Increased tooth sensitivity: causes and treatment

Once again you had a sip of hot coffee or a cold cocktail, and a sharp pain pierced your teeth that you cannot get rid of? That's right, you have - increased tooth sensitivity. This is due to the fact that the dentinal tubules are open, through which aggressive foods (hot, cold, sweet) go straight to the unprotected nerves. Irritation of the exposed nerves causes such acute and unpleasant pain. In this article we will talk about why teeth become sensitive, we will tell about the main professional and home ways to cope with the problem.

What is hypertension teeth

Hypertension is a high sensitivity of tooth tissues to various external stimuli.Irritants can be completely different. Most often, a person reacts to temperature fluctuations - his teeth ache from hot and cold drinks. In the later stages of the disease, the patient may experience pain when inhaling cold air, which creates real problems with speaking and breathing outside in the winter. In hypertension, the teeth also react to mechanical stress — pain is felt when brushing the teeth, even if a soft bristled brush is used. Teeth begin to ache when exposed to solid products.

The sensitivity of the teeth is also manifested when exposed to products with a sharp taste. Sweet, sour, salty, spicy can bring though brief, but rather severe pain. It becomes difficult for a person to bite fruit with the front teeth, this brings discomfort. It can be noted that such patients prefer to cut the fruit into small slices and only then eat them.

The main cause of pain is the thinning and damage of tooth enamel. The tooth tissue (dentin) has in its body a multitude of nerve canaliculi through which nutrition and neurological impulses pass. Because of this, the tooth is considered "alive."On top of the dentin covers a protective film - enamel. Tooth enamel is very hard, because she has to defend a tooth around the clock. But the wrong lifestyle of a person leads to the fact that even the hardest part of the human body (enamel) is destroyed. Nervous canaliculi remain unprotected - they also react to various external stimuli. Hypertension is often confused with pulpitis (nerve inflammation). You should know how to distinguish these dental pathologies. When pulping, a tooth can start to hurt suddenly - even at night. Such pain can last for quite a long time - up to several minutes. But with hypertension, pain occurs only after exposure to stimuli and usually disappears within a few seconds.

Why do teeth become sensitive?

As noted, the increased sensitivity of the teeth develops due to thinning and damage to the tooth enamel. But why is tooth enamel damaged? What can contribute to its destruction?

1. Tooth enamel can be eroded by various food acids. If you often drink citrus juices, drink soda and eat dishes with lots of vinegar, it slowly destroys your enamel.
2. Very often, enamel is destroyed due to the uncontrolled use of whitening pastes or home-made teeth whitening. Whitening pastes with abrasive particles can not be used constantly, a maximum of 3-4 times a month. With regular use, the tooth enamel is scratched, destroyed, becomes damaged. Home bleaching with baking soda, activated carbon, etc. can also be included here. To get only benefit from bleaching, you need to do it correctly and not so often.
3. The sensitivity of teeth can appear after grinding teeth, when tooth enamel is washed and teeth are prepared for crowns. Such a manifestation can be considered temporary.
4. Enamel erosion is a dental disease that affects tooth enamel.
5. Caries is another reason for the increased sensitivity of teeth. However, teeth can react to external stimuli, even if there is no black cavity in the dental tissue yet. The fact is that hypersensitivity and other signs of enamel destruction are the initial stage of caries. If not to take measures, the carious opening will begin to develop.
6. Bruxism is a dental and nervous disease in which a person grinds his teeth in a dream. This gnash leads to the mechanical destruction of tooth enamel.
7. Very often, an increased sensitivity can be observed after dental cleaning. After removal of tartar, enamel is more susceptible to external stimuli. However, this condition passes in just a few days.
8. Dental bleaching involves the use of chemical components that damage the top layer of tooth enamel.
9. Injuries and chipping of tooth enamel are due to bad habits, such as biting threads and cords, cracking nuts with teeth, etc.
10. Very often, the increased sensitivity of the teeth occurs against the background of the development of periodontal disease. Prolonged inflammation of the gums leads to its omission, as a result of which the dental nerve is exposed, which reacts to stimuli.
11. Often, violations in the integrity of tooth enamel occur due to a lack of minerals in the body - calcium, fluorine, phosphorus.
12. Tooth enamel is disturbed during pregnancy and lactation, as the lion’s share of essential minerals goes to the growth and development of the child.
13. Enamel can be destroyed due to internal diseases and changes in the body - various viruses and infections, work in harmful and toxic production, disruption of the endocrine system, diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, stresses and even oral contraceptives.

It is very important to know the causes of thinning and damage to the tooth enamel. They will help you in the future to prevent recurrence of events.

