Have you ever experienced a little sharp twinge after drinking something cold? Or maybe after indulging in a sweet treat?  You’re not alone, a survey of dentists show that 1 out of 8 people is struggling with sensitive teeth.

Why is a Tooth Sensitive?

Tooth sensitivity is caused by the overlying outer layer or tissue of the tooth, the enamel or cementum, being lost. When one or both of these layers are lost, the underlying layer of the tooth, called the dentin, is exposed.  The dentin layer has tiny tubes that interact with the nerve layer of the tooth.  When the tiny tubes are in contact with something extreme, such as cold, hot, sweet or acidic, it will communicate with the nerve and cause the nerve to flare up causing that jolt that is felt until the food or drink causing the pain is removed.

What Can Cause Teeth Become Sensitive?

There are several ways that you can lose your enamel/cementum, such as cavities, wear from brushing too hard or grinding your teeth, acid erosion or bone loss.

Another cause for sensitive teeth can be due to fillings, old and new.  Old fillings, over time, can pull away from the tooth causing small gaps between the filling material and the tooth.  These gaps can cause sensitivity when foods or drinks flow into them.  New fillings as well can cause sensitivity.  This sensitivity should typically only last a few days.

Sensitivity can is also found when teeth are cracked or the start of infections.  Sensitivity is more noticed during biting with cracked teeth, while infected teeth tend to have a lingering sensitivity that if left alone becomes an ache.

What Can be Done About Sensitive Teeth?

First, finding out the cause is important when deciding how to treat your sensitivity.  Discuss your sensitive teeth with your dentist. It is always helpful to keep a journal of when you feel the sensitivity to help narrow down the cause.  In your journal be sure to log where you feel the sensitivity, top or bottom, left or right, front or back, how often you feel it, the duration of time you feel it, and what caused it, such as eating something cold, hot or biting.  Also rating the sensitivity from a scale of zero to ten can be helpful to your dentist.

For patients who have lost enamel/cementum, it may be easy as switching toothpastes to one specifically for sensitivity or by placing a filling to cover up the exposed dentin.  Those who have faulty fillings may need them replaced.  If the sensitivity is from a cavity, a filling should reduce the sensitivity. More aggressive treatment is needed for a tooth that is cracked or infected, such as a root canal and/or crown.

It is important with sensitivity that you follow up with your dentist to make sure that if there is any underlying issues, such as a cavity or crack that it is not left untreated.