Have you had pain when you eat or drink cold or hot water? Sometimes eating, drinking, and even breathing may cause your teeth to hurt, so why are your teeth sensitive? And what should be done to fix it?
There are 2 causes where your teeth can be sensitive
1. Unhealthy nerve
In some cases, your tooth may look perfect and normal however the nerve inside can be damaged caused by trauma, like when you hit your teeth on to something and it gets sensitive for a few days, it usually goes away without any intervention, unless there is continuous trauma to the teeth like grinding, clenching and biting heavily.
2. Physical damage to the tooth
Where in the dentin is exposed with less protection to the root, due to over brushing where the enamel is worn out or cavities. Since the dentin is not completely solid, there are small, microscopic tubules going into the root, which easily transmits sensations into the nerve. This is why you feel pain when you drink hot, cold, or acidic food.
Both causes can be temporary or prolonged and will affect one or more teeth. Most cases can be managed, you can try toothpaste for tooth sensitivity which contains chemicals that could fill in the exposed tubules and reduce sensitivity. Some treatments can be given by your dentist, but your dentist must determine the cause first.
Here are some other issues that cause teeth sensitivity:
· Hard brushing using a hard-bristled toothbrush, wearing down the enamel of the tooth.
· Gum recession due to gingivitis which also exposes the dentin.
· Broken teeth can be filled with bacteria and cause inflammation in the pulp of the tooth and may lead to an abscess in serious cases. These can become filled with bacteria from plaque and cause swelling and infection in the pulp of the tooth.
· Plaque buildup
· Use of mouthwash for a long time, wherein the acid contents of the mouthwash wear out the enamel of the tooth.
· Acidic foods and drinks
· Dental treatments, oral prophylaxis, root planning, restoration prosthodontic procedures.
What should I do to avoid teeth sensitivity?
· Use desensitizing toothpaste can help reduce pain and there are different brands available over the counter.
· Fluoride application on the sensitive tooth using a custom tray to reinforce the enamel and reduce the sensitivity.
· Treatment of exposed roots by bonding or desensitizing, this is performed by applying bonding resin to the sensitive areas, in some cases anesthetics may be required.
· If there is gum loss, gum grafting may be done by harvesting gum tissues from other parts of the oral cavity and will be grafted to the area to cover the exposed part of the tooth.
· Root canal, this is the last possible treatment you can have to treat sensitive teeth, this procedure eliminates the problem by removing the nerve and blood vessels causing the pain and is considered the most successful treatment for sensitive tooth.
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