Having sensitive teeth can be downright painful, especially while you're trying to eat cold and hot food. While you might be inclined to reach for a tube of sensitive toothpaste, this will only mask the problem and can't fix it. It's likely that one of these three issues has occurred with your teeth that's causing your sensitivity, so check out this list.
Enamel Wear
One of the most common causes of sensitive teeth is enamel damage. Enamel is the hard outer shell of your tooth that's responsible for keeping out things like bacteria and plaque. But that's not all that it does.
The enamel of your teeth acts like a sheath that keeps the nerves in your teeth from being overly sensitive. When the nerves move closer to the surface because the enamel has degraded or decayed, the nerves become more sensitive and even the slightest exposure to extreme temperatures or touch can be quite painful.
Crack or Break
A small crack or even a break in a tooth can also definitely cause sensitivity. Unfortunately, these injuries aren't always obvious to the naked eye. Sometimes they're so tiny that they seem unnoticeable, or in other cases, the crack can actually develop under the gum line so that there's no way for you to see it. In this case, you would need a diagnosis from a dentist utilizing dental x-rays to ensure that your tooth is in one piece. If it isn't, repairing the tooth will likely resolve your sensitivity issues.
Gum Disease
Finally, it might surprise you, but gum disease could be contributing to the discomfort you're experiencing in your tooth.
When you have gum disease, your gums are essentially infected with bacteria. This creates inflammation, which is part of the reason why infected gums hurt. However, the inflammation sometimes doesn't stop at the gums. Inflammation can spread, and it's possible that the nerves in your teeth are irritated as a result. Thankfully, in this instance, treating the gum disease should put your pain to bed.
Taking care of your teeth at home isn't enough to necessarily prevent these problems from happening, or to make them go away. If you're having sensitivity, it means that something is definitely wrong with your oral health and you need help from a dentist to correct it. Don't be afraid of the dentist — they're there to help. Get in touch with one and get the assistance you need to put this discomfort behind you.
Share21 December 2019