How to treat tooth sensitivity

Treatment of hypertension depends on the cause of its development. If the pain is caused by injury or chipping, the dentist will suggest restoring the integrity of the tooth using composite materials. If hypersensitivity is a consequence of the development of caries, it should be treated. Carious cavity, as a rule, is drilled and sealed, after which hypertension passes. The same is true in the remaining cases - in the treatment of diseases of the endocrine system, gastrointestinal tract, various internal pathologies, the main disease is being combated.

In case of bruxism, a person is recommended to wear a mouthguard at night, which will protect the tooth enamel from damage. You also need to undergo neurological treatment.If tooth enamel is destroyed due to hormonal drugs, you should consult with your doctor about the selection of similar, but less aggressive drugs. During pregnancy and lactation, you need to take vitamins in order to get enough of the necessary minerals in your body.

If the enamel is already destroyed and there is no possibility of its natural restoration, the doctor will recommend remineralization of the teeth. This procedure consists in applying to the tooth surface a special mineral complex that covers the open dentinal tubules and restores the natural structure of the tooth enamel. The procedure is painless, although quite a long time. Moreover, to get a good result, you will have to visit the dentist regularly in order to update the mineralizing layer. After the procedure, it is necessary to abandon the use of sour, cold, hot and sweet foods, to give the mineralized layer to gain a foothold on the surface of the tooth. As a rule, after 5-6 procedures, the sensitivity becomes much less pronounced, and after 10-12 procedures hypertension is completely cured.The duration of the effect is 8-10 months, depending on the care of teeth. Further, the course of remineralization procedures can be repeated.

Gels and toothpastes for sensitive teeth

If the sensitivity of the teeth is moderate, it is not at all necessary to go to the dentist, you can try to repair the damaged areas of the tooth enamel yourself. To do this, use therapeutic gels and pastes that penetrate into the structure of the tooth, close the open tubules. There are several groups of similar hygiene products that have different mechanisms of work. Desensitizing pastes contain alkalis in their composition, which dehydrate the dentinal tubules and reduce their susceptibility to external stimuli. Such funds need to use courses - several times a year. Among them are Oral-B Sensitive Original, Sensodyne-F, Mexidol dent and others.

In addition, there are medicinal pastes, gels, varnishes and foams that are applied to the teeth and have a healing effect. Depending on the manufacturer and specific product use rules may be different. Healed pastes can be used twice a day - they not only cure, but also have the usual cleansing effect. Therefore, this paste can be used instead of the usual.Gels and foams can be used for a long time, that is, put them on the teeth, fix it with a bottle and leave overnight. Many products have not only a healing, but also a whitening effect. Among the popular tools include Bifluorid, Fluokal, Fluorlac, Remodent, Mi Paste Plus, Tooth Mousse. For application to the teeth, you can use 10% calcium gluconate solution, 10 minutes after application, rinse your mouth with water.

Electrophoresis is often used to treat increased tooth sensitivity. After applying a special substance to the patient's teeth, they are subjected to low frequency currents in order to consolidate the effect of the drug. With course treatment, such physiotherapy brings good results.

Folk remedies in the fight against tooth sensitivity

If all professional methods are alien to you, and you want to get rid of piercing pain with improvised means, try using our recipes of traditional medicine.

1. Chamomile. The decoction of chamomile soothes, reduces inflammation, disinfects. He is able to quickly relieve pain and reduce tooth sensitivity.
2. Warm milk. If a sharp pain has pierced you after contact with an irritant, immediately take some warm cow's milk in your mouth. It will suppress pain instantly.
3. Oak bark. Chopped oak bark need to pour boiling water and cook over low heat. Let it stand for a couple of hours, and then rinse the mouth cavity three times a day with warm water. Broth not only relieves pain, but also restores tooth enamel, due to the large number of tannins.
4. Tea tree oil. Tea tree oil not only closes the dentinal tubules, but also disinfects the oral mucosa and brightens the teeth. In a glass of warm water, dissolve half a teaspoon of oil and rinse your mouth with this composition 3-4 times a day.
5. Broth of burdock. This tool also perfectly affects the teeth, with regular use, the sensitivity is markedly reduced. Three tablespoons of dry raw materials need to pour a liter of boiling water, close the lid, wrap and let it brew. After a couple of hours, the decoction will be ready - it should be drained and rinsed the mouth as often as possible. Rinse your mouth only need warm broth, so as not to hurt yourself.

In addition, you need to eat more dairy products, which will compensate for the lack of calcium and fluoride in the body.

At first glance, hypersensitivity may seem like a non-serious problem that does not require special treatment. However, it is not. Sometimes the sensitivity can be so high that a person cannot eat, talk or chew normally. Do not run yourself to such an extent, visit the dentist in time, because dental health is one of the main human capital.

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