Causes and Cures of Sensitive Teeth
Learn why your teeth hurt and how your dentist can help.
Do you suffer from sensitive teeth? This can make simple pleasures like a tall glass of ice water, a mug of steaming tea, or even a breath of cold air into a painful experience.
What Makes Teeth Sensitive?
The root cause of tooth sensitivity of any kind is stimuli reaching the nerves inside your tooth. This occurs because the dentin—which should be covered by enamel above the gums and cementum below the gums—has somehow become exposed. Dentin is full of microscopic holes, which can allow stimuli such as heat, cold, or pressure to reach the inside of your tooth, where they register as pain.
Common Causes and Cures
There are many different ways in which cementum and/or enamel can become damaged:
Tooth decay: Over time, tooth decay can eat right through your enamel and cause cavities. You may feel pain or sensitivity when you touch the decayed tooth or when food or drink comes into contact with the cavity. Fortunately, your dentist can seal up cavities and stop pain and sensitivity with fillings.
Fractures: If you chip or break a tooth, the nerves may become exposed—either directly or indirectly via the dentin. Depending on the extent of the damage, your dentist may be able to repair the tooth with composite bonding or with a crown.
Gum disease: If bacteria get down into your gum pockets, they can not only irritate your gum tissue but also damage your cementum, resulting in sensitivity below the gums. The best solution for this type of sensitivity is a deep cleaning from your dentist to clear out the bacteria and allow the gum pockets to heal.
Enamel erosion: Enamel can be damaged by exposure to acidic foods and drinks, such as soda or citrus fruits. If you brush your teeth too soon after partaking, you could make the problem worse by scratching the enamel while it is still soft. A toothpaste specially formulated for sensitive teeth can help combat enamel erosion by helping to rebuild enamel with minerals.
Receding gums: With age or infection, your gums may recede, exposing the point where the enamel meets the cementum. The exposed cementum may become damaged and sensitive. If the gums have receded significantly, gum graft surgery may be required to correct the problem.
Don’t Just Endure Sensitive Teeth—Get Help Today
If you are struggling with sensitive teeth, we encourage you to visit California Dental Group. Our caring and skilled dentists will be happy to help pinpoint the cause of your problem and provide treatments to relieve your sensitivity.
