What happens when you eat ice cream or drink hot tea? Are you one those people who love ice cream, but avoid it because taking a bite leaves you wincing in pain? If so, you are not alone! Sudden, sharp tooth pain is one of the most common dental conditions we encounter here at Andrew Henritze DDS in Roanoke, Virginia.
Why do your teeth hurt? Beneath tooth enamel, there are tiny tubes in the tissue of the dentin carrying fluid to the nerves. When this fluid moves within the tubes, you might feel nerve irritation. Normally, dentin is protected by tooth enamel, but if your gums have receded or your enamel has worn down, the tubules might become exposed, making you vulnerable to temperature extremes.
For our patients dealing with tooth sensitivity, we recommend using a desensitizing toothpaste and brushing gently with a soft-bristled toothbrush. Also, limit consuming soft drinks and acidic foods to protect from further enamel erosion can help. In addition, tooth sensitivity might be reduced by the following:
Fluoride: applying fluoride to the sensitive areas of your teeth.
Desensitizing or bonding: sometimes we can treat exposed root surfaces by applying bonding resin to the sensitive root surfaces.
Root canal: if your sensitive teeth cause severe pain and other treatments aren’t effective, our dentist may recommend a root canal to treat problems in the tooth’s dental pulp.
Surgical gum graft: if the tooth root has lost gum tissue, our dentist might recommend taking a small amount of gum tissue from elsewhere in your mouth and attaching it to the affected site to protect the roots.
If you would like help with ongoing tooth sensitivity, please come in and let Dr. Andrew W Henritze, DDS take a look at what is causing this condition. To find relief, our Andrew Henritze DDS team in Roanoke, Virginia, is happy to help you find relief. We can be reached at (540) 989-6600.