Sensitive Teeth Services

The Science Behind Tooth Sensitivity

Before knowing why you experience that sharp pain, you should know how your teeth are structured. Your teeth are fortified against attack. The visible portion of your tooth, the crown, is composed of enamel, the hardest substance in your body. The tooth’s root is covered by a layer known as cementum below the gumline. These outer layers protect the inner layer, which is softer and more vulnerable, called dentin.

Tooth sensitivity has a clinical name, dentin hypersensitivity, which is directly related to the cause of the issue. Dentin is a spongy layer that contains thousands of microscopic tubes known as tubules that connect to the nerve center of the tooth, or pulp.

The protective enamel or cementum (a protective layer over the tooth root) wears away, exposing these tiny tubules. Then external stimuli, such as a puff of cold air or the sugar in a slice of cake, can flood into these channels, and the fluid in them will flow.

This fluid movement excites the nerve endings in the pulp, which your brain translates into a sudden, sharp pain. To be sensitive, two things must occur: the dentin must be exposed, and the tubules must be open, providing a direct connection between your mouth and the nerve.

Causes Of Exposed Dentin And Sensitivity

What then is the reason that this protective barrier is broken down in the first place? The causes may be different and include daily habits and underlying dental diseases. Determining the exact cause is your dentist’s most important action in designing a good treatment plan.

Enamel Wear and Tear

Mechanical or chemical wear with time is one of the most common causes of enamel erosion. You may be surprised to know that certain habits that you practice in your day-to-day life may be contributing to the problem. You can brush your enamel away by brushing too hard or with a toothbrush with stiff bristles. This vigorous brushing may cause enamel loss and gum recession in the long run.

Bruxism, or teeth grinding, is another frequent offender. Grinding and clenching teeth is a habit that many people are unaware of, and most of them do it unconsciously, particularly when asleep. This persistent, intense friction may slowly erode the strongest enamel, exposing the dentin layer to the elements.

Your food habits also contribute a lot. Acidic foods and beverages, including citrus fruits, tomatoes, soft drinks, and wine, may chemically dissolve the enamel of your teeth. The regular intake of these products leads to an acidic environment in your mouth, which softens the enamel, making it more vulnerable to wear.

Damage and Structural Problems

In some cases, sensitivity is not a result of wear but the direct destruction of the tooth structure. A significant cause is tooth decay and cavities. The bacteria in your mouth feed on the sugars and produce acids that eat away and destroy the enamel, leaving holes that may go deep into the dentin.

Likewise, a fractured, chipped, or cracked tooth provides a direct conduit for the stimuli to the dentin and nerve. This damage may occur due to an injury, a sports accident, or even biting on something hard. Old fillings can be troublesome. Over the years, dental fillings may weaken, break, or acquire small cracks at the edges, which may cause leakage of bacteria and stimuli to enter the teeth and make them sensitive.

Gum-Related Issues

Damage to your gums, crucial in protecting your teeth, typically leads to sensitivity. Gum recession is when the gums recede, revealing the root surface. The root is also coated with cementum, unlike the tooth crown, which is very soft and easily worn off compared to enamel. Exposure of the root is nearly certain to cause sensitivity.

Periodontal disease, commonly called gum disease, is the primary cause of gum recession. This disease starts with the accumulation of plaque, which causes inflammation and gum infection. When not treated, the gums will begin to recede, and the bone holding the teeth can be destroyed, causing even greater issues than sensitivity.

Chemical and Procedural Causes

Certain dental products and procedures may also cause temporary sensitivity. Over-the-counter and professional teeth whitening treatments are known to produce temporary sensitivity. The active ingredients can temporarily increase the porosity of the teeth. Other over-the-counter mouthwashes may have acids or alcohol, irritating exposed dentin and making some individuals more sensitive.

Lastly, a minor sensitivity is normal following a regular dental procedure, like a professional cleaning, a filling, or a crown. This hypersensitivity is not permanent, and it fades away as the tooth and other tissues recover.

