Kashish Sharma
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Written By: Kashish Sharma | Published : January 2, 2023 3:34 PM IST
Having a sensitive tooth can be a temporary problem or can indicate a serious tooth ailment
Many of us have experienced what a sensitive tooth might feel like. For every sip of that icy cold drink or the hot chocolate, you feel that uneasiness in your tooth. It can make our eating experience painful. Sometimes it can be a temporary problem but other times it can indicate a cavity.
In more technical terms, dentin hypersensitivity is when your tooth suddenly becomes more sensitive to cold or hot, or even acidic stimuli which other times never caused any inconvenience. It can be temporary or permanent. It can affect one tooth or many teeth at the same time. It can also have many causes. Some people with tooth sensitivity also have pain while brushing or flossing one's teeth.
Having a sensitive tooth can be a temporary problem or can indicate a serious tooth ailment. Hence if it doesn't get better in a few days, it is advisable to get it checked with your dentist. It is easily treatable. Tooth sensitivity can feel like an exaggerated response to certain physical stimuli such as hot, cold, acidic, sweet and even exposure to cold air sometimes. The following are some reasons why you might be experiencing it-
Sometimes conditions like gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) can cause acid to come up from the stomach or gastric passage and this might wear down its protective coating of your tooth, exposing it to a wide variety of substances. Other conditions that often cause gastric problems or vomiting can wear down the enamel and expose the part of the tooth containing nerve endings. Tooth decay and broken or chipped teeth can also cause sensitivity. Sometimes after having a dental procedure, your tooth might show increased sensitivity for a temporary period.
Your dentist might be the best person to assess whether the tooth sensitivity is temporary or if the cause is more pathological. Sometimes the condition can be treated using over-the-counter medicines or changing toothbrushes or toothpaste. However, if the pain is localized to one tooth, is sharp, happens without any obvious reason and might be causing difficulty while eating or chewing, then it might be a good idea to get it checked for a cavity.
