral cavity. With this principle, when treating teeth affected by polyps through extraction, the root of the tooth must also be removed as much as possible.
• Pulpotomy, which is a surgical method that is done by cutting the polyp without removing the tooth that has the polyp, Keep in mind that, while pulpotomy produces good results, the damage caused by polyps to the teeth is irreversible in cases of long-standing polyps.In such cases, extraction of part of the tooth and its root should also be performed.
• installation of the tooth enamel barrier and the addition of resin to the tooth roots to prevent the development of pulp polyps, especially in growing teeth.

2. Medicines

The drugs that can be given to treat pulp polyps are generally antibiotics. The type of antibiotic given is usually in the form of a paste that is used to reduce bacterial infections in teeth and polyps. Oral antibiotics may also be given to reduce systemic bacterial infections.

The way to prevent pulp polyps is to maintain oral and dental health and have regular dental checkups. If Hermina's friends have complaints such as more flesh appearing in place of cavities, they should immediately consult a dentist at the nearest Hermina Hospital.