Tooth sensitivity is often caused by the exposure of dentin on root areas due to receded gums or periodontal disease. Normally, the underlying dentin of the tooth (the layer that immediately surrounds the nerve) is covered by enamel in your tooth’s crown, and the gums that surround the tooth. This enamel covering may wear down over time, becoming thinner and providing less protection. Your gums can also recede over time, exposing the underlying root surface dentin. The dentin contains a large numbers of pores or tubes that run from the outside of the tooth to the nerve in the center. When the dentin is exposed, these tubes can be stimulated by changes in temperature or certain foods. Continue reading
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Causes of Sensitive Teeth
Are you suffering from sensitive teeth?
Tooth sensitivity or known as dentin hypersensitivity is short or transient sharp pain of a rapid onset that arises from exposed dentin layer of one or more teeth subsequent to loss of tooth structure (enamel layer of the crown or cementum layer of the root). It usually occurs in response to stimuli—typically cold, air pressure, drying, sugar, acids, chemicals or forces acting onto the tooth—and cannot be ascribed to any other dental defects or pathology. These stimuli are non-noxious, and are not generally expected to generate a pain response, except as seen in sensitive teeth. In contrast, a noxious stimulus would be the toxins of bacteria within a decay lesion leading to dentinal pain. Areas of exposed dentin at the junction between the crown and the root (cervical area) account for much of the observed tooth sensitivity. Continue reading
All about tooth sensitivity: Part 2
Continued from ‘All about tooth sensitivity: Part 1‘
Is tooth sensitivity a problem?
Generally tooth sensitivity is not a serious dental problem and is fairly well tolerated by most people. In a subgroup of the population though, sensitive tooth can be severe, to the extent that even a gentle blow of air on those surfaces can be very uncomfortable and unbearable.
Tooth sensitivity is not uncommon and most people would have experienced it at some point of their lives. But usually our saliva, which by nature is filled with minerals; act as a protective mechanism by sealing the area of exposed dentine. This is done through laying down of mineral deposits over a period of time, which explains the reason behind sensitive tooth needing a couple of days before it settles down. Professional scale clean can inevitably remove this soft layer, allowing dentine to be exposed again, resulting to tooth sensitivity. But this does not usually cause a problem as normal saliva will recreate the seal in a matter of days, sometimes hours. Continue reading
All about tooth sensitivity: Part 1
Tooth sensitivity
Tooth sensitivity is a common dental condition where the teeth becomes extremely sensitive to hot and cold, leading to tooth pain. It affects quite a number of adults, sometimes affecting their lifestyle where certain food with extreme temperatures such as ice-cream or hot coffee needs to be taken cautiously or in some cases, avoided completely.
Cause of tooth sensitivity
Tooth sensitivity occurs due to the exposure of dentinal tubules layer of the teeth which is usually protected by enamel. There are a range of factors that can contribute to dentine exposure, such as tooth grinding, broken tooth, tooth erosion, defective tooth filling, tooth whitening, tooth straightening, dental crown or bridge work and so forth. These are explained as followed: Continue reading