What Dental Problems Cause Sensitive Teeth
There are over 40 million people that deal with some sort of tooth sensitivity. In some cases, the sensitivity is only temporary and can be cured by getting treatment. Receding gums can cause sensitivity, the need for a root canal can cause a sensitive tooth, periodontal disease can cause sensitivity.
Temporary sensitivity that is linked to dental health issues is not a true sensitivity condition. Getting the dental work that you need done at Friendly Dentistry in Greensboro can put an end to the sensitivity.
In some cases, tooth whitening can cause heightened sensitivity temporarily. TMJ, Temporomandibular conditions can also cause heightened sensitivity. Sensitivity problems typically are not felt as an aching. The pain is sharp and does not last. Teeth pain from teeth sensitivity and teeth pain from dental health issues are different.
If you are suffering from an aching sensation, or throbbing constant pain make an appointment to see the dentist.
The Symptoms of Dentin Hypersensitivity
If you experience pain or discomfort when you are eating or drinking food that is either hot or cold, you may be dealing with a tooth sensitivity condition. In some cases, you may even experience pain when you inhale deeply. Hot and cold air can cause sharp pain.
Those twice a day tooth brushing sessions, using mouthwashes, even grabbing a too cold drink of water can cause immediate acute pain, that quickly disappears once the oral temperature is regulated back to normal.
Understanding Tooth Structure
Understanding this condition starts with understanding the structure of your teeth. Teeth are made up of three parts:
- Enamel
- Dentin
- Root System
The enamel is the outer surface of the tooth, and is the hardest substance in the human body, but for many people, the enamel has become compromised or is not thick enough. When the enamel is compromised the dentin, the soft pulp that is rich with nerve endings and highly sensitive, is exposed in ways that it is not meant to be.
Thinning enamel, enamel erosion, a cracked tooth, chipped tooth can all expose the dentin (pulp) in the tooth to temperature changes that elicit a pain response. The root of the tooth connects the body of the tooth to the jaw.
In the absence of diseases like gingivitis, tooth decay, recent dental work, periodontal disease, a sensitive tooth is almost always related to tooth erosion. Enamel insufficiency is the most common cause of tooth sensitivity.
