Dr. M. Akram Khan

If you have experienced sharp pain when you eat/drink hot, cold, sweet and sour food/drinks, or when you brush/floss your teeth, you may be suffering from tooth sensitivity provided that you do not have oral problems such as tooth decay. Even if you do not have any sensitive teeth, you are encouraged to read this article to prevent it.

What is Tooth Sensitivity? Tooth sensitivity is mainly caused by exposure of dentine (innermost layer) of the tooth to the oral environment. The dentine has numerous fine tubules which connect to the pulp. When the nerve endings in the pulp are irritated by external stimulus, sharp pain is felt.

The outermost layer of the crown is enamel. If the enamel has been damaged, the dentine will not be protected. The dentine of the root of a tooth is covered by the gum. If there is gum recession, the dentine of the root will be exposed.

Dentine Exposure is caused by:

1. Using a toothbrush with hard bristles

2. Brushing the teeth with excessive force or incorrect brushing technique, leading to gum recession and abrasion of the root surface 

3. Periodontal disease, resulting from gum recession and exposure of root surfaces

4. Acid erosion of enamel due to frequent intake of highly acidic food or drinks.

5. Habitual teeth grinding which wears off the enamel

Management of tooth sensitivity

1. Consult the dentist and learn the correct tooth brushing technique to prevent further abrasion of root surfaces.

2. Use desensitizing toothpaste to relieve tooth sensitivity. Please consult your dentist before purchasing or using desensitizing toothpaste.

3. If dentine has been exposed, the dentist can apply topical fluoride or put a filling over the exposed surface to reduce the sensitivity.

4. If you habitually grind your teeth, the dentist may fabricate a “night guard” for you to wear over the teeth to prevent continual attrition of teeth.

5. Other than tooth sensitivity, dental problems such as tooth decay, gum disease and cracked tooth may also lead to toothache. Therefore, if you have a toothache, please consult your dentist to find out the reasons behind it.

Dental implants need to be maintained carefully after surgery and for that you got to follow a few essential caring tips. 

Best caring tips after dental implants:

1. Maintaining a healthy diet: Healthy diet needs to be maintained and in this case, only nutritious and soft foods are to be included. 
2. Careful brushing: Only soft bristle brush needs to be used in this regard and do not pressurize the treated areas. In this case, tenderness needs to be considered so that brushing can be conducted carefully without injuring or hurting implants. 
3. Avoid smoking: You are not allowed to continue  smoking after implants, as that can make the situation complicated, as a result, of which you might even experience dreadful consequences. You should follow different steps to completely curtail the smoking habit from your lifestyle. 
4. Scheduling appointments: You should meet your dentist on a frequent basis in order to make sure that everything is perfect. You can also visit your dentist in times of emergencies when you are facing tremendous pain or bleeding. 
5. Maintaining oral hygiene: Oral hygiene is the most important thing, and this is the reason you are advised to use any special mouthwash or any other flossing solution. This step needs to be continued for preventing the growth of unwanted infectious elements as that can ruin the implants completely. You should also carefully brush your teeth without affecting the implanted area.  
6. Avoid cold or hot drinks and foods: You should not take excessively hot or chilled items immediately after dental implants as that might create an adverse situation. This is a strict instruction which is usually given to the patients by their dentists so that implants can be protected and can be maintained in the long run. 
7. Apply ice pack: If you want to get rid of unwanted swelling and inflammation, immediately after dental implants, then nothing can be the best than homemade therapy, other than using ice packs. You should keep the ice packs just over the swollen art directly, and you can even try out this therapy multiple times in a day and will get relief instantly. 
8. Taking painkillers: If the implanted area has swollen up, and it is paining badly, then you should try useful painkillers, but the medicines should be prescribed by your dentist. But do not take these medicines on a frequent basis rather take them only when the pain is severe.

Related Tip: "Reasons Why You Should Not Be Nervous About Dental Implant"