Do you need to visit a dentist if you have sensitive teeth

Teeth sensitivity is usually caused due to exposed dentine due to regular wear and tear of the tooth, improper dental practices, bad food habits, tooth decay, receding gums, teeth whitening procedures, bruxism, defects in enamel or dentine, etc.

What can you do about sensitive teeth?
Regular wear and tear of the tooth, improper dental practices and bad food habits usually cause generalized dentin hypersensitivity. In such instances, if the sensitivity is mild to moderate, it can be treated at home with over-the-counter or by prescription desensitising toothpastes and mouthwashes. They work either by blocking off the exposed dentinal tubules or by inactivating the nerves.

When should you see a dentist for your sensitive teeth?
If there is localized, severe sensitivity due to these reasons it’s advisable to visit your dentist who will apply special fluoride gels, rinses or varnishes on the affected area to form a mechanical barrier against sensitivity triggers and help relieve teeth sensitivity. He/she may also cover the exposed dentine around the neck of the tooth with a sealing or bonding agents.

Sensitive teeth can be a sign of an underlying condition. In such instances sensitivity can be relieved only by treating the underlying cause.

Sensitivity due to exposed roots may be treated with fillings put over the exposed root or with a surgical gum graft.

Sensitivity to cold foods, one of the first signs of dental cavities, is an indication that the tooth is still alive. There is a possibility of saving the tooth with a filling if treated on time.

However, if you feel sensitivity and pain when you consume anything hot, it may be a sign of a dying or dead tooth. This may warrant root canal treatment.

Grinding or clenching of teeth while asleep, due to a condition called bruxism, can also be a probable cause for sensitivity in teeth. If you grind or clench your teeth, your dentist will provide you a custom-made mouthguard to be worn at night.

Teeth sensitivity may be due to defects in the enamel or dentine. Treatment in such instances is planned based on the type and requires involvement of various dental specialties. Sealing or bonding, fillings and veneers or crowns may be advised accordingly. Accompanying dental problems may need removable and fixed prosthetic reconstruction, orthodontic banding, jaw surgery, etc.

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No Drilling and Filling Required to Treat Tooth Decay: Experts

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 Preventative oral care can reduce the need for unpleasant dental drilling and filling by 30-50 percent, says a study. The findings suggest that tooth decay or dental caries can be stopped, reversed, and prevented without the need for the traditional 'fill and drill' approach that has dominated dental care for decades.

"It is unnecessary for patients to have fillings because they are not required in many cases of dental decay," said the study's lead author Wendell Evans, associate professor at University of Sydney in Australia.

"This research signals the need for a major shift in the way tooth decay is managed by dentists. Our study shows that a preventative approach has major benefits compared to current practice,” Evans said.

The researchers said that application of high concentration fluoride varnish by dentists to the sites of early decay, attention to home tooth brushing skills, restriction of between-meal snacks and beverages containing added sugar, and risk-specific monitoring can help prevent tooth decay.

"For a long time it was believed that tooth decay was a rapidly progressive phenomenon and the best way to manage it was to identify early decay and remove it immediately in order to prevent a tooth surface from breaking up into cavities. After removing the decay, the affected tooth is then restored with a filling material -- this process is sometimes referred to as 'drilling and filling',” Evans explained.

"However, 50 years of research studies have shown that decay is not always progressive and develops more slowly than was previously believed. For example, it takes an average of four to eight years for decay to progress from the tooth's outer layer (enamel) to the inner layer (dentine),” Evans noted.

"That is plenty of time for the decay to be detected and treated before it becomes a cavity and requires a filling," he said.

Evans said that a tooth should be only be drilled and filled where an actual hole-in-the-tooth (cavity) is already evident.

The study was published in the journal Community Dentistry and Oral Epidemiology.