Say
'Goodbye' to Tooth Sensitivity or Pain
Due
to the many causes of sensitivity / pain, we suggest you visit
our dental practice to determine the exact nature of sensitivity
and the best treatment.
The
following details cover most of the causes of tooth sensitivity
/ pain.
One
in three adults suffer from sensitive teeth
When
sensitivity affects your teeth, eating experiences that are normally
pleasurable can be very painful. Food and drinks that are usually
enjoyable such as hot coffee, steaming home made soup, ice-cold
lemonade, or fresh strawberry ice-cream - can stimulate a sharp,
sudden pain that shoots deep into the nerve endings of your teeth.
If
you've experienced sensitivity, you know its sensation all too
well. What you may not know is that this condition can be prevented
or eliminated.
By
learning about sensitivity, you can make an informed decision
about preventive hygiene and appropriate treatments, as well as,
bring yourself one step closer to enjoying hot or cold foods and
drinks - free of worry.
What
causes sensitive/painful teeth?
1.
Caries (Decay)/Abscess
Bacteria
starts to destroy the enamel of the tooth making its way to the
next layer in, being dentine. The dentine is directly connected
to the pulp of the tooth via little tubules. These fluid filled
tubules once exposed, conduct hot/cold/sweet sensations to the
nerve of the tooth, consequently making the tooth sensitive.
As
the bacteria penetrates further into the tooth it starts to infect
and destroy the pulp (nerve) of the tooth. The dying nerve may
start becoming very sensitive as the nerves are now completely
exposed.
This
infection will then continue if not treated, through the tip of
the root into the bone causing an abscess. The tooth has now probably
progressed from being sensitive to a constant ache and the face
may become swollen.
A
root canal treatment or tooth removal is then necessary.
2.
Tartar
Tartar
is a hardened substance that adheres to the surface of the tooth.
It is made up of several components being bacteria (plaque), saliva
and food. The bacterial component destroys the gingiva (gum) causing
gingivitis and progresses to destroying the bone holding the tooth
causing Periodontitis. This exposes the root of the tooth (recession)
which is very close to the nerve causing sensitivity.
3.
Toothbrush abrasion
People
who use a very hard toothbrush or not the correct brushing technique
can destroy the gingiva (gum) around the tooth causing it to recede,
exposing the root of the tooth. Continuing with your brushing
habit can wear away the root surface making the tooth very sensitive.
4.
Abfraction
People
who grind or clench their teeth cause the tooth to flex along
the gum line. This can cause the gum to recede and start to destroy
tooth structure at this point. Combine this with a poor brushing
habit, the surface of the root is worn away making the tooth very
sensitive.
5.
Grinding/Clenching
This
habit wears away tooth structure. Also the constant severe forces
placed on the teeth causes the nerve to be over stimulated and
consequently very sensitive. Also see details if you clench or
grind your teeth
6.
Cracked tooth syndrome
This
problem is becoming more and more common as many people retain
most teeth for a life time. More details are just below. Click
Urgent
Dental Treatment for details about pain relief and what to
do if your tooth gets knocked out.
Cracked tooth syndrome
This is becoming one of the biggest problems in dentistry today
and a large cause of why teeth are having to be extracted. This
generation of humans are living longer than any other previous
generation. So our teeth are being asked to do a lot more for
us then they have in the past.
Signs
and Symptoms
1.
Pain on chewing or when you release the biting pressure
(this is because the crack is opening and closing). The chewing
pain may be intermittent or only occur when it is hard or grainy
foods that land on the weakened spot. Often the pain is very short,
sharp and specific.
Some
people "learn" how to avoid eating on the cracked tooth
and feel as though the problem as gone away. The problem can then
get worse.
2.
Sensitivity to hot, cold foods or sweet things
3.
Can slowly progress to a constant toothache (this usually
means that the nerve of the tooth is now damaged and is also likely
to need root canal treatment).
Treatment
of Cracked tooth syndrome
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This
diagram shows a heavily amalgam filled tooth that has lost
70% of its strength that will ultimately fracture |
Before
the tooth fractures it may become sensitive to chewing hard
foods or hot, cold or sweet
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A
crown is the only long term solution to hold the cracks
together or restore the broken tooth. The tooth is now twice
as strong as a healthy tooth.
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The
two major causes of cracked teeth are;
1.
Large Fillings - teeth with
fillings in them are mechanically weaker, as there is less tooth
structure present to hold the tooth together. If the filling in
the tooth involves more than one third of the tooth then the strength
of the tooth can be down to 30% of its normal strength. Every
time you eat, grind or clench the tooth will flex slightly. After
doing this many thousands of times a fracture or hair line crack
can propagate just like a crack in a car's windscreen.
2.
Habits - this involves people
who Clench or grind their teeth or chew on objects such as hard
sweets. The tooth is not strong enough for this constant trauma.
Treatment
A visit to your dentist as soon as possible is important to increase
the chances of saving the tooth or preventing more extensive and
expensive treatment.
A
simple crack is where the nerve of the tooth is not involved.
These teeth often require a crown. A filling cannot properly hold
the crack together and is not a recommended option. The crown,
however acts like metal rings that hold a barrel together.
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The
tooth opposite has been crowned and is now stronger and
just as real looking as a healthy tooth. This tooth should
remain stable for a lifetime with proper preventive care.
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Before
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After |
In
much less than 10% of cases the crack may involve the nerve (complex
crack) and the tooth could still remain or become problematic
even after the crown is placed. This is due to bacteria that cannot
be removed from the crack and it could enter the nerve. In these
cases root canal can still be done through the crown and a white
filling can then be placed in the middle of the crown.
The
crown will continue to hold the tooth together and will normally
last a lifetime. In very rare cases the crack can cause the tooth
root to split below the crown. In these rare cases the tooth may
have to be removed (extraction).
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