Sensitive Teeth: Causes and What Helps

HEALTH · GLOBAL

Sensitive Teeth: Causes and What Helps

Why teeth become sensitive, what the toothpastes do, whitening and when to see a dentist

Sensitivity is one of the most common dental complaints and usually has a specific, findable cause rather than being something to live with.

Why it happens

The dentine underneath enamel contains tiny tubules leading to the nerve. When enamel is worn or gums recede and expose root surface, hot, cold, sweet and acidic things reach those tubules and cause the sharp, short pain people describe.

Common causes are acid erosion, brushing too hard, gum recession, grinding and a cracked or decayed tooth.

Acid is the biggest factor

Fizzy drinks, fruit juice, wine and citrus soften enamel. Sipping through the day is far worse than drinking the same amount with a meal, and brushing straight afterwards removes softened enamel.

Wait about an hour after anything acidic before brushing, and rinse with water instead.

What toothpastes do

Sensitivity toothpastes either block the tubules or calm the nerve, and both take a few weeks of consistent use. Rubbing a little onto the sensitive area with a finger at night and not rinsing improves the effect.

Use a soft brush, light pressure and fluoride toothpaste, spat out rather than rinsed.

Whitening

Whitening commonly causes temporary sensitivity. In the UK it may only be carried out by a dentist or under their prescription above a low peroxide level, and salon whitening is illegal.

Brushing properly

Twice a day for two minutes with a fluoride toothpaste, spat out and not rinsed, so the fluoride stays on the teeth. A soft brush held at the gum line at an angle, with small movements rather than scrubbing.

Clean between teeth daily with floss or interdental brushes, since a brush reaches only about three fifths of each tooth.

Gum recession

Once gum has receded it does not grow back, so preventing further loss is the goal. Hard brushing, gum disease and grinding are the usual causes, and a dentist or hygienist can tell you which applies.

Diet

Frequency matters more than quantity. Keeping sugary and acidic things to mealtimes gives teeth hours to recover in between.

Dentist visits

Regular check-ups at the interval your dentist recommends, which is based on risk rather than a fixed six months. Problems caught early are cheaper and less painful to treat.

Tell the dentist about sensitivity rather than assuming it is normal, since it frequently has a treatable cause.

Ask a dentist before starting any whitening, since it suits some teeth and not others.

When to see a dentist

Pain that lingers, wakes you, is localised to one tooth, or comes with swelling. Those suggest decay, a crack or nerve involvement rather than simple sensitivity.

Grinding is treatable with a guard.

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