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Why can damage to tooth pulp cause pain?

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Damage to the dental pulp causes pain because the pulp is the innermost portion of the tooth and contains the nerve, as well as blood and lymphatic vessels.12

Because this tissue is housed within a cavity in the center of the tooth, it is directly connected to the body’s nervous system through the apical foramina at the end of the roots. When the pulp becomes diseased or damaged—often as a result of caries (tooth decay) spreading through the enamel and dentine—the involvement of these nerve fibers results in the sensation of pain. In such cases, endodontics may be required to treat the condition, typically through root canal therapy, which involves the removal of the diseased pulp.21