Sensitivity : A Common Problem

Sensitivity : A common Problem

Patient education post-2

Many people have come to me and said, “ Doctor, My teeth are sensitive. I can’t eat or drink properly”. What does it mean ?

Tooth sensitivity ( also known as dentinal hypersensitivity) is an increasing common dental problem. It is a sharp, severe, short term pain to any external stimulation for example cold drinks. 

 We all  should know, how it occurs? How can you avoid it? And if you feel severe sensitivity what treatment are available for it? I will try to solve these questions through this blog. 

If  intake of hot, cold, sweet or very acidic foods and drinks or breathing in cold air makes your teeth painful then you have sensitive teeth.
Because most of the cold/hot drinks attacks on the exposed inner part of tooth and stimulates inner sensitive part . Now what is this inner part of tooth, how it get exposed to external environment?

Let’s see the basic structure of teeth. Our teeth have mainly 3 parts : these are,

             Tooth structure

As you can see, that the outer covering of tooth  is Enamel. It is a protective layer and it is believed to be stronger than bone. When this strong layer is worn out due to some reasons( listed below) the inner part that is dentin gets exposed. This exposed part is very sensitive to  cold or hot drinks or sweet food, yogurt  and some alcoholic beverages . They provoke the inner layer and  causes sensitivity. Another reason for sensitive teeth is the exposure of root of the teeth caused by the loss of gum tissue ( Gingival recession).

What are the reasons for sensitivity?

•  Improper and aggressive brushing 
•  Use of hard bristled brush
•  Brushing for more than 2 times
•  Brushing in side to side movement
•  Use of ‘Tooth Whitening Toothpaste’ which contains harsh chemicals
•  Use of higher acidic mouth rinses
•  Poor oral hygiene 
•  Gum recession
•  Tooth decay
•  cracked tooth
•  Improper filling in the tooth
•  Continuous grinding of teeth
•  Severe acidity problem
•  Intake of acidic drinks/foods
•  Frequent vomiting 
•  Not maintaining balanced diet

These all above mentioned reasons are responsible for wearing away of protective layer enamel or receding gum line below the normal and hence  ultimately it leads to sensitivity.

“ If you are able to avoid all above mentioned points and  try to follow the correct methods of maintaining oral hygiene as I explained in my 1st blog ,you people can easily stay away from sensitivity.”

Now if you are facing sensitivity problem then What are the treatment plans available for it?

Management of sensitivity depends upon the severity of the sensitivity and the associated other oral findings. For that you need to consult your dentist to know the reasons behind it and correct treatment. I will tell you in brief about the treatment options.

1. Use of desensitizing toothpastes. Take a little amount of paste on your finger and rub over the area where you feel the sensitivity for 2-3 minutes and  then brush your teeth gently in circular motion.
2. Use of fluoridated mouthwash after brushing. Gargle it for atleast one minute.
3. Proper deep Cleaning(scaling) of your all teeth.
4. Application of fluoride gel 3-4 times at the interval of some specific time.
5. If the sensitivity is due to tooth decay filling can be done.
6. We can place cap(crown) and cover the exposed part of the tooth, if needed.
7. In severally worn out cases we can attempt Root Canal Treatment.

Be true to your teeth and they won’t be false to you.😄

-Soupy sales

Don’t Ignore your oral hygiene, as the sensitivity can be the early warning sign of more serious dental problems.
I hope this blog made your concept clear. Still if you have any doubt drop your question in the comment box.

See you till the next post ,Thank you😃