Contents
Increased sensitivity of the teeth is accompanied by pain, which is aggravated by the intake of hot and cold dishes, sour and sweet foods. Dentists call this reaction hyperesthesia. You should not ignore the increased sensitivity of the teeth, as it not only leads to discomfort, but can also indicate serious violations of the dental plan. Therefore, with hypersensitivity of the teeth to external irritants, you need to contact a specialist and find out its cause.
What is hyperesthesia?
Hypersensitivity of the teeth is a disease in which the neck of the tooth and its root suffer. This happens due to thinning of the tooth enamel or due to pathologies of the gums with the opening of the dentin.
Most often, increased sensitivity of the teeth is observed in people of age, but it is wrong to consider it a problem of the older generation. It has been established that burdened heredity is important.
The main cause of hypersensitivity is the thinning of the enamel and the erasure of the gums. These processes occur slowly and imperceptibly to humans. Therefore, if the gums are moving away from the teeth, it is necessary to contact a specialist as soon as possible. Otherwise, the pathology will only progress.
Causes of tooth sensitivity
Causes that can lead to increased tooth sensitivity:
Destruction of tooth enamel.
Demineralization of enamel and the appearance of white spots on it.
Dental caries.
Periodontitis with exposure of the roots of the tooth.
Wedge-shaped damage to the neck of the tooth.
Grinding of teeth. This bad habit is called bruxism.
Eating disorders.
Risk factors that can provoke thinning of tooth enamel:
Eating foods that contain acid. They lead to the fact that calcium is washed out of the enamel. It becomes porous, the tooth loses its protection.
Eating too hard food.
Use of bleaching pastes. They contain fillers that violate the integrity of tooth enamel.
Performing professional teeth cleaning. There is always thin enamel under the tartar. The doctor, using professional equipment, removes hard plaque, exposing weak areas of the tooth. When irritants get on them, a person will experience pain.
Using brushes with hard bristles.
Smoking. Tobacco smoke contains many toxins that adversely affect the condition of tooth enamel.
Hereditary predisposition to hypersensitivity of teeth.
Pregnancy. During the bearing of a child, calcium is washed out of the mother’s body, which the fetus spends on its own needs.
Hormonal imbalance.
Types of hyperesthesia
There are several classifications of hyperesthesia, which are based on various factors.
By origin
Hyperesthesia due to the loss of hard tissues by the teeth. The reasons can be varied: preparation of teeth for setting crowns or other dental structures, erosion of tooth enamel, dental caries, wedge-shaped defects, increased abrasion of dental tissue.
Hyperesthesia not associated with loss of enamel, dentin, or cementum. The main cause in this case is periodontitis. Although toothache can occur against the background of other disorders in the body.
According to the degree of feeling
1 degree. The tooth reacts to low and high temperatures. The electrical excitability of the tooth is 8 microamperes.
2 degree. Teeth give a reaction not only to temperature changes, but also to chemical irritants. Electrical excitability is 5 microamperes.
3 degree. Teeth respond to all stimuli. Electrical excitability is 3,5 microamperes.
By prevalence
Hypersensitivity is characteristic only for one or several teeth. At the same time, they have caries.
Increased sensitivity of many teeth. They can be located on one or both gums. A violation develops with periodontitis, caries, erosive lesions of tooth enamel and with excessive abrasion of tooth enamel.
Symptoms
The main symptom of tooth sensitivity is acute pain. A person indicates that the tooth reacts to sour sweet, cold and hot dishes. This reaction is manifested by short-term pain. It lasts a few seconds, after which it begins to subside. The severity of pain varies widely from mild to throbbing. If the tooth is severely damaged, then it can be painful for a person even to inhale cool air. He eats only neutral and warm foods.
Pain with increased sensitivity of the teeth is present on an ongoing basis. The alternation of acute periods and periods of calm is rare. During remission, pain is either absent altogether or becomes less pronounced.
Diagnostics
In order to find out the cause of the increased sensitivity of the teeth, the dentist simply needs to examine the patient’s oral cavity. It visualizes chips, cracks, caries and other enamel damage. Sometimes x-rays are required to clarify the diagnosis.
