Tooth Sensitivity

Why are your teeth sensitive?

Do you ever feel a sudden painful sensation in your teeth when you drink hot coffee or eat cold ice cream? Perhaps eating candy or sour foods makes you cringe. Or maybe simply touching your teeth with a fork or toothbrush makes you jump with pain. The pain may be mild, tingly or sharp and intense. These are some of the symptoms of sensitive teeth, know technically as "dentinal hypersensitivity." It is one of the most common dental complaints.

There are many theories about the causes of tooth sensitivity. Dental professionals agree, however, that the problem starts when a sensitive part of the tooth called the dentin is exposed. Dentin is the porous part of the tooth below the enamel. The root of the tooth is not covered with enamel, so if you have receding gums, the dentine on the root may be exposed and particularly sensitive to cold or brushing.

Once the dentin is exposed, so are the tiny tubes inside the dentin that are filled with fluid. These tubes connect back to the center of the tooth where the nerve is located. The nerve becomes stimulated when the fluid inside the tube is triggered to move by eating sweet or acidic foods, or eating or drinking hot or cold foods or beverages. The result is pain.

 

How does the dentin become exposed? Some of the ways include:

- Brushing too hard along the gumline

- Recession of the gum

- Gum disease

- Periodontal treatment

- Dental surgery

- Fractured or chipped tooth

- Tooth wear at the gumline

- Teeth clenching or grinding, often during sleep

- Smoking

What can you do about tooth sensitivity?

You don't have to suffer from dentinal hypersensitivity. Here are some ways to help treat your sensitivity:

- Brush with a desensitizing dentifrice such as Sensodyne^® or Denguel^® Toothpaste. Or you can have us prescribe a prescription strength toothpaste

- Brush properly, use only a soft bristle toothbrush such as Sensodyne^® GENTLE, or consider a mechanical toothbrush like Sonicare^®

- Floss daily

- Moderate your intake of acidic foods

- Have regular, routine dental checkups

What can the dentist do about tooth sensitivity if "home remedies" are not effective?

In our office we always encourage the patient to keep it simple, but if those measures fail then we have a number of options.

1. We can apply a special de-sensitizing agent called Hurri-seal, which coats the tooth for some time. This usually helps for as much as 2-3 months.
2. We can give you a prescription for a special type of toothpaste that will strengthen the root surfaces. After about 2 weeks of regular use, this toothpaste will usually take care of the problems. Some folks have to use it every day to get the maximum benefit.
3. We can refer you to a gum specialist for "grafting". This is a procedure where the periodontist takes a small amount of skin from the roof of your mouth and grafts it over the exposed tooth root.