Question for all the dentists. What are some of the reasons for tooth sensitivity?

Question

all answers will be greatly appreciated.

Answer 1

There are many reasons for transient sensitivity of your teeth ( erosion of enamel, cracks, fractures, cavities, etc) and it is important that those reasons be ruled out by your dentist. Most chronic cases of sensitivity are due to clenching and grinding your teeth. Sensodyne will help, but what you really need is a biteguard that you wear at night to help keep your teeth separated and prevent you from generating maximum force squeezing your teeth together. The position of rest is lips together, teeth slightly apart. As you go about your day, see where your teeth are and if they are touching, you are clenching. This parafunctional habit becomes subconscious like breathing. You breathe all day long and never think about it, clenching and grinding is the same way. If you are clenching during the day, 100% you are clenching at night only with more intensity and frequency. During the day you have to behaviorally change what you are doing, but at night you wear the biteguard to prevent you from squeezing your teeth.

Answer 2

A tooth can be sensative for several reasons. If you brush your teeth with a hard bristle toothbrush, the gums around the tooth can receed exposing the area where the enamel meets the tooth root. This tooth root is porous and allows heat and cold to easily be transferred to the nerve inside the tooth.
Teeth can also be sensative when they have a cavity ( hole ) in the tooth that exposes the inside of the tooth.. close to the nerve... to an irritant.. such as heat or cold.
In summary, anything that causes stimulation to the nerve in the tooth causes the person to perceive pain or sensativity.

Answer 3

Teeth have structures call microtubules. These tubes are filled w/ fluid or partially occluded by minerals. Nerves fill these tubes close to the pulp of the tooth. Changes in the mouth that cause the fluid to move cause nerve stimulation and since teeth only feel pain that can cause pain/sensitivity.

Bleaching breaks down minerals leaving the tubes more exposed and sugar draws fluid out of the tubes causing sensitivity. This is the basic principle.

Answer 4

1. There is tooth decay
Treatment: remove decay and restore the structural damage
2. There is a pulpitis
Treatment: perform root canal therapy or some other endodontic intervention
3. There is a problem with the bite
Treatment: resolve the bite problem by selective recontouring or structural restorative treatment
4. There is a crack in the tooth
Treatment: Either restore the tooth, perform root therapy, or extract as the situation dictates
5. There is dentinal exposure due to functional wear or other issue
Treatment: cover the worn area with a restoration
6. There is gum recession either due to function or gum disease
Treatment: Treat the gum disease, re-cover root surface with a gum graft, or use topical desensitizing agents or toothpastes.

Hope this helps

Answer 5

this same thing just happened to me and its actually both.. because your wisdom teeth ar starting to come in and have probably broken some skin which has inabled food to get trap and is causing an infection. Mine got so bad and I just kept trying to take advil and ignore it thinking it was just sore gums that when it got to the point where i couldn't stand it anymore that when i called and told an oral surgian what was going on, he told me to come in that day and removed my wisdom teeth. the dentist could just give you antibiotics for the infection but really the best thing to do is just go ahead and get those wisdom teeth pulled cause you could get another infection. As of waiting until monday- take about 4 advils you aren't going to overdose as long as you still wait 4 hours to take more. and dont let the medicine wear off. every for hours take more meds casue if it wears of you know its gonna be hurtin still! also just load up on the ambisall. oh and rinse with luke warm salt water

Answer 6

there are actually small microscopic pores in your teeth and using tooth whiteners will clean them out and make your teeth sensitive. the best thing out there is Sensodyne and it acts as a polishing compound and fills in the small pores. You will only have to use it for about a week then go back to your regular toothpaste. I have to use it about twice a year to fill in the little pores. Hope this helps.

Answer 7

Receding gum line, exposed nerve, cracked tooth, loose filling, could be many things. Best to get in and be seen.