Do You Have Sensitive Teeth?
Tooth Sensitivity is More Common Than You Might Think
About 1 in 4 adults suffer from tooth sensitivity. It's not a disease, but a condition that usually develops over time, reaching its peak between the ages of 30 and 40. Most sufferers are between 20 and 50 years old, but that span is growing. Today's dietary habits are causing an increasing number of younger people to report pain, and tooth sensitivity is also affecting an increasingly older age group, as they tend to keep their original teeth longer.
Your Dentist and Dental Hygienist Are Sensitive to Your Pain
If your teeth hurt when you eat or drink something cold, hot, sweet or sour, or when you brush or floss, you could have dentin hypersensitivity, commonly known as tooth sensitivity. The pain of sensitive teeth can feel like a short, sharp twinge or stab. It can happen suddenly and often passes quickly. It's the kind of pain that can make you want to change what you eat or drink, or how you brush or floss your teeth. That's why it's important to talk to your dentist or dental hygienist about properly treating your tooth sensitivity.
What Causes Tooth Sensitivity?
Enamel and gums protect your teeth, but there are a number of different ways that this natural protection can weaken. Certain foods or drinks, and even brushing too hard, can be damaging.
- Dietary Acids - "Acidic" foods or drinks like pop, certain alcoholic beverages, citrus fruits and drinks, or pickled products, can "soften" the hard enamel that covers the tooth surface. Once the acid "softens" the enamel, it takes a couple of hours for the enamel to harden again.
- Tooth Wear - Brushing too hard or grinding your teeth can gradually remove the enamel, especially when its "soft". Over time, the protective enamel can wear down so much that the part of the tooth called dentin becomes exposed. Dentin is porous and contains nerve endings. When dentin is exposed, the nerve can be irritated by cold or hot temperatures, sweet or sour foods, as well as brushing or flossing. That's why this type of pain is called dentin hypersensitivity.
- Gum Recession - Many people experience gum recession with aging, but brushing too hard can also affect your gums by pushing them back until they no longer cover the tooth at the natural gum line. This gum recession can be an important factor leading to dentin exposure and tooth sensitivity.
Temporary Sensitivity
In addition to the sensitivity caused by tooth wear and gum recession, there are some situations that can cause temporary sensitivity:
- Bleaching or whitening
- Gum surgery
- Scaling or polishing
Bleaching is the most common cause of temporary sensitivity. It is reported that up to 75% of people who whiten their teeth experience discomfort!
What Can You Do About Tooth Sensitivity?
It's important to begin by removing the cause! Try to eliminate or at least reduce the things that led to dentin exposure in the first place. Doing so will help ensure treatment success.
What Can You Do About Tooth Sensitivity?
It's important to begin by removing the cause! Try to eliminate or at least reduce the things that led to dentin exposure in the first place. Doing so will help ensure treatment success.
© GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare