An exposed tooth can cause tremendous and sharp pain and could be extremely uncomfortable to deal with. Sensitivity would make it worse while brushing, eating something hot or cold, spicy or sour. 

What is meant by Exposed Tooth?

Your visible tooth above the gumline is even less than half of the actual size of your tooth. The rest of your tooth is sitting below the gumline, anchoring your tooth to the jawbone. The exposed part of the tooth is protected by strong enamel, and the root has cementum covering (a connective tissue). 

Cementum can decay or wear down promptly if the gum line recedes due to trauma or other damaged gums. This receding gum line exposes your tooth to brushing and other strong sensations that could reach your dentin and the nerve pulp within your tooth. You might experience mild to severe pain due to this.

Symptoms of An Exposed Tooth

Some of the common symptoms of an exposed tooth are:

• Sore or tender gums that bleed when you brush your teeth.
• If your gum line has been receding, you will notice longer teeth.
• If the pulp or the nerve inside your tooth gets infected due to exposure, you will experience sharp pain or swelling.
• Your teeth would be sensitive to hot, cold, acidic, sweet, sour, and spicy foods.

Treatments For Exposed Tooth

You can prevent exposing your tooth in many ways, such as maintaining good oral hygiene, brushing teeth with a gentle and soft-bristled toothbrush, avoiding sweet food which can damage your gums, etc. 

But if you already have an exposed tooth, then here are some of the ways to fix it:

• Gum Draft: The best way to treat an exposed tooth is by covering it up. In the gum draft procedure, the dentist would use your gum tissues, which are typically taken from the roof of your tooth (one could also use a donor source). The dentist would place the tissue in the space between your gum and tooth and then suture them together. Your gum line will be restored after the healing process is complete.
• Chao Pinhole Method: This alternative method of fixing exposed teeth is done with the help of a donor source. The dentist would make a small hole in your gums to create space between your tooth and the receded gum. Then, the dentist would place the donor collagen material to stabilize the area where the gum has receded. The donor tissue method is much less invasive than using your gum tissues as there is no second surgical site, and healing is faster.
• Pat Allen Tunneling:This is another donor source technique where your dentist would go directly in the space between your tooth and receded gum and make space for inserting a donor collagen graft inside. Then everything is secured together with sutures.

If you have an exposed tooth root, it is not going to get better on its own. You’ll have to resolve it by contacting a dental professional. It’s recommended that you speak to your dentist to correctly identify the cause of your pain and discomfort and suggest treatments.