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Tooth sensitivity can be minor or indicate a serious dental problem. You can’t diagnose tooth sensitivity yourself.
If you have any sensitivity to coldness (or hotness), speak with your dentist. A dental examination can help your doctor determine the underlying cause, as well as the most appropriate treatment to eliminate pain.
Tooth sensitivity, or “dentin hypersensitivity,” is exactly what it sounds like: pain or discomfort in the teeth as a response to certain stimuli, such as hot or cold temperatures.
It may be a temporary or a chronic problem, and it can affect one tooth, several teeth, or all the teeth in a single individual. It can have a number of different causes, but most cases of sensitive teeth are easily treated with a change in your oral hygiene regimen.
People with sensitive teeth may experience pain or discomfort as a response to certain triggers. You may feel this pain at the roots of the affected teeth. The most common triggers include:
Myth 1
Cavities are the main reason for sensitive teeth. You need to avoid cavities if you don’t want sensitive teeth.
Myth 2
It is found that only cold sugary food can cause teeth sensitivity.
Myth 3
Tooth sensitivity is a temporary problem.
Myth 4
Brushing right after your meals is a good practice and everyone should do it.
Myth 5
There is no proven solution for your sensitive teeth.
Causes of tooth sensitivity to cold may include:
Forceful brushing
Vigorously brushing your teeth with a hard-bristled toothbrush can gradually wear down tooth enamel. This is the outer layer of the tooth which protects the inner layer.
Worn tooth enamel can gradually expose the dentin layer of your teeth, which is the second layer where the nerve endings are. Drinking or eating something cold could irritate the nerves and cause sharp, intermittent pain in the mouth.
Acidic foods
Acidic foods can also wear down tooth enamel and expose nerve endings. Examples of acidic foods include:
Consume acidic foods in moderation, especially if you develop sensitivity.
Tooth-whitening toothpaste
Whitening toothpaste can give you a brighter smile, but you may be sensitive to chemicals in these whitening agents. Regular use can cause discomfort and sensitivity. Mouthwashes containing alcohol can also make the teeth sensitive to cold.
Gum disease
Regular brushing, flossing, and dental cleanings are important for removing plaque and avoiding gum disease.
If plaque builds up on the teeth or along the gum line, your gums can become infected and inflamed. This can eventually damage gum tissue, causing gums to recede and expose nerve endings on the root.
Grinding your teeth
Grinding your teeth while sleeping can also wear down tooth enamel and expose dentin. If not corrected, teeth grinding can cause sensitivity whenever you drink or eat something cold.
Tooth decay
An untreated cavity or a worn dental filling may also expose nerve endings in a tooth. And when exposed to cold, you may feel pain or sensitivity in the affected tooth.
You don’t have to live with sensitivity to cold. Different options are available to completely eliminate sensitivity. Treatment depends on the cause of sensitivity, which is why you should speak with your dentist and have a dental examination. Treatments to stop pain and sensitivity might include:
Fluoride treatment
Your dentist may recommend a fluoride treatment to strengthen your tooth enamel. You may also receive a prescription-strength fluoride paste and a fluoride rinse.
Dietary changes
In addition to fluoride treatments, eliminating tooth sensitivity may require dietary changes. This includes eliminating acidic foods from your diet, which can weaken tooth enamel.
Healthier brushing habits
Changing how you brush your teeth can also eliminate sensitivity to cold. Switch from a hard-bristled toothbrush to a soft-bristled toothbrush, and don’t brush too vigorously.
Be gentle and vary the motion of your toothbrush. Light bleeding while brushing can be a sign of brushing too hard.
Wear a mouthguard
Signs of grinding your teeth while sleeping include face pain, headaches, earache, and a stiff jaw. Speak with your doctor to see if you need a mouthguard.
A mouth guard prevents you from grinding and clenching your teeth. If your enamel is worn, your doctor may also recommend fluoride treatments or a fluoride paste to strengthen the enamel.
Dental procedures
Certain dental procedures can also alleviate tooth sensitivity. In cases of exposed nerve endings, your doctor may apply a special resin to cover sensitive, exposed dentin and stop your pain. If you have gum disease and gum recession, a surgical gum graft can protect or cover exposed roots, too.
A gum graft alleviates pain by removing gum tissue from another part of the mouth and attaching it to an exposed area. Your dentist can also eliminate sensitivity by filling a cavity or performing a root canal to remove decay or infection from inside a problem tooth.
Our dentists continually attend further education and stay on top of current research to bring the best evidence based treatments and the latest techniques.
We use the latest treatment techniques, procedures & dental materials that enable us to deliver a wide range of options to suit your needs.
Also, we use a wide variety of cosmetic dentistry options and treatments to transform your regular smile into a million-dollar one. We offer all your treatments in the same place, whichever specialist you may need to see, you will find them available here.
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