Possible Causes and Solutions for Sensitive Teeth

Sensitive teeth cause a woman to hold her cheek in pain while drinking coffee.
Sensitive teeth? Come see us at Dental Partners of Boston.

During the pandemic, dental schedules were disrupted when dental offices shut down due to COVID-19. We have been open for several months now working hard to schedule check-ups, including regular cleanings and oral exams. While much energy is spent on staying healthy and safe, we must not forget our teeth. When was the last time you had a dental cleaning and a check-up? If it’s been 6 months or more, you may start to notice changes in your dental health, including tooth sensitivity. Even if you take great care of your teeth, a professional cleaning and oral health check-up are important overall health care habits.

Possible Causes for Sensitive Teeth

Do you experience sensitivity while drinking cold water? Does drinking hot coffee hurt your teeth? Does breathing in a delicious breath of cool outside air make your teeth ache? That’s tooth sensitivity. There are various causes of sensitive teeth that Dental Partners of Boston can address. Teeth become sensitive when they are neglected, or the enamel is worn and the nerve is exposed. Other reasons for sensitive teeth include worn fillings, cracked teeth, or gum disease, to name a few.

Healthy teeth have a cover of enamel that protects the crowns of your teeth. Additionally, cementum is under your gum line and protects your roots. Underneath your cementum and enamel coating is dentin. Your dentin has small channels that cold or hot beverages can penetrate. When drinks reach your nerve they can cause pain in your teeth and gums. If not treated properly, this can result in hypersensitivity.  Patients with hypersensitivity report almost constant discomfort.

Treating Sensitive Teeth

Treating sensitive teeth may only need a good professional cleaning. If the problem goes deeper, you may need to see a Boston periodontist such as our own Dr. Sergio Guzman, if a problem has developed in your gums. A periodontist has the tools and skills necessary to clean underneath the gum line to treat damage from gum disease. The type of treatment patients receive for tooth sensitivity is dependent on what the problem is.

At home, you can use desensitizing toothpaste. The toothpaste creates a layer between your teeth, gums, and nervous system within your teeth. This may help prevent pain but will take several applications before a noticeable improvement. Contact us if you aren’t able to make a difference on your own.

If the pain comes from decay or imperfections in your teeth, we can treat it with a crown, inlay, or bonding. To reduce sensitivity caused by gum tissue that has become diseased, we may recommend laser treatment. If the sensitivity becomes severe and persistent and cannot be treated by any other means, we may recommend a root canal.

Maintain Good Oral Hygiene

The best way to keep your gums and teeth healthy and strong is to maintain high standards of oral hygiene. We have new protocols to keep our patients and our team safe during the pandemic. Don’t hesitate to schedule an appointment. If you are experiencing uncomfortable flashes of pain and discomfort, make sure to visit us as soon as possible. Please contact us to make an appointment today.

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