Tooth Sensitivity

Tooth sensitivity is tooth pain due to a wearing away of the tooth's surface or gum tissue. The most common cause of sensitive teeth in adults is exposed tooth roots due to receding gums. Because these roots are not covered by enamel, thousands of tiny channels leading to the tooth's nerve center (pulp) are exposed. When heat, cold or pressure touches these channels, you feel pain.

Ignoring your sensitive teeth can lead to other oral health problems. This is especially true if the pain causes you to brush poorly, making you vulnerable to tooth decay and gum disease.

How Do I Know if I Have Sensitive Teeth?

If you've ever felt a painful sensation in your teeth after drinking or eating hot or cold food and beverages, you've experienced tooth sensitivity. And you're not alone. It's a condition that affects one out of four adults, often coming and going over time.

How Do I Treat Sensitive Teeth?

First and foremost, tell your dentist or hygienist.

Sensitive teeth can usually be treated successfully. Your dentist may prescribe a brush-onfluoride gel or a fluoride rinse. You can also try low-abrasion toothpastes with formulations made especially for sensitive teeth. Ask your dentist which anti-sensitivity products are right for you.

Be careful to brush properly or you can cause your teeth to wear away, making them sensitive. Overzealous brushing, the clasp of a partial denture, and braces can also lead to abrasion (loss of tooth surface).

Some home remedies for sensitive teeth

Desensitizing toothpaste. widespread tooth sensitivity due to enamel abrasion or gum-line recession can't be treated with dental fillings. Instead, try brushing with a desensitizing toothpaste, which you can buy over the counter. These special toothpastes contain ingredients that diminish sensitivity by filling channels (known as tubules) in the dentin. Try putting some of the toothpaste on your finger or on a cotton swab and spreading it over the sensitive spots before you go to bed. Spit, but don't rinse. Within a few weeks, your teeth should begin to feel less sensitive. Fluoride rinse. Fluoride rinses, available without a prescription at your local pharmacy or in the dental section of grocery stores, can help decrease sensitivity, especially for people plagued with decay problems. Use it once a day. Swish it around in your mouth, then spit it out. Sometimes, people with sensitive teeth need a stronger fluoride rinse or gel than the ones available over the counter. For example, some treatments for gum disease, such as root planing (which reduces plaque), can leave sensitive teeth even more sensitive than usual. In such situations, dentists can apply a fluoride gel that helps relieve the problem. Keep your teeth clean. Plaque, the white gummy substance that forms on teeth, produces an acid that irritates teeth, especially if your choppers are naturally sensitive. Wage a daily attack against plaque by brushing at least twice, preferably right after eating and especially before bed, and flossing at least once. Use a soft toothbrush. Often, people actually cause tooth sensitivity by brushing with too much force and/or brushing with a hard-bristled brush, which can damage the protective tooth enamel. When the gum-line recedes (often as a natural part of the aging process), exposed dentin becomes even more vulnerable to toothbrush abrasion. Use a brush with the softest bristles you can find, and apply only a small amount of pressure when brushing (actually, a lighter touch also allows the bristles to move more freely and do their job more effectively than when you press too hard). Stop Chewing tobacco. It is a popular habit in some groups, especially among many male teenagers. They mistakenly believe it's less harmful than smoking cigarettes. However, in addition to causing mouth cancers, chewing tobacco causes the gums to recede, a major cause of gum sensitivity and decay. Just as there is no safe cigarette, there is no safe tobacco. Habits like sucking on hard candy, while certainly healthier than chewing snuff, can also cause enamel abrasion and tooth sensitivity
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