Sensitive teeth treatment

Tooth sensitivity is so common that it can be called an epidemic. It is a symptom of some other problem, usually one affecting the tooth enamel and the dentine of the tooth itself. It is always a result of an overreaction of the dental nerve to outside stimulus, and it usually means that the dental nerve is too close to the surface. Here are some cases of tooth sensitivity and how to make it stop.

The dentine

The dentine is a soft tissue layer inside of the tooth insulating the nerve. It is full of little tubules that are full of liquid, and if there is pressure on them, the dental nerve will send a pain reaction to the nerve. The pressure of sucking or a sudden drop in temperature will cause this fluid to move suddenly, which will cause pain. This is the classic case of tooth sensitivity. Usually, the dentine is well insulated by a layer of tooth enamel, but if this enamel goes missing, then the pain reaction will spring up again and again.

Pressure

If a tooth is damaged, it can expose the nerve to the outside world, which will cause tooth sensitivity. The tooth may also be pushing down on the nerve, and this will cause bite tenderness. Bite tenderness is much more common with dental crowns, as the teeth themselves rarely shift in a way to put pressure on the nerves in the mouth.

Remineralisation

The good news is that the tooth enamel is not gone forever once it is lost. The teeth can always have their tooth enamel replenished, and this will stop tooth sensitivity. You can remineralise your teeth in two ways: internally and externally.

Internal remineralisation means you will be eating a lot of dairy and beans because these two foods are naturally high in fluoride and magnesium, the two most important building blocks of tooth enamel. The body will replenish the missing tooth enamel ASAP, but it may take a week or so before you see any results.

External remineralisation means that you apply a fluoride gel, foam or ointment directly to the tooth. The tooth enamel matrix that is on your teeth will bind with the externally applied fluoride, and thus manually remineralise your teeth, ending tooth sensitivity.

The best idea is to go and see your dentist before the tooth that is sensitive becomes decayed and needs more serious dental treatments. Teeth that are sensitive are much more prone to dental problems, so you should get them checked out immediately!