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While having an ice cream you just take a bite or a spoonful and suddenly you crumble in pain. Has this always happened to you? Or maybe while sipping from a cup of steaming coffee or having a hot soup you experience a sharp and shooting in the teeth. If you have experienced any of these already then you are accustomed with the problem of tooth sensitivity. A large number of people in this planet including the UK suffer from this sensitive tooth problem.
However a sensitive tooth may also result from cavity in the tooth. At advanced stages the cavity wears off the tooth enamel. This exposes the innermost layer of the tooth called the pulp. As a result you suffer from sensitive tooth or teeth. In dental terminology the problem is known as dentin hypersensitivity. In this condition you experience pain and discomfort in the teeth ranging from minor to severe. The pain and discomfort occur as a result of certain stimuli like cold and hot temperatures.
The problem of tooth sensitivity could either be temporary or chronic. The problem may affect just one tooth, a few teeth or all the teeth that an individual possesses. According to oral health experts there can be several factors behind development of this problem. Usually these cases are treated with changing the dental hygiene regimen of a patient.
What are the symptoms of sensitive tooth?
Patients suffering from sensitive tooth are likely to experience pain and inconvenience as a response to certain triggers. A dentist with years of experience in treating patients for sensitive teeth in the UK identifies those triggers as following –
- Hot foods and drinks
- Cold foods and drinks
- Sugary foods and drinks
- Acidic foods and drinks
- Cold water (this becomes more obvious while undergoing routine dental cleaning)
- Cold air
- Brushing or flossing the teeth and
- While rinsing the mouth using any alcohol based mouthwash
For most of these patients the indications originate and go on their particular with or without any ostensible reason. The warning sign can be insignificant as well as severe.
Identifying the causes behind the problem
The enamel coating on the teeth is not the same for everyone. Some people have thinner enamel coating while some have thicker. People who have thinner coating of the enamel in their teeth obviously have more complain with their sensitive teeth than others.
For those who do not know what the veneer is it is significant to discussion that enamel is the outmost layer of the tooth. It is also the toughest layer of our tooth and it shields the tooth from wear and tear. However in many circumstances the enamel can get compromised. Reasons for which the tooth enamel may get worn down include the following –
- Using a toothbrush with hard bristles
- Brushing the teeth too hard
- Suffering from bruxism (or grinding the teeth at night in sleep)
- Extreme eating of acidic foods and drinks
These are not the only causes for sensitive teeth and treatment. At times other conditions too may lead to this problem. For example we can take up Gastro Esophageal Reflux of GERD. When one suffers from this medical condition acid present in the stomach and esophagus may come upward and wear down the teeth enamel. Even certain conditions that cause frequent vomiting may play a vital role in wearing down the enamel in the teeth. Thus patients suffering from medical issues like Bulimia and Gastroparesis are at higher risk of developing teeth sensitivity.
Gum recession is another potential risk for tooth sensitivity. Gun recession results in exposed and unprotected parts of the tooth. This often leads to sensitivity of the tooth or dentin hypersensitivity.
The dentin section of a tooth also gets exposed when you suffer from broken teeth, decay in the tooth, worn out fillings or crowns, chipped teeth and such other issues. In these cases the sensitivity problem crops up in a single tooth or only a group of teeth and not the entire mouth. The teeth are also known to turn little sensitive right after certain dental works. These works include dental crowns, filling and bleaching of the teeth. These types of issues subside on their own in a few days.
Now that we are aware about the causes behind sensitive teeth let us now explore how dentists diagnose this issue.
Diagnosis of sensitive teeth
If you experience little sensitivity in the tooth for the first time you should immediately book an appointment with your dentist. It is not a good idea to ignore this problem right at the initial stages. The dentist will carefully diagnose your teeth to find out the cause of the problem. While diagnosing patients for tooth sensitivity dentists pay special attention to potential issues like recessed gum tissues, cavity in the tooth and loose dental filling.
This type of diagnosis can also be carried out during routine dental appointments and routine professional cleaning of the teeth.
Now let us discuss remedies to this problem.
Treatment for tooth sensitivity
In the following section of this blog post let us discuss one of the most crucial aspects – how to reduce the problem of sensitive teeth.
If the problem of sensitivity is mild you can go for dental products that are available over the counter or OTC. There is whole range of anti sensitivity toothpaste available in the market. This range of toothpaste is specially formulated with de-sensitising components to cure the problem of sensitive teeth.
Mouthwashes that are free of alcohol also prove helpful in this problem. Alcohol-free mouth rinses cause much less irritation in the mouth compared to the with-alcohol variety. Always brush the teeth with toothbrush that has soft bristles. Avoid hard bristled toothbrushes at all costs if you do not want the protective enamel coating on your teeth to wear away. There remedies will work but you have to be patient to get results. Do not expect your desired results arrive overnight.
In case home remedies fail then you should visit your dentist without any delay. Your dentist can recommend prescription toothpaste and mouthwash. These prescription products are more effective and deliver faster results explains a dentist associated with the Thousand Smiles. In more serious cases dentists rely on fluoride gel or desensitising agents. These treatments are provided inside a dentist’s office.
