Navigating Tooth Sensitivity

If you experience sensitivity from teeth when you drink hot or cold drinks, or eat sweets and acidic foods, or even breathe cold air, you should discuss the fact that you may have sensitive teeth with your dentist. The pain can be sharp, sudden, and come from deep into the tooth’s nerve endings. Knowing what causes the sensitivity helps in being able to navigate around it. 

At Sninski & Schmitt Family Dentistry, we see many patients who are dealing with sensitive teeth, known as dentin hypersensitivity. In this article, we discuss the causes of tooth sensitivity and how you can deal with it using a variety of treatments. 

How Do Teeth Become Sensitive?

Teeth become sensitive when the underlying layer of your teeth, called the dentin, becomes exposed. This can come from erosion (wear and tear) and gum recession, which is when your gum tissue pulls away from your teeth and exposes the roots. 

The roots of your teeth aren’t covered by hard enamel. They contain thousands of tiny tubules leading to your tooth’s center, the pulp. These tubules are channels that allow stimuli such as hot, cold, sweet, or acidic substances to reach the nerve in your tooth, resulting in the pain you feel. Dental sensitivity can also be a symptom of other issues, including cavities, gum disease, or a cracked tooth.

Causes of Teeth Sensitivity

Many factors can lead to the development of sensitive teeth, including:

• Enamel Erosion: Over time, enamel can wear away due to factors like acidic foods and drinks, tooth grinding, or aggressive brushing.
• Gum Recession: When gums recede, they expose the root surface of the tooth, which is less protected and more sensitive. Some people are genetically prone to thin gum tissue, while others develop gum recession as a result of periodontal disease.
• Cavities: Cavities create holes in the tooth, exposing the dentin and nerves.
• Cracked or Fractured Teeth: Damage to the tooth structure can expose the nerves and cause sensitivity. Chipped or broken teeth may fill with bacteria from plaque and enter the pulp, causing inflammation.
• Gum Disease: Periodontal disease can damage the gums and teeth, leading to sensitivity. Inflamed and sore gum tissue may cause sensitivity because of the loss of supporting ligaments, which exposes the root surface that leads directly to the nerve of the tooth.
• Teeth Grinding: Grinding or clenching your teeth may wear down the enamel and expose underlying dentin.
• Acidic Foods and Drinks: Consuming acidic substances, such as citrus fruits, coffee, and soda, can temporarily damage the enamel and trigger sensitivity.
• Tooth Whitening Treatments: Some whitening products can make teeth more sensitive by removing the protective enamel layer.
• Brushing Too Hard: Over time, brushing too hard or using a hard-bristled toothbrush can wear down enamel and cause the dentin to be exposed. It can also cause gum recession.
• Age: Teeth sensitivity is highest between the ages of 25 and 30.
• Plaque Buildup: The presence of plaque on the root surfaces can cause sensitivity.
• Recent Dental Procedures: People can get sensitive teeth after fillings, teeth cleanings, and dental restoration placement. Sensitivity that is caused by dental procedures is temporary and usually disappears in four to six weeks.
• Mouthwash Use: Some over-the-counter mouthwashes contain acids that can worsen teeth sensitivity if you have exposed dentin. Ask your dentist about the use of a neutral fluoride solution.

Prevention of Tooth Sensitivity

The best defense against most oral health problems, including tooth sensitivity, is good oral hygiene. Poor oral hygiene allows bacteria to collect around and between the teeth. If the bacteria (plaque) are not removed, they can harden into calculus (tartar) and build up, causing your gums to recede around your teeth. This is called “gingival” or “gum” disease. If you develop gum disease that leads to recession, the roots of your teeth are exposed, and your teeth become more susceptible to sensitivity.

Other situations that may increase your risk of gum recession include tobacco use, oral piercings, use of some medications, or even changes in female hormone levels during puberty, pregnancy, or menopause.

Care and Treatment of Tooth Sensitivity

In some cases, teeth sensitivity can go away on its own without treatment, especially when it is due to a recent dental procedure like a root canal. If your sensitivity lingers and doesn’t go away, see your dentist for possible treatment options. He/she can help identify the cause and may suggest one of several treatments. Depending on the cause, your dentist may recommend a desensitizing toothpaste for use at home. These types of toothpastes contain compounds that help prevent the irritants from stimulating the nerve inside the tooth.

Tooth Sensitivity Treatments

Treatments are available in the dentist’s office as well. For example, fluoride gel treatments strengthen the tooth enamel and help reduce sensations that irritate the root. Treatments such as fillings, crowns, inlays, bonding, fluoride varnishes, or desensitizing agents can be used to repair areas of the tooth that are damaged or to cover areas that are exposed by gum recession. 

In some cases, your dentist may recommend either a procedure, such as scaling or root planing, or a surgical procedure called a “gingival graft” or “gum graft” to replace the tissue that has receded. If your sensitivity is caused by grinding your teeth, the dentist may recommend a mouth guard you can wear at night.

Tooth Sensitivity Care

There are several ways you can care for and reduce your risk of teeth sensitivity if it is caused by normal wear and tear.

• Use Desensitizing Toothpaste: Several brands of toothpaste can decrease sensitivity. Using regularly, you can notice a decrease in sensitivity. You may need to try different brands to find the one that works best for you. A tip that could be helpful is to spread a thin layer of the toothpaste on the exposed tooth roots with your finger or Q-tip before going to bed. Be sure to use fluoridated toothpaste.
• Maintain Good Oral Hygiene: Continue to follow proper brushing and flossing techniques to thoroughly clean all parts of your teeth and mouth.
• Use a Soft-Bristled Toothbrush: Using a soft-bristled toothbrush causes less abrasion to the tooth surface and less irritation to your gums.
• Use Fluoridated Dental Products: Daily use of a fluoridated mouth rinse can decrease sensitivity. Consult with your dentist about available products for home use.
• Avoid Teeth Grinding: If you grind or clench your teeth, use a mouth guard at night.
• See Your Dentist Regularly: Be sure to get regular dental check-ups, cleaning, and fluoride treatments.

If you continue to have discomfort, see your dentist. Some dental procedures may help reduce sensitivity, such as:

• Dental bonding to cover exposed root surfaces.
• Fluoride varnishes are applied to the exposed root surface.
• Dentin sealers are applied to the exposed root surface.

Questions to Ask Your Dentist about Tooth Sensitivity

Here are some questions to ask your dentist when you are experiencing tooth sensitivity.

• Why are my teeth sensitive?
• Are there any specific foods or activities that may be contributing to the pain?
• Is there any visible damage to my teeth or gums that I should be aware of?
• Do I need treatments to address my sensitive teeth? If so, which ones?
• Could my current oral hygiene routine be contributing to the sensitivity?
• Are there any signs or symptoms I should be looking for that would indicate a more serious issue?
• If I’m experiencing pain, what can I do at home to manage it before my appointment?

Contact Sninski & Schmitt Family Dentistry for Sensitive Teeth Solutions

Our dentists at Sninski & Schmitt Family Dentistry will work with you to help you prevent tooth sensitivity and provide treatments for the condition. We will identify the causes for your sensitivity and make recommendations that help you reduce and/or mitigate the pain you are experiencing. Contact your Cary and Holly Springs dental professionals at Sninski & Schmitt Family Dentistry. We are currently accepting new patients. Please fill out the form below or give us a call at our Holly Springs office at 919-600-6262 or our dentist in Cary location at 919-467-2203.