The Tribune

Dr Sparkman Ferguson

IS DRINKING a cold glass of water or sipping a hot cup of tea painful for you? Does brushing or flossing make you wince? Does eating a chocolate bar, or sitting in front of a blowing fan cause you pain in your mouth? If any of these are happening, you are experiencing sensitive teeth.

The five possible causes of sensitive teeth are teeth with caries (cavities), fractured (cracked) teeth, gum disease, worn fillings and enamel abrasion.

In healthy teeth, a layer of enamel protects the crowns of teeth (the part above the gum lines). Under the gum lines, a layer called cementum protects the roots of teeth. Dentin makes up the bulk of a tooth and is infused with microscopic tubules with nerve endings.

When dentin loses its protective layers of enamel or cementum, the microscopic tubules then allow heat, cold, acidic substances or sweet substances to reach the nerve endings and these cause hypersensitivity and pain.

Caries (cavity)

Sensitivity or pain in a tooth produced by drinking cold drinks is among the “final warnings” from a tooth. The tooth is then begging to be restored to its original state. The pain means that the cavity is allowing the cold to irritate the nerve endings in the dentin, or maybe has gone beyond the dentin and into the pulp proper (main nerve).

Sometimes, a person is able to ignore this pain to cold sensations. If so, and later on, the tooth will no longer respond to cold drinks but to hot drinks instead. This is usually a bad sign, and signifies that the tooth is dying or dead.

Fractured (cracked) teeth

Sudden sensitivity in a tooth can mean that it has been fractured or cracked. Any crack that penetrates the dentin will allow food and drink to enter and cause pain. A cracked tooth may be restored and return to normal. A fractured tooth may suggest that the crown and the root is involved in the fracture. This causes immense pain with all drinks and while chewing. Such teeth are removed to eliminate pain.

Gum disease

In the midst of gum disease, there is tooth sensitivity. This is primarily because the gums become recessed (move down the root). This helps the root to lose some of its protective cementum, thereby causing the root of the tooth to become sensitive. Treatment for root sensitivity is accomplished with dentin blockers.

Worn filling

When a filling is worn, it is fragmenting within a tooth or frayed around its edges. Whatever the case, it allows drinks with temperature to cause sensitivity. Placing a new filling in the tooth easily treats this.

Enamel abrasion

Vigorous brushing with medium and hard toothbrushes cause enamel abrasions. These toothbrushes are the incorrect ones to use and, with the pressure from brushing, can carve deep holes in the tooth. When the hole reaches the dentin, spontaneous or unprovoked sensitivity and pain begin.

The person brushing with Sensodyne toothpaste, or the dentist applying topical fluoride or dentin blockers, can sometimes treat this sensitivity. If the carved hole is too large, a dental filling is usually needed to treat this concern. Brushing with a soft toothbrush along with a proper brushing technique prevents toothbrush abrasions.

Conclusion

Whatever the cause, sensitive teeth are a painful and annoying experience. If you experience sensitivity in your teeth, an early visit to your dentist is recommended to avoid progression of an already threatening situation.