Tooth Sensitivity: The Facts, Myths, and Treatments From Your Uptown Charlotte Dentist

At some point or another, most people will have experienced a sharp flash of pain in their teeth whenever they eat or drink hot foods or cold beverages. If you’ve ever experienced or are experiencing this, you’re not alone. That sharp flash of tooth pain is called dentin hypersensitivity, more commonly known as tooth sensitivity.

Some people say that tooth sensitivity leads to cavities and tooth decay. While this isn’t necessarily true, it isn’t exactly wrong, either. Pain felt while eating hot or cold foods can point to a cavity. However, it’s also experienced by people with sensitive teeth.

Many common misconceptions surround the issue of tooth sensitivity. Fix your tooth sensitivity with your #1 dentist in Uptown Charlotte, near the Plaza Midwood area, and learn how to properly fix tooth sensitivity.

What Is Tooth Sensitivity?

Tooth sensitivity is the response of the tooth to high or low temperatures. The sensitivities range from temporary to chronic conditions, and they might not affect just one tooth. 

Regardless of the severity of the condition, the bright side is that tooth sensitivity is treatable, and with the proper routine and treatment, you can properly fix it.

Causes of Tooth Sensitivity

The tooth has a protective top layer over it called enamel. Tooth sensitivity is a result of the thinning of this layer due to overexposure to acidic food substances that act on the enamel, and cause it to lose its component minerals and leave exposed dentin. When these minerals are lost faster than your body can replace them, a process called demineralization occurs, leading to tooth sensitivity.

It’s not only excessive acidic foods and beverages that wear down the enamel – teeth grinding, brushing your teeth aggressively, and using a hard toothbrush will also cause demineralization. Gum recession, use of teeth whitening products (especially ones that aren’t recommended by your dentist), a cracked tooth, and health conditions that cause constant vomiting will also cause tooth sensitivity.

Myths and Facts Surrounding Tooth Sensitivity

Tooth sensitivity occurs when your tooth’s enamel is worn out, and your body can’t replace the lost minerals in time. The demineralization continues leaving the nerve endings of the tooth exposed. When these exposed nerve endings meet hot or cold foods or beverages, you may experience a sharp pain in your mouth.

Several myths surround this condition, and while some are closer to the truth than others, they still aren’t accurate. There’s no time like the present to unlearn a few of these myths and learn the facts about tooth sensitivity:

Myth: Cold sugary foods will cause sensitivity, not hot foods.

Facts: The cause of sensitivity is an exposed dentine (where all the nerve endings reside) or a gum recession coming into contact with hot, cold, sweet, or sour foods or beverages, and results in the sharp pain felt. It is not the food; it is your dentine exposed.

Myth: Tooth sensitivity is caused by cavities in the tooth.

Fact: This is only true in some cases. Tooth cavities don’t cause all tooth sensitivity issues, as you might feel the pain, but it doesn’t mean you have a cavity. To be on the safe side, visit your dentist to find out the cause of the pain.

Myth: Tooth sensitivity is always temporary

Fact: This myth is dependent on the cause of the sensitivity. Cases of sensitivity can be temporary or permanent based on the causes behind them.

Preventative Care for Sensitive Teeth

To prevent tooth sensitivity, brush your teeth twice daily using toothpaste containing an active amount of fluoride, a soft-bristled toothbrush, and floss in between meals. Limit sugary snacks, acidic foods, and beverages, and drink lots of water.

To top it up, make sure to visit your dentist in Uptown Charlotte near the Plaza Midwood area, Dr. Alston, to improve and maintain your dental health. Here are other things you should expect from your dentist:

All Things Fluoride

From fluoride treatment procedures to dentist recommendations for fluoride toothpaste, you can get all you need at our dental practice to help combat and effectively treat your tooth sensitivity.

Bonding

If you have a chipped or broken tooth, this may cause your sensitivity. Dental bonding involves the use of composite resin the same color as your teeth to cover the area missing. This protects your dentin from hot and cold temperatures taking care of your sensitivity problem.

Root Canals

If a cavity that has eaten deep into the tooth is the cause of the sensitivity, a root canal procedure might be done to save what is left of the tooth and stop the pain. With a root canal procedure, the tooth that would otherwise have been lost to a cavity would be saved.

Fix Your Tooth Sensitivity in Uptown Charlotte near the Plaza Midwood area

You need to know how to fix tooth sensitivity as it can be very uncomfortable. Make sure to visit your dentist for effective dental care in Uptown Charlotte near the Plaza Midwood area.

At Genesis Family Dentistry, we offer the best dental care services in Uptown Charlotte near the Plaza Midwood area to address tooth sensitivity. We are here to help you deal with this condition before it gets worse while providing a pain-free dental experience. 

Schedule your appointment today; we are open Monday to Friday to provide you with dental treatments for your tooth sensitivity.