Diseases that need to be differentiated from increased sensitivity of the teeth:
Acute pulpitis. Pain occurs independently, regardless of external factors. It tends to intensify at night.
Periodontitis. The pain is aggravated by pressing on the tooth and gums.
Inflammation of the interdental papillae. The pain occurs after pieces of food get between the teeth. In addition to pain, inflammation of the gums is noticeable.
To diagnose tooth hypersensitivity, two methods are used: EDI and electroodontometry. These procedures allow you to determine the degree of sensitivity of teeth to various stimuli.
Treatment of tooth sensitivity at the dentist
Treatment of hypersensitivity of the teeth depends on the severity of the pathology.
If soreness occurs due to an injury, then therapeutic treatment is sufficient. To restore the crack and eliminate the chip, the doctor uses seals. Modern material allows you to eliminate visible defects and get rid of the increased sensitivity of the tooth.
Therapeutic treatment is also suitable for patients with caries. In such a situation, in addition to basic dental care, the doctor recommends that the patient undergo professional teeth cleaning.
When abnormalities in the functioning of internal organs become the cause of increased sensitivity of the teeth, it is necessary to direct efforts to eliminate them. In this case, the dentist will give a referral for a consultation with another specialist.
The main principle of treatment of hypersensitivity of the teeth is to eliminate the cause of its occurrence. Only after this, the doctor should begin to restore the enamel.
Remineralization and fluoridation
Remineralization of tooth enamel is its saturation with calcium. For this purpose, special tools are used to cover the teeth. Remineralization is carried out in conjunction with fluoridation. This improves the efficiency of the procedure.
Calcium, once in the tooth enamel, is transformed into hydroxyapatite. It perfectly strengthens the teeth, but under the influence of various acids it is quickly washed out. Fluorination allows the conversion of hydroxyapatite to fluorohydroxyapatite. This substance is resistant to acids, so it perfectly strengthens tooth enamel.
Remineralization and fluoridation are not prescribed for patients with caries and wedge-shaped defects.
Ionophoresis
In severe cases, the doctor recommends the patient undergo an iontophoresis procedure. During its implementation, drugs are delivered to the tooth enamel under the influence of galvanic currents. Their influence allows the preparations to penetrate into the deep structures of tissues and form dense salt compounds there.
Means that can be used during iontophoresis:
calcium gluconate solution. Adults are prescribed a solution with a concentration of 10%, and children – 5%. Iontophoresis is carried out in a course of 10 procedures.
Sodium fluoride concentration 1%.
Vitamin V1 with trimecaine.
Fluocal in solution.
Films Diplen
Diplen films are an innovative tool that allows you to reduce the sensitivity of tooth enamel. The effect is achieved due to its strengthening and saturation with nutrients that the films are impregnated with. It is very convenient to fix them on the teeth, as they are flexible and plastic. Films should be kept for 30 minutes or more. A person will feel the effect after the first use of this remedy.
How to relieve pain at home?
To reduce the sensitivity of the teeth at home, you need to use special pastes and gels.
It will not be possible to cope with the problem without changing the diet. Sour, salty, spicy and sweet dishes are removed from the menu or cut. You should not lean on citrus fruits and other fruits, as the acids contained in them destroy the enamel.
Foods such as fish, cheese, cottage cheese, milk, liver, etc. should become a source of vitamins and microelements. It is important to monitor the temperature of dishes, not to mix cold and hot in your mouth. For example, you should not drink hot chocolate and eat it with ice cream.
Desensitizing toothpastes
It is very convenient to use toothpastes to eliminate hypersensitivity of teeth. Every day during oral hygiene, a person will receive treatment.
Desensitizing pastes include:
Oral-B Sensitive Original. The composition of the paste contains hydroxyapatite, which is similar to the molecules of tooth enamel.
Sensodyne-F. The composition of the paste includes potassium, the ions of which prevent the transmission of a pain impulse along the nerve fibers from the tooth to the brain.
