It is a disorder that affects about 25% of the population and causes pain when ingesting hot cold foods and in some cases, acidic foods.
What is the cause of this sensitivity?
The most common cause of this sensitivity is exposure of the root of the teeth in the cervical area, or neck, due to receding gums caused by age or periodontal disease. It can also be caused by wear or fracture of the enamel of a tooth, or advanced decay. What all these cases have in common is the exposure of thousands of microspopic canaliculi in the dentin of the tooth to the oral environment. The heat or cold of food stimulates these canaliculi that carry the signal to the pulp and the patient feels the pain.
How do I know if my teeth are sensitive?
Any painful symptoms in the teeth to heat or cold should be investigated. For it is a sign that something is not right with the structure of the dental organ.
Is there treatment for sensitive teeth?
First, talk to your dentist. Tooth sensitivity can be treated, or cured, in 99% of cases. The dentist may apply fluoride gel, varnish, or prescribe a fluoride mouthwash. There are also low-abrasive toothpastes on the market and formulations made especially for sensitive teeth. The dentist will be able to indicate which products are most suitable for your specific sensitivity problem. Be careful with brushing to prevent your teeth from wearing down further. Too much brushing, brushes with too hard bristles, a partial denture with clamps and appliances that are too tight or too tight can also lead to dental abrasion.
Also avoid very acidic foods such as lemon, orange, pineapple, soft drinks, among others that can aggravate sensitivity or interfere with the treatment prescribed by the dentist. In cases where the sensitivity is caused by fractures or enamel wear or by caries, the treatment is restorative and can be easily resolved with esthetic light-curing resin restorations. In all these cases, acidic foods such as soft drinks, citrus fruits, etc. should be avoided as they can worsen tooth sensitivity and reduce the effectiveness of anti-sensitivity treatments.
What other problems can this sensitivity cause?
Ignoring sensitive teeth can cause the patient to unconsciously not perform their oral hygiene properly, especially the most sensitive areas, making them vulnerable to decay and gum disease.