Your Marietta, GA, Dentist Explains Desensitizing Painful Teeth
You may have heard it said that a toothache is the worst kind of pain. Whether that’s accurate or not, anyone who’s experienced a toothache will agree: they hurt. While there are many causes of toothaches, in today’s blog, Marietta, GA, dentist Dr. Jeffrey Salatino will educate you on sensitive teeth. He’ll explain how you can treat sensitive teeth at home, and how we desensitize teeth in our office.
What Are Sensitive Teeth?
Google tells us that “sensitive” means “quick to detect or respond to slight changes, signals, or influences.” Sensitive teeth respond with a dull ache when they experience pressure as light as the wind or as intense as biting and chewing, and/or temperature changes within the mouth. Intense or acute pain is not the same as sensitivity.
Tooth sensitivity can occur on multiple teeth and in patients of all ages. It can be caused by:
Cavities
Cracks
Chips
Enamel erosion
Gum erosion
Problematic restorations
Tooth wear
According to the Academy of General Dentistry (AGD), up to 40 million adults experience tooth sensitivity at some point in their lifetime. If you develop ongoing tooth sensitivity, please call to schedule a consultation with your Marietta, GA, dentist, Dr. Jeffrey Salatino at Healthy Smiles of East Cobb: 770-973-9765.
Causes of Thin Tooth Enamel & Receding Gums
Generally speaking, tooth sensitivity usually refers to pain caused by thin tooth enamel or receding gums.
Tooth wear from clenching and grinding teeth, and acid erosion caused by foods and beverages reduce the thickness of tooth enamel. Think of enamel as the protective coating of your teeth. When enamel thins, teeth have less protection against temperature and pressure changes. Sensitive dentin beneath enamel is closer to the stimuli, and dental sensitivity results.
Gum erosion exposes teeth roots, which have no enamel protection. When gums pull away from teeth roots, some people feel pain if a strong wind blows against their smile. The causes of gum erosion include but are not limited to brushing too hard, using a hard-bristled toothbrush, or having gum disease. Approximately half of all Americans experience gum disease at some point during life, and the condition is linked to a heightened risk for pre-term births, Alzheimer’s disease, dementia, heart problems, lung problems, and some cancers. Learn more about gum disease at the American Academy of Periodontology website.
Treatments for Sensitive Teeth
Desensitizing Toothpaste: The first defense against dental sensitivity is in your local pharmacy. Some toothpaste brands, like Sensodyne, are designed to reduce sensitivity. They include potassium nitrate or strontium chloride, two chemicals that may reduce sensitivity over time.
Fluoride Treatment: Fluoride has a very cool property. It attracts phosphorus and calcium, two minerals that are essential to the health and strength of tooth enamel. Your public water supply likely contains a small amount of fluoride. Children benefit from ingesting fluoride. Adults, however, only benefit from topical fluoride since their teeth are no longer growing. Professional fluoride treatments, in our office or with a prescribed toothpaste or mouthwash, strengthen tooth enamel to reduce tooth sensitivity in kids and adults. (Children under three should use non-fluoridated toothpaste.)
Dental Sealants: Sealants are thin coatings of white or clear medical-grade plastic applied to the chewing surfaces of molars to protect them from sensitivity and cavities. We regularly suggest sealants for kids under 14 years of age. In cases of dental sensitivity, adults may benefit from sealants, as well. Dental sealants never need to be removed. They safely wear away over time.
Dental Bonding: We use the same composite resin material for bonding as we use for dental fillings. Bonding adds structure to chipped, widely spaced, or malformed teeth for cosmetic purposes. However, Dr. Salatino can add a veneer of bonding, a full-surface coating, on teeth with thin or worn-away enamel. A thicker barrier between dentin and painful stimuli will decrease or eliminate sensitivity in select cases.
Gum Grafting: If your dental sensitivity is caused by exposed teeth roots, a gum graft can rebuild the gum tissue so that it covers and protects the teeth roots. Gum grafts require a brief surgery and are quite common, particularly in older persons. The risk of developing periodontitis (gum disease) increases with age.
Mouthguards: Bruxism, the clinical term for clenching and grinding teeth, usually happens while the patient is sleeping. A roommate or partner may mention having heard you grinding your teeth at night. The dentist is often the first to diagnose bruxism, based on tooth wear and damage. Bruxism can be related to TMJ disorder, too. To stop teeth grinding, Dr. Salatino will advise that you wear a comfortable mouthguard to protect your teeth overnight.
Replace or Place New Restorations: If a filling, crown, or bridge is worn or damaged and the affected tooth becomes painful, it’s probably time to replace the restoration. Most dental restorations last from five to 15 years. The affected tooth probably developed a cavity after the restoration’s seal broke. New cavities, chips, and cracks indicate that you need a restoration, as well. After treatment, your toothache should subside.
Diagnosis of the Cause of Tooth Sensitivity
If your teeth ache in response to pressure, the release of pressure, or temperature changes, call Dr. Salatino for pain relief. He’ll analyze your teeth and take X-rays to determine the cause of your pain. He’ll then provide a treatment plan based on his findings.
Your questions are welcome, as are your concerns. We believe in the power of information. The more you know about a situation, the better equipped you’ll be to make a wise choice. So please, tell the doctor what’s on your mind during your consultation!
Schedule a Consultation with Dr. Salatino, Your Marietta, GA, Dentist
With a five-star Google rating and excellent reputation, Dr. Salatino offers general, restorative, and cosmetic dental services to patients who live or work near Marietta, GA. Call 770-973-9765 today to schedule your dental consultation. Ask about our Zoom! Special for new patients. If you have no insurance, ask about our $299 checkup and cleaning offer. We accept and file most insurances, and financing is available.