Sensitive Teeth: Common Causes and How Your Melton Mowbray Dentist Can Help

You take a sip of something cold, or breathe in on a frosty morning, and there it is. A sharp, sudden twinge. It passes in seconds, but it’s enough to make you avoid that side of your mouth.

Sensitive teeth are very common, and as the weather turns colder, a lot of people notice it more. The good news is that it usually has a clear cause, and there’s plenty that can be done about it.

Why Teeth Become Sensitive

Your teeth have a hard outer layer of enamel. Underneath is a softer layer called dentine, which is full of tiny channels leading towards the nerve. Below the gum line, the roots are protected by the gums rather than by enamel.

When dentine becomes exposed, hot, cold, sweet or acidic things can reach the nerve through those channels. That’s the twinge you feel.

Dentine gets exposed in a few main ways.

Brushing too hard. Scrubbing with a hard brush wears enamel down over time and can push gums back.

Receding gums. As gums pull back, they expose the root surface, which has no enamel protecting it. Gum disease is a common cause.

Acid erosion. Fizzy drinks, fruit juice, citrus fruit, wine and frequent snacking on acidic foods all soften enamel. Brushing straight after makes it worse, because you’re brushing softened enamel away.

Grinding or clenching. Many people grind their teeth at night without realising. It wears enamel down and can cause tiny cracks.

Decay, cracks or worn fillings. Sometimes sensitivity in one tooth is actually a sign of a cavity, a cracked tooth or a filling that’s started to break down.

After whitening or dental treatment. Some temporary sensitivity after whitening or a new filling is normal and usually settles on its own.

What You Can Do at Home

For mild, general sensitivity, these changes often help:

• Use a toothpaste made for sensitive teeth, twice a day. It can take a few weeks to work, so stick with it.
• Spit after brushing rather than rinsing, so the toothpaste stays on your teeth.
• Switch to a soft brush and use gentle, small circular movements.
• Wait about an hour after acidic food or drink before brushing.
• Cut down on fizzy drinks and fruit juice, or have them with a meal rather than sipping throughout the day.

When to See Your Dentist

Sensitivity is worth getting checked if:

• It hasn’t improved after a few weeks of using sensitive toothpaste
• It’s in one tooth rather than across your mouth
• The pain lingers after the hot or cold thing has gone
• It hurts when you bite down
• Your gums look like they’re receding, or they bleed

These can point to decay, a crack, gum disease or a problem with the nerve, and all of those are much easier to deal with when they’re caught early.

How We Treat Sensitive Teeth

The right treatment depends on what’s causing it, so the first step is always finding out why. Depending on what we find, we might:

• Apply a fluoride varnish or desensitising treatment to strengthen the enamel
• Cover exposed root surfaces with a tooth-coloured bonding material
• Replace a worn or leaking filling
• Treat gum disease to stop recession getting worse
• Talk to you about a night guard if grinding is the cause
• Repair a cracked or badly worn tooth, sometimes with a crown

If the nerve itself has become inflamed or infected, root canal treatment may be the best way to save the tooth.

Sensitive Teeth Treatment in Melton Mowbray

You don’t have to put up with wincing every time you have a cold drink. If sensitivity is bothering you, book in with us in Melton Mowbray, and we’ll find the cause and talk you through what will help.

Call us on 01664 562 092 or book online.