Sensitive Teeth – Q&A’s
Does hot or cold food and drink affect your teeth?
Here at Abbey Road Dental, we sometimes see patients who come to us complaining of symptoms caused by sensitive teeth. We understand they can cause the odd bit of discomfort for some, and a truly uncomfortable feeling lasting for hours at a time for others.
If a patient does let us know they have sensitive teeth here at our St John’s Wood practice, we will always investigate further, as sensitive teeth can be a symptom of some more serious dental issues. As tooth sensitivity is a common complaint, we thought you might find it useful to understand a little more about it with these Q&A’s
What Are Sensitive Teeth?
The level of suffering caused by sensitive teeth differs from person to person. Some people have a slight twinge in their teeth after eating or drinking something particularly cold or hot, others can suffer from a severe discomfort for hours after an ‘attack’.
Who Is Most Likely To Suffer From Sensitive Teeth?
Sensitive teeth are extremely common and can affect almost anyone at any time. Generally, those most likely to suffer from sensitive teeth will be aged between 20 and 40 and women tend to be the most likely to suffer.
What Makes The Teeth Sensitive?
Teeth have a layer of enamel on the outside that protects everything inside the tooth. If the components underneath are exposed (dentine), this can cause tooth sensitivity. This dentine exposure tends to happen most often at the part of the tooth where it meets the gum, because the enamel in this part is thinner than it is higher up on the tooth.
What Causes Sensitive Teeth?
Lots of things can cause the teeth to become sensitive including:
- Brushing incorrectly either too hard or from side to side rather than up and down
- Naturally receding gums can cause the roots of the teeth to be exposed and therefore more sensitive
- Gum disease can cause the gums to recede exposing various parts of the teeth that are usually under the gums. Gum disease can also cause pockets to form in and around the tooth making cleaning difficult
- Dental erosion is where the enamel is eroded away because of the teeth being exposed to acid, thus exposing the dentine causing sensitivity
- Tooth grinding where the teeth are being ground together can wear tooth enamel down
- A damaged tooth with a crack or filling can expose the inside of the tooth
- Tooth whitening can cause sensitivity for a short time after the treatment. If you have the treatment at Abbey Road Dental in NW8 we will discuss this potential side effect with you before the treatment is done
When Is Tooth Sensitivity Most Likely?
Most common causes for tooth sensitivity pain are:
- Sweet food or drink
- Acidic food or drink
- Cold air catching the teeth
- Cold food or drink
- Hot food or drink
Speak To Abbey Road Dental About Sensitive Teeth
If you feel you are suffering from sensitive teeth, or are worried about getting sensitive teeth, please have a chat with us about this at your next checkup. Alternatively, if you are experiencing severe discomfort, want to discuss it with us sooner rather than later, or want to discuss other dental issues or treatments with us, please call us on 02076241603 and we will be more than happy to help.