What is tooth sensitivity?
Dental hypersensitivity or hypersensitive teeth is a disorder that causes acute, brief and transient pain to stimuli such as cold or heat. This occurs when the tooth enamel is altered. The pain appears before a stimulus but when the stimulus is removed, the pain disappears completely in a few moments.
What are the causes of tooth sensitivity?
Dental hypersensitivity can have several causes:
- Incorrect brushing
- Caries
- Periodontitis
- Receding gums
- Mucogingival surgery
- Tooth whitening
- Acidic foods
Can tooth sensitivity be prevented?
The recommended measures to prevent tooth sensitivity are:
- Avoid consumption of very cold or very hot foods and drinks, foods with a high sugar content and fruits with a high acid content, such as strawberries, lemons, oranges, etc.
- Avoid bruxism and the use of wooden chopsticks.
- Brush well and use low abrasive toothpaste.
What is the treatment for tooth sensitivity?
Treatment for hypersensitivity may consist of using toothpaste for sensitive teeth and changing the way you brush. If this does not work, the dentist may apply an enamel coating to the tooth surface or, if the pain is too severe, may choose to kill the nerve.