Can pulpitis be cured by taking medicine?

Written by Tian Hua
Otolaryngology
Updated on April 20, 2025
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During an acute episode of pulpitis, patients experience very severe spontaneous pain, paroxysmal sharp pain, and pain from hot and cold stimuli, which sometimes radiates to the head and intensifies at night. Medication for pulpitis is ineffective, as anti-inflammatory drugs only address the symptoms and not the root cause. In such cases, it is essential to visit a hospital, where a dentist can perform a pulpectomy, conduct root canal treatment, thoroughly treat the inflamed pulp, remove the infected dentin, apply medication inside the root canal, and then seal and fill the root canal tightly. Only through comprehensive root canal treatment can pulpitis be completely cured.

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Written by Li Bao Hua
Dentistry
47sec home-news-image

Pulpitis has no time to treat.

Pulpitis needs to be treated as soon as possible. If pulpitis is not treated in time, it will worsen, and bacteria will further infect, reaching the apical area and causing apical periodontitis. Severe apical periodontitis may involve destructive resorption of the apical area and the alveolar bone, and inflammation may discharge pus through the mucous membrane or skin. Clinically, symptoms such as abscesses or space infections may occur, which is quite severe and can even cause systemic septicemia. Therefore, pulpitis needs to be treated as soon as possible. The treatment of pulpitis involves removing the infected dental nerve, medicating the root canal, and performing root canal filling, that is, a complete root canal treatment.

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Written by Fang Xiao
Dentistry
1min 5sec home-news-image

What should I do if the pain from pulpitis is unbearable?

Pulpitis typically presents with spontaneous pain, paroxysmal pain, and pain due to temperature stimuli. The pain of acute pulpitis often cannot be localized. Only by visiting a regular hospital's dentistry department for pulp opening and drainage can the pain be relieved, followed by comprehensive root canal treatment. Additionally, if it is inconvenient to treat pulpitis pain, one can take oral anti-inflammatory painkillers, apply ice locally, crush a clove of garlic and place it on the affected tooth, or steam one part Sichuan pepper with four parts aged vinegar for ten minutes and then apply the moistened Sichuan pepper to the affected tooth to alleviate the pain. Ultimately, root canal treatment at a regular hospital's dentistry department is necessary. Regular oral hygiene is important, including brushing teeth morning and night, rinsing after meals, and using the internationally recognized Bass brushing technique. Cavities should be detected and treated early.

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Written by Li Bao Hua
Dentistry
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Is pulpitis serious?

Pulpitis is a severe pain caused by bacterial infection of the pulp tissue, also known as the tooth nerve. The clinical symptoms of pulpitis are very severe, especially severe secondary pain, irritative pain, as well as indirect pain and pain that cannot be localized. Pulpitis results from the further development of dental caries. In the early stages of bacterial infection, if the carious decay of the tooth's hard tissue is not promptly filled, and if the progression of the caries is not timely halted, bacteria will further infect and cause inflammation of the tooth nerve, leading to pulpitis. This condition requires root canal treatment to alleviate the symptoms. Otherwise, the inflammation will further accumulate around the root apex, causing severe apical periodontitis and even leading to space infection or facial swelling.

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Written by Li Bao Hua
Dentistry
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Is pulpitis the same as tooth decay?

Pulpitis is actually a pain response that occurs when tooth decay further develops inflammation reaching the dental pulp tissue. Strictly speaking, pulpitis is an inflammatory pain response of the dental pulp that occurs when tooth decay further develops bacterial infection of the dental pulp tissue. Pulpitis requires early dental treatment. For tooth decay, it is sometimes sufficient to remove the decayed infected dental tissue and directly fill it. In cases of pulpitis, where the dental nerve is already exposed, anti-inflammatory treatment is necessary. First, the infected dental pulp tissue is removed with a drill, and since the dental nerve is exposed, nerve-killing is required. After controlling the inflammation, the root canal is disinfected, medication is placed in the root canal, and then the root canal is filled, which means that a complete root canal treatment is needed.

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Written by Li Bao Hua
Dentistry
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Does pulpitis require tooth extraction?

Pulpitis does not require tooth extraction but necessitates root canal treatment. Pulpitis is a symptom caused by deep dental decay and bacterial infection reaching the dental nerves, manifesting as pain when eating or nocturnal pain. The inflammation in pulpitis is confined within the pulp and does not affect the root apex area. This infection can be resolved through comprehensive root canal treatment. The treatment begins with nerve devitalization; after the nerve is killed, infected dental tissues are removed using a drill, extracting the purulent dental nerve. Subsequently, medication is applied in the root canal. After inflammation is controlled, the root canal is filled. After treatment, the tooth affected by pulpitis can be preserved without extraction.