Sensitive Teeth
Sensitive teeth result when the underlying layer of your teeth (the dentin) becomes exposed. This can happen on the chewing surface of the tooth as well as at the gum line. In some cases, sensitive teeth are the result of gum disease, years of clenching or grinding your teeth on your sleep, or hard or improper brushing. if the bristles of your toothbrush are pointing in different directions, you may be brushing too hard.
If you experienced pain after having a hot cup of coffee or a piece of ice, chances are that you suffer from "teeth hypersensitivity," or more commonly, sensitive teeth.
Over 50 million adults in the United States suffer to some degree of sensitive teeth.
Abrasive toothpaste, like baking soda, sometimes cause sensitive teeth. Moreover, ingredients found in some whitening toothpaste that lighten and remove tooth stains from enamel, and sodium pyrophosphate, the key ingredient in tartar-control toothpaste, may increase tooth sensitivity.
In some cases, toothpaste for sensitive teeth, sealants, desensitizing ionization and filling materials including fluoride, and decreasing the intake of acid-containing foods can alleviate some of the pain associated with sensitive teeth.
Sometimes, a sensitive tooth may be confused by a patient for a cavity or abscess that is not yet visible.
Sensitivity Teeth to Cold
Cold sensitivity does not necessarily mean that you have a serious dental problem. Cold temperature changes cause teeth to contract. Your teeth may develop microscopic cracks that allow these sensations to penetrate through to the nerves. Exposed areas of the tooth can cause pain and affect your eating, drinking and breathing habits.
Cold sensitivity is the most common conditions reported by the patient to dental hygienists and dentists. This problem is shared by many people as evidenced by over the counter dental products on the market for sensitive teeth, Sensodyne Toothpaste being the most readily recognized.
The cause of this type of sensitivity is often not serious, the noxious feeling brought on by cold liquids can be rather startling and severe. This is because the only sensation that the nerve of a tooth registers is pain known as a toothache. Regardless of the type of stimulus (hot, cold, sweet, etc.) if the dental nerve is stimulated by something cold, it will hurt on and off.
The intensity of cold sensitivity can from mild to intense pain. The purpose of this cold sensitivity is to identify the most common causes and offer some practical solutions.
In any case, contact your dentist if you notice any change in your teeth's sensitivity to cold water after any dental work performed.
Sensitivity Teeth to Hot
A tooth sensitive to hot food or drink can be more than a minor inconvenience. If hot tea and hot coffee cause sudden tooth sensitivity are because the enamel wears down, which may cause tooth decay, which exposes sensitive nerves within the pulp of the teeth. Sensitivity to hot foods is often a warning sign that a cavity is forming and it's time to make an appointment to see your dentist.
A change in the way your teeth react to hot often means there's a problem happening in you teeth outer surface.
Sensitivity Teeth to Air
When the tooth outer protective lawyer known as enamel is worn down or gums have receded away from the tooth, cause the tiny tube surfaces to be exposed, pain can be caused by air. Tooth sensitivity is one of the most common complaints among dental patients.
Tooth sensitivity to cold is a common name for dentin hypersensitivity or root sensitivity.
Sensitive Teeth Toothache
The condition where teeth hurt is called tooth pain know as a toothache. There are many reasons why all your teeth hurt. Chronic tooth grinding in response to stress is one of them. Patients who have receding gums on multiple exposed tooth roots may complain of pain sensitivity. Tooth decay knows as caries and enamel demineralization may produce toothaches.
People with eating disorders and acid reflux conditions may dissolve away their tooth enamel that erodes tooth structure. This can make them sensitive.
Teeth Sensitivity after filling
Tooth sensitivity days and about a week after having a filling placed may most likely be due to an uneven bite, However, it often is too hot and cold foods and air temperature. The most common cause of pain after the placement of a filling is a “high” or uneven bite. This happens when a filling placed on the biting surface of your tooth is uneven with the opposing tooth. When this is happening, your bite feels a bit off. The good thing is that it’s not anything to worry much about it. All you would have to do is go back to the dentist and he or she would smooth out the filling surface so it fits better with its opposing tooth when you are biting down.
If the sensitivity persists beyond two weeks, call your dentist to inform them of your symptoms. Depending on the type of work you had done, your dentist may decide to perform additional X-rays and suggest you wait a bit longer to see if things eventually would settle down.
Sensitivity Teeth to Sweets
There are many causes of teeth sensitive to refined sugar, but common causes include brushing too hard or enjoying too many highly acidic foods.
Eating sugary, sticky food increases your risk of teeth sensitivity. This is because the bacteria in dental plaque feed on the sugar in your mouth to produce acid that attacks tooth enamel.
Your teeth are frequently under attack by acids from the sugar. Limiting your sugar intake is vital if you want to give your mouth a fighting chance to fix the damage. From the natural process of remineralization which replaces those minerals and strengthens the teeth. Saliva contains minerals such as calcium and phosphates to help repair the teeth.
Sensitivity Teeth Causes
Eating acidic foods. Eating too many tomatoes, citrus, fruit juices, and other acidic foods cause sensitivity. Too many acid-rich foods and drinks may erode the outer covering of your teeth, called enamel, and expose the inside layer called dentin.
Too Much Mouthwash. Limit rinsing to once or twice a day. If you're still sensitive, ask your dentist about prescription rinses or those that lower sensitivity.
Receding gums. The roots of your teeth have micro tubes where the nerves live. that carry feeling (hot, cold, sweet) to a nerve center known as the pulp. The roots are covered by gum tissue. But if you have gum disease, that layer may recede from teeth, exposing the sensitive root. Receding gums need an intervasion by a dentist.