Do You Have Hot Or Cold Tooth Sensitivity?

Did it strike when you took a gulp of a cold drink? Or when you inhaled on a cold winter day? Or perhaps you were sitting down to a cup of hot tea with a friend. In any case, the sharp, punctuating pain of tooth sensitivity is unmistakable. And when you have it, you want it gone, fast.

Tooth sensitivity is very common. The Academy of General Dentistry estimates that roughly half the population experiences tooth sensitivity. Tooth sensitivity can come and go over time. But for some people, it persists. Let’s take a look at what causes it and what you can do to ease the pain.

Common causes of tooth sensitivity are:

Aging
As we age, our outer tooth surface, called enamel, ages too. It naturally wears down, exposing the dentin (the initial inner tooth surface) and causing sensitivity. In these cases of enamel erosion, tooth paste made for sensitive teeth can often provide relief. They can be found at the drugstore, and no prescription is required. Fluoride treatment with every dental visit can also be helpful.

Your Favourite Drinks – Coffee, Pop, Wine…
We can hear you groaning now about how you’re not giving up your beloved coffee, tea or wine. And you don’t have to. Just be aware that anything with a high acid level — coffee, tea, pop, most juices, flavoured shelter with citric acid, wine, energy drinks — can worsen enamel erosion and tooth sensitivity pain. Reducing consumption can help. Pick you must haves and with the rest for water or milk. Again, both fluoride treatment and tooth paste made for sensitive teeth can provide relief caused by highly acidic food and drink choices.

Dental Treatment – Tooth Whitening, Orthodontics, Root Canals
In this instance, the sensitivity is part of the healing process,and should disappear within a few days time. If appropriate, your dentist may apply an in-office desensitizing product during treatment, which helps to reduce post treatment sensitivity.

Bruxism a.k.a. Tooth Grinding (most often most or all teeth feel sensitive)
In this instance, a night guard or mouth guard is the best action plan. Not only does tooth grinding cause sensitive, but it also can lead to worn down tooth surfaces which can make chewing and eating more difficult, periodontal problems, weakened ligaments that hold your teeth in place and early tooth loss. Night guards are custom made to fit exactly to your teeth, so you can comfortably wear them at night to protect your teeth. The cost of treatment is very affordable and often covered by dental benefit plans.

Receding Gums or Gum Recession
Gum recession is when your gum tissue pulls away and exposes the tooth root. Normally covered by gum tissue, this layer just underneath — called dentin — contains millions of tiny tubules, each of which is connected to a nerve ending. Left unprotected, their are sensitive and cause pain. If receding gums are the cause of your sensitive teeth, you will need some dental treatment to correct the problem. Treatment options include bonding, a buccal filling, or a gum graft. The first two options are not permanent and come away with time. A gum graft has the best chance of permanently correcting gum recession and covering up the exposed root of the tooth causing you pain.

Gum Disease or a Chipped or Fractured Tooth
Various dental conditions cause tooth sensitivity and pain. Prevention is the best course of action, however, if you are already experiencing these symptoms and dental conditions, speak to you dentist about getting the dental treatment you need.

See Your Dentist For The Best Tooth Sensitivity Treatment

Whether you have transient or lasting tooth sensitivity, it is best to see a dentist to determine the true cause of your sensitivity. In conjunction with an overall dental exam, your dentist can use an instrument called a spray gun to dispense air across every area of each tooth in order to locate the sensitivity. Then, with your dentist, you can explore the causes of your tooth sensitivity, and the best treatment for you.

Our friendly team of Bowmanville Dentists offer all the sensitive tooth treatments outlined in this article.  If you have pain from tooth sensitivity, please call us today and let us help you get relief.  Our caring team is ready to help.