Question:
I was surpised there wasn't more of a response to your excellent
description of sensitive teeth. Perhaps there are different types of
sensitivity but you have described my particular type of affliction. It
shows insight that is not common knowledge which is my conclusion after
having searched for some answers over more than a decade. This is the
type of topic that could benefit from discussion in this newsgroup.
Could you describe where your knowledge comes from? I have a limited
ability to look up some references but will attempt to do so if you can
supply some. Do you get a lot questions from your patients about this?
That is, are a lot of them afflicted with it? If you'd rather, please
send me a copy of the leaflet when finished. I'd be glad to pay any
reasonable expenses (and postage to the U.S.).
Answer:
This may help, it is the text of a (as yet unfinished) leaflet which we
a producing in our practice to help people with sensitive teeth. (There
are some pictures as well in the leaflet.)
What are sensitive teeth?
What we mean when we talk about sensitive teeth are where the teeth
react to changes in temperature, or or sweet or acid food and drinks. This is
usually a sharp pain, a bit like an electric shock. It only lasts seconds,
although sometimes there is a dull ache afterwards. It is important to
differentiate
this sensitivity from the pain caused by a cavity, or a fracture in the
tooth.
What causes sensitive teeth
Teeth become sensitive when part of the dentine is exposed. Usually the
dentine is covered by enamel or my the gums. If the tooth is worn or
eroded
dentine can be exposed on the biting surface or the neck of the tooth.
Recession of the gum can also expose dentine at the neck of the tooth.
Erosion is caused by acids in food and drink, wear by faulty
toothbrushing
or grinding the teeth. Usually both have a role.Bacteria on the tooth
surface will also produce acid which makes the problem worse.
Dentine has small pores (tubules) on its surface which lead into the
pulp where the nerves are, so that stimulating the surface will stimulate the
nerve, causing pain.
What can be done
Dealing with this is a matter of two approaches, to reduce the things
which
are causing the problem and trying to seal the tubules with something.
Reducing the causes
The main causes need to be identified by your dentist. If there is an
excess of acid food and drink then this should be reduced. The hygienist can
help modify your tooth brushing. Don't brush your teeth for a hour after
consuming acid food or drinks.
Sealing the tubules
Desensitising toothpastes all contain molecules which block the tubules
temporarily. Fluoride applied to the tooth will gradually reduce the
size of
the pores. There are various materials which can be applied to the
problem
area which can seal the tooth, but these can wear off. Modern dentine
bonding agents are very effective.
The first thing is to stop using tartar control toothpaste. The
number of patients with sensitive teeth has skyrocketed in my practice
since its introduction. Isn't it funny that now many major toothpaste
companies now make a toothpaste for sensitive teeth? BTW, these do
help.
I din't see anything there that mentions using the product for sensitive
teeth. The site also doesn't offer much real confidence, just some
pseudoscientific mumbo-jumbo. In the future please identify your
connection to the product you are recommending.
The toothpastes for sensitive teeth use potassium salts- nitrate,
citrate or oxalate. These pass through the exposed dentine tubules. But
how do they actually work? Do they simply deaden the nerve? Are they
helpful in the long run as flouride is believed to be? Are there any
long lasting effects, either positive or negative?
