Dental patients may experience tooth sensitivity for various reasons, and they need to visit a dental professional for answers. The first sign is pain and discomfort when drinking or eating foods that are hot or cold. This pain and discomfort could indicate different circumstances that require help from a dentist.
What Is Teeth Sensitivity?
With sensitive teeth, the patient experiences pain and discomfort when eating or drinking anything hot or cold. The sensitivity could emerge temporarily, or it can become permanent. Typically, tooth sensitivity is a common sign of enamel damage or a cavity. Therefore, at the onset of sensitive teeth, the patient must set up an appointment with their dentist for an examination.
What Causes Teeth Sensitivity?
Some patients may ask, “what causes sensitive teeth?” The causes of sensitive teeth include:
- Using a toothbrush that is too hard for the teeth.
- Brushing their teeth too hard.
- Grinding the teeth.
- The regular consumption of acidic foods and beverages.
- Patients that have gastroesophageal reflux could develop tooth sensitivity because of eroded tooth enamel. In addition, the patients are more likely to vomit more frequently because of GERD that damages tooth enamel.
Receding gums caused by periodontal disease is among the sensitive teeth causes. If the patient has any existing tooth damage, their teeth will become sensitive. A dental examination helps the patient determine if they have any existing tooth damage for which the patient isn’t aware. If the patient has tooth damage, the dentist will set up repairs to correct the damage, eliminating tooth sensitivity.
What Are The Symptoms of Sensitive Teeth?
The symptoms of tooth sensitivity include triggers that cause pain and discomfort. The most common triggers are hot or cold foods or beverages, sweet foods and drinks, acidic foods and beverages, brushing the teeth, and any alcohol substances, such as mouthwash and alcoholic beverages.
The dentist reviews the patient’s lifestyle when assessing sensitive teeth and determines what could cause the sensitivity. They will ask the patient about their diet and if the patient smokes or uses tobacco products. Smoking and tobacco cause tooth and gum damage. They can increase the risk of tooth sensitivity.
How to Treat Teeth Sensitivity
To treat tooth sensitivity, the dentist must start by identifying the cause. For example, suppose the patient grinds their teeth while sleeping. In that case, the dental professional will repair any damage caused by grinding the teeth, and they will prescribe a mouthguard.
If tooth damage causes the patient’s sensitive teeth, the dentist will complete repairs based on the type and degree of tooth damage. Broken teeth require dental bonding to correct the damage and reconstruct the teeth. Cavities are filled with a composite resin and sealed.
If there isn’t any apparent cause of sensitive teeth, the dentist advises the patient to use toothpaste and mouthwash designed for sensitivity. If the patient’s tooth sensitivity doesn’t stop, the dentist will complete X-rays to determine if there is damage underneath the gum lines that could present sensitivity.
If the patient’s teeth are overcrowded, there is a possibility of more adult teeth underneath the gums. If they find adult teeth that haven’t erupted through the gums because of overcrowding, the dentists will extract a tooth to make room under the gums for the tooth to emerge.
Dental patients who experience tooth sensitivity must discuss their symptoms with their dentist. The dentist may ask questions about their lifestyle and determine what changes are needed to improve the teeth. For example, grinding the teeth, brushing too hard, and using an overly hard toothbrush cause sensitivity. Patients must contact their dental professional to set up an appointment now.
