Teeth sensitive to pain

Hanna Rutkowski is a freelance writer for the NetDoktor medical editorial team.

Teeth sensitive to pain (Dentin hypersensitivity) are not uncommon. Who doesn’t know the pain-eating face when eating ice cream? More than half of German adults suffer from sensitive teeth. Hot or cold, sweet and sour trigger the unpleasant flash of pain caused by exposed tooth necks. Dental diseases are rarely the cause of teeth that are sensitive to pain, mostly the wrong tooth brushing technique is to blame. We’ll tell you what helps against the sensitive teeth.

Teeth sensitive to pain: description

A lightning-like pain twitches through the jaw, usually followed by a jerky turning of the head and a hissing sound of pain – the cause can be harmless ice. But cold and hot drinks, sweets, salty, sour or a cool breeze can also trigger the pain.

Many people have teeth sensitive to pain. Dentists speak of dentine hypersensitivity. Teeth that are sensitive to pain are caused by exposed tooth necks caused by a decrease in gums.

The most important building substance of the tooth is that dentin, the dentine. It gives the tooth its typical shape, color and stability and extends from the root tip to the crown. Inside there is a cavity (pulp) in which the smallest nerves and vessels run and supply the tooth. From here, the dentin is made from the finest tubules (dentinal tubules), which strive from the inside out and supply the tooth with nerve cells and cell extensions.

If the tooth neck becomes visible, the tubules create a direct connection to the outside world. The tooth reacts with pain to all kinds of stimuli – the pain-sensitive tooth is the result.

The enamel serves as a protective shield in the crown area and strongly dampens these stimuli. So a person can eat and drink without being in constant pain. If this protective layer is missing, the pain arises.

Teeth sensitive to pain: causes and possible diseases

The gum retraction ensures that the sensitive dentin is exposed, which forms the "gateway to the nerve" with its tubules. Temperature fluctuations as well as chemical or mechanical stimuli are now passed on directly to the tooth nerve without a protective intermediate layer and registered as pain. How do the exposed tooth necks come about and how do teeth that are sensitive to pain develop? The main reasons!

Recession: Dentists refer to the inflammation-free gum decline as a recession. From grade 3 onwards, the gum decline is also accompanied by bone loss. The causes for this are diverse and range from natural aging processes to the wrong tooth brushing technique.

periodontitis: Above all, bacteria and poor oral hygiene can ignite the tooth holder. The symptoms are reddening and swelling of the gums, followed by bone loss. This also pulls the gums back, which in turn can lead to tooth necks that are sensitive to pain.

Brushing technique: Most people still brush their teeth incorrectly – they scrub across the front surface of their teeth in horizontal movements (it would be better to brush from "red" to "white"). In the tooth neck area in particular, the softer dentin is "chafed away" over time and the tooth is even slightly undermined; a wedge-shaped defect arises. The larger the area of the exposed dentin, the higher the sensitivity to pain in this area.

Anatomy: Especially in the lower jaw in the area of the canines and pre-teeth (premolars), the jawbone is further out. A decrease in gums can usually be observed on these teeth first – sensitive teeth are the result.

Wedge-shaped defects: Triangular hollows in the area of the tooth neck are called wedge-shaped defects. Dentists assume that the grinding of the teeth is the cause. The enamel is blown off in this area by strong shear forces. Dentin can also remove incorrect brushing.

dentist: The dentist can also contribute to a decrease in gