Sensitive teeth and molars with hot and cold food

When eating and drinking, sensitive teeth occur when the gums recede and the neck and roots are exposed.

Sensitive tooth necks

We speak of sensitive tooth necks when you have problems with your teeth when eating and drinking:

• hot products
• cold products
• sweet products
• sour products

Sensitive tooth necks only occur when the gums have receded. Without receding gums, this sensitivity is not possible. Once gums have receded, they will not come back. For gum recession treatment, visit your dentist.

What causes sensitive tooth necks?

People often think long-term hard scrubbing with the toothbrush keeps the teeth clean. However, this is counterproductive for the gums. The hard brushing causes the gums to retract, creating sensitive tooth necks. This literally brushes away the gums.

Poor oral hygiene can also be a cause of receding gums. Plaque buildup causes inflammation of the gums, leading to inflammation of the jawbone ( periodontitis ).

What causes the pain?

Teeth consist of a crown and one or more roots. The crown is the part you see and has a strong glaze layer. You cannot see the roots and have no glaze. As soon as the gums recede, a piece of the tooth without enamel is exposed. This porous material is dentine.

Dentin has channels that connect to the nerve chamber inside the tooth. You won’t notice if the canals are closed by the gums. Warm, cold, sweet, or sour stimuli will induce the liquid in those channels to shift if the gums are absent. That movement aggravates the nerves, which results in discomfort.

How can you prevent sensitive tooth necks?

First of all, it is important to maintain oral hygiene. This means you brush your teeth twice a day for two minutes daily. This can be done with a soft manual toothbrush or an electric toothbrush. It is important not to brush too hard. It is also important to clean the spaces between the teeth daily with toothpicks, floss or interdental brushes.

Changing diet can also affect tooth-neck sensitivity. Acids soften the dentin so that it is brushed away sooner. Reducing the consumption of juices, soft drinks, or eating citrus fruit ensures less wear and tear on the dentin.

What can the dentist do against sensitive tooth necks?

Improving oral hygiene

The dentist or dental hygienist can only tackle the sensitivity together with you. Depending on the cause, you may need to improve your oral hygiene, brushing style, or diet. There is also a fluoride varnish that a dentist or dental hygienist can apply. This will temporarily fix the problem but not solve it.

Toothpaste that reduces the complaints

Various kinds of toothpaste on the market reduce or even remedy these complaints. These toothpaste apply a protective layer that blocks the passage of the dentin to the nerve cavity. Many patients benefit from these toothpastes.

Filler (composite)

In case of serious complaints, the dentist can provide the exposed necks with a filler, for example, composite. If you recognize yourself in these complaints, do not hesitate to visit your Virginia family dentist or dental hygienist. They will come to a useful advice/solution together with you.