Treatment Solutions

When you experience that acute pain, the first thing that comes to your mind is probably, “How do I stop this?” Luckily, there are numerous options for effective treatments, starting with minor adjustments to your daily routine at home and ending with in-office procedures. The best solution for you will solely depend on the root cause of your sensitivity.

At-Home Care and Management

The relief may start with most individuals’ daily oral care routine. In many cases, your dentist may advise you to begin with the least invasive treatments, which can be effective as a primary defense.

• Desensitizing Toothpaste

A desensitizing toothpaste is one of the most effective and available solutions. Such toothpastes have special active substances, such as potassium nitrate or stannous fluoride, which act in one of two ways:

1. They either seal the tiny tubules in the dentin so that stimuli can no longer reach the nerve, or
2. They act to calm the nerve itself so that it is less sensitive to triggers.

They can offer incredible relief with regular use, but it may take a few weeks of application before you can see a significant difference. You can apply a little to the delicate areas before going to bed. 

• Strengthen Your Enamel with Fluoride

Your dentist may also advise you to use more powerful fluoride products. Fluoride is a mineral that is naturally found and is essential in maintaining dental health, as it aids in strengthening and remineralizing your tooth enamel, which makes the surface more resistant to the acid attacks that cause sensitivity. This extra protection may be a prescription-strength toothpaste, containing more fluoride than the over-the-counter varieties, or a fluoride mouth rinse used daily.

• Review Your Brushing and Flossing Method

It is also paramount to adjust your oral hygiene routine to protect sensitive teeth. Aggressive habits are a significant cause of the problem that many unknowingly contribute to. You can avoid further abrasion of the enamel or recession of the gum by switching to a soft-bristled toothbrush and applying gentle, circular brushing motions.

Remember that you should not scrub your teeth but clean them effectively. It is also vital to floss daily, as it cleans the plaque between your teeth and along the gumline, which may cause gum disease and recession, revealing sensitive roots.

• Mouthguard Use

If you are sensitive due to teeth grinding or bruxism, then the most direct and effective solution would be a protective mouthguard. Your dentist can make a night mouthguard specifically to fit your mouth. This easy-to-wear appliance serves as a cushion between your lower and upper teeth. It takes the extreme pressure that grinding and clenching can cause, safeguards your enamel against being worn down over time, and avoids sensitivity and damage in the future.

Professional Solutions for Lasting Relief

Once basic home care is insufficient to alleviate your pain or your sensitivity is a sign of a more serious underlying problem, it is time to seek professional dental services. Your dentist can offer you a broad range of highly developed procedures that provide more conclusive, specific, and permanent relief by treating the actual cause of your discomfort.

• Sealants and Topical Treatments

In cases where sensitivity is mainly due to shallow enamel erosion or initial exposure of root surfaces, topical applications that block the pathways to the nerve are frequently the first line of professional defense. These are noninvasive treatments that can give instant relief.

Fluoride varnish is one of the most popular. It is a very thick gel of fluoride, which your dentist applies to the surface of your teeth. The fluoride remineralizes and hardens the enamel, making it more resistant to acids and clogging the small dentin tubules (tiny channels that carry sensations to the nerve).

A dentin sealer, or dental bonding agent, is another very effective alternative. This is a painless, fast process in which your dentist places a thin coating of a safe, tooth-colored resin material directly on the sensitive parts of your teeth. This long-lasting sealant forms a protective layer that physically isolates the exposed tubules against external stimuli such as temperature fluctuations. Consider it like covering the sensitive areas of your tooth with a shield and preventing the pain before it begins.

• Restorative Procedures for Damaged Teeth

Restorative procedures are required if a structural issue, such as a cavity or a cracked tooth, causes the sensitivity. Depending on the extent of damage, your dentist will prescribe the proper form of restoration, whether a dental filling to seal a cavity, a veneer, or a dental crown to cover and protect a cracked, broken, or severely worn-down tooth. These restorations remove the sensitivity and give back to the tooth its strength and appearance.

