What Causes Sensitive Teeth

1. What Causes Sensitive Teeth? Do you ever wince at the thought of biting into ice cream or drinking hot tea? If so, you may suffer from sensitive teeth – and you could be suffering unnecessarily. Tooth sensitivity is a common and painful condition, and any number of underlying dental problems can cause it. Although the best person to diagnose this condition is your dental professional, there are a few things that are helpful to know. How Dentine Hypersensitivity Starts Your teeth become sensitive when they lose their protective covering, allowing the nerves to become overly sensitised. To understand this, let’s take a look at the anatomy of your tooth.

2. The inside of your tooth is mostly made of a material called dentine, which surrounds the pulp of the tooth at the very centre. The pulp is a soft tissue containing nerve fibres. The dentine contains microscopic tubules which communicate with the pulp of the tooth and hence, the nerve fibres. A hard outer layer of enamel protects the dentine on the crown portion of your tooth, and a layer of cementum protects the dentine on the root of your tooth. Dental hypersensitivity or nerve irritation. The dentine loses its protective covering of enamel or cementum, exposing the nerve endings in the pulp to hot, cold, acidic or sweet foods. erosion causes dentine Causes of Sensitive Teeth The following dental issues can cause sensitive teeth: Worn tooth enamel from using a hard toothbrush and using a hard grip while brushing aggressively (this can also cause gums to recede) Tooth erosion due to highly acidic foods and beverages Tooth decay, worn, leaky fillings and broken teeth that expose the dentine of your tooth Receding gums that leave your root surface exposed Grinding your teeth at night to the extent that dentine is exposed by tooth wear

3. Post-dental treatment sensitivity (this is common, but temporary, especially with procedures such as crowns, fillings and tooth bleaching) Preliminary Dental Treatment A conversation with your dental professional should be the first step in finding relief from your discomfort. Describe your symptoms, tell your dental professional when the pain started and let them know if there’s anything that makes things feel better, or worse. After your dental professional determines the reason for your sensitivity, he or she will treat the underlying cause. Treatment may be as simple as fixing a cavity or replacing a worn filling. Desensitising Products If the pain is due to exposed dentine, there are numerous treatments to help you manage the sensitivity. Your dental professional can apply an in- office fluoride gel to strengthen tooth enamel and dentine, and reduce painful sensations. You can also purchase desensitising toothpaste that can help block the dentine tubules or numb the nerve endings in the pulp. Your dental professional may also suggest that you rub some of the toothpaste directly on the affected areas after brushing. Get In Touch With US 1300180555 www.royaldentalcare.com.au admin@royaldentalcare.com.au