Ann-Marie Banks, from Apollonia House Dental and Health Care in Grasscroft, offers some advice about sensitive teeth.
Please feel free to call Apollonia House Dental and Health on 01457 821800 or email info@apolloniahouse.com for any dental questions or concerns you have. You can also visit their website.
HAVING SENSITIVE teeth can mean anything from getting a mild twinge to having severe discomfort for several hours.
What causes sensitive teeth?
The part of the tooth we can see has a layer of enamel that protects the softer dentine underneath. If the dentine is exposed, a tooth can become sensitive. This usually happens where the tooth and the gum meet and the enamel layer is much thinner.
Some causes of sensitivity:
- Brushing too hard and from side to side can cause enamel to be worn away. The freshly exposed dentine may then become sensitive.
- Dental erosion: this is loss of tooth enamel caused by attacks of acid from food and drinks. If enamel is worn away, the dentine underneath is exposed which may lead to sensitivity.
- Gums may naturally recede and the roots of the teeth will become exposed and can be more sensitive.
- Gum disease: a build-up of plaque or tartar can cause the gum to recede and even destroy the boney support of the tooth. Pockets can form in the gums around the tooth, making the area difficult to keep clean and the problem worse.
- Tooth grinding: This habit can cause the enamel to be worn away, making the teeth sensitive.
- A cracked tooth or filling: A crack can run from the biting surface of a tooth down towards the root. Extreme temperatures, especially cold, may cause discomfort.
- Tooth bleaching: some patients have sensitivity for a short time during bleaching or afterwards. Discuss this with your dental team before having treatment.
Sensitivity Prevention
There are many brands of toothpaste made to help ease the pain of sensitive teeth. You should use the toothpaste twice a day to brush your teeth, brush, spit and don’t rinse the toothpaste away. You can also rub it onto the sensitive areas.
These toothpastes can take anything from a few days to several weeks to take effect. Your dental team should be able to advise you which one is suitable for you.
What treatments can the dentist offer
During an examination the dental team will talk to you about your symptoms. They will look at your teeth to find out what is causing the sensitivity and the best way of treating it.
The dental team may treat the affected teeth with special ‘de-sensitising’ products to help relieve the symptoms.
Fluoride gels, rinses or varnishes can be applied to sensitive teeth. These can be painted onto the teeth at regular appointments to build up some protection.
Sensitivity can take some time to settle, and you may need to have several appointments, but sometimes one application is adequate and is effective for six months.
If this still does not help, your dental team may seal or fill around the neck of the tooth, where the tooth and gum meet, to cover exposed dentine.
Call or email Apollonia House Dental and Health for any professional advice.
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