• Exposed Roots Surgical Gum Grafting

Periodontal therapy might not cover the exposed root in severe and advanced gum recession cases. In cases where a considerable amount of the root is exposed and is very sensitive, a surgical procedure referred to as a gum graft (or gingival graft) can be the most appropriate remedy. The process will restore the gumline and seal the exposed vulnerable parts.

In a gum graft, a small amount of tissue is removed, usually from the roof of your mouth or a donor site, and is surgically implanted over the spot where the gums have receded. As it heals, this new tissue combines with the existing gums, covering the exposed root. Not only does this give a dramatic and usually permanent decrease in teeth sensitivity, but it also enhances the health and appearance of your gums and guards the root against future decay.

• Root Canal Treatment

In the worst, chronic, and disabling instances of tooth sensitivity, the issue is usually deep into the nerve, or pulp, of the tooth. It may occur due to decay or a crack that allows bacteria to reach the pulp or due to trauma that leads to irreversible inflammation. In such cases, when the nerve is the cause of the pain, the best and most conclusive remedy is a root canal.

Despite its anxiety, a root canal is a contemporary, routine, and usually painless procedure that aims to permanently preserve the natural tooth and relieve pain. Your dentist will also thoroughly examine the tooth’s inner chamber, eliminating the damaged and infected nerve tissue.

The chamber is subsequently cleaned, disinfected, and covered with a biocompatible sealant (a safe material that bonds to your tooth to block pain triggers). The nerve has been removed, preventing the tooth from sending pain signals to the brain. This gives a full and lasting solution to the sensitivity, and you can preserve a tooth that may require extraction.

Preventing Teeth Sensitivity

As soon as your sensitivity is under control, the next step is to ensure it does not recur. The habits that aid in treating sensitivity are also the best protection against it. The first step is to learn how to brush softly with soft bristles.

Watch what you eat and drink by avoiding acidic foods and beverages. If you indulge, use a straw to reduce contact with your teeth and rinse your mouth with water to help neutralize the acids. Above all, continue to visit your dentist regularly to have your teeth professionally cleaned and checked so that any problems that might arise are detected and dealt with at an early stage.

What Happens When You Neglect Sensitive Teeth?

Tooth sensitivity may seem minor, but it is best not to overlook it, as it may cause more severe complications. The first symptom of a deeper problem is usually sensitivity; untreated sensitivity leads to the development of the problem.

For example, when the cause is enamel erosion or a small cavity, the neglect may result in the decay spreading further into the tooth, resulting in a root canal or even tooth loss. In gum disease, failure to act may aggravate gum recession, loss of bone, and eventually, the tooth in question. Untreated, chronic pain may also result in an infected tooth or abscess, a severe condition with systemic health consequences.

Questions to Ask Your Dentist

The next time you see your dentist, preparing questions to understand better what is happening to you and what can be done is a good idea. You may want to ask yourself the following:

• What makes my teeth sensitive?
• What do you think is the best treatment that should be given for my case?
• Can I do anything at home to prevent the sensitivity from worsening?
• Do you prescribe any oral care products, such as toothpaste or mouthwash?
• How frequently should I visit the office for professional cleaning and check-ups?

Find Sensitive Teeth Services Near Me

Tooth sensitivity is an indication from your body that your teeth need care. The causes are varied, but the solutions are practical and easily accessible. Whether it is a slight adjustment to your daily life or a professional treatment in a dental office, there is a way for everyone to find relief. You do not need to live with the pain or the fear of the next painful shock anymore. 

You do not have to keep tolerating the pain. Instead, schedule an appointment with your dentist in Calabasas. The only way to receive a conclusive diagnosis and a custom treatment plan to help you deal with the cause of your sensitivity is to have a thorough examination.

Work with our dental team at Calabasas Smiles Advanced Dentistry to address this irritating problem, preserve your long-term oral health, and eat and drink everything you love with a healthy and confident smile. Call our dental office today at 818-878-7300 for advice and teeth sensitivity treatment.