Rembrandt Sensitive. After using the paste, a film forms on the teeth, which reduces their sensitivity. To keep the effect of using the paste, you need to brush your teeth with it after each meal. This tool has an additional effect of teeth whitening.
Mexidol dent Sensitive.
Pastes to reduce the sensitivity of the teeth contain alkalis in their composition. They react with water and provoke dehydration of the dentinal canals. Due to this, a therapeutic effect is achieved. However, you cannot regularly use such funds. They can be used no more than 4 times a year.
Remineralizing gels, varnishes, foams
To reduce the sensitivity of teeth, new means are constantly being developed: foams, varnishes, gels. They can be used with mouthguards, applied to the teeth before going to bed.
Rinse the mouth with solutions several times a day. They can also be applied to the teeth by soaking cotton balls or turundas with the product.
Lacquer, after covering the tooth enamel, forms a film on them. For its reliable fixation, you need to refuse to take food and water for the next half hour.
An important feature of all these funds is the need for their regular use. The effect can be felt only after a few days.
Fluocal. This gel contains sodium fluoride and phosphoric acid. These substances are necessary for the teeth to maintain their health. The use of the drug allows you to maintain the health of your teeth, prevent the formation of plaque and caries on them. The use of Fluocal increases the natural resistance of the teeth. You need to apply the gel on the surface of the teeth, or under the tray. In addition to the gel under this name, a solution for rinsing the mouth is produced.
Bifluoride 12. This varnish contains sodium fluoride and calcium. It is applied to the teeth, after which a protective film is formed on them. You can start eating no earlier than an hour later.
fluorine varnish. This tool is also available in the form of a varnish, it is used by analogy with Bifluoride 12. However, the minus of Ftorlak is the yellow film that remains on the teeth after applying the drug. Therefore, you need to use the tool on the weekend.
Tooth Mousse. This gel promotes the formation of a protective film on the teeth. Apply it for 3 minutes, after which the excess is removed. The drug is used by dentists for the professional treatment of tooth sensitivity.
Ml paste More. This is a professional dental cream containing fluoride. To provide a therapeutic effect, it is enough to apply it on the teeth for 3 minutes. The product should not be used by children under 12 years of age.
Tifenfluoride. This tool contains a large amount of fluorine and belongs to the enamel-sealing preparations. It is used to prevent caries, to treat hypersensitivity of the teeth and to prevent thinning of the enamel. Apply the product to clean and dry teeth. Exposure time – 1-2 minutes. Then the teeth are covered with copper hydroxide, after which they are thoroughly washed with plain water. Self-treatment is unacceptable, dental treatment should be carried out in the dentist’s office.
President Sensitive More. This tool is represented by a gel, which must be used in combination with toothpaste and rinse. The composition of the gel includes potassium nitrate, anethole and mint oil. It is applied to the root of the tooth 2 times a day. The course should last a month.
Rox Medical. This tool allows you to cope with the increased sensitivity of the teeth due to its unique composition. The gel includes components such as: potassium nitrate, magnesium, phosphorus, calcium. Carrying funds on the teeth allows you to destroy the bacterial flora, reduce sensitivity, protect against the influence of other negative factors. The gel is applied to the teeth and left for half an hour. The oral cavity must be kept clean. From food and water should be abandoned for half an hour.
Treatment continues for 14 days. The gel does not contain fluorine, which is its significant advantage over other means to reduce tooth sensitivity. The use of this drug will not harm the thyroid gland, liver and kidneys.
Prevention
Preventive measures that allow you to prevent the appearance of increased sensitivity of the teeth:
The oral cavity and teeth must be carefully looked after. It is necessary to choose those pastes that do not contain abrasive substances that can damage the enamel.
The technique of brushing your teeth must be correct. The brush should be chosen with medium hardness so that it does not injure the teeth and gums.
Whitening paste should be used as little as possible, as it damages the enamel and promotes the removal of calcium from it.
It is necessary to enrich the diet with foods that are a source of phosphorus and calcium.
After eating berries, juices and fruits, rinse your mouth thoroughly.
The dentist must be visited 2 times a year, even if the person is not bothered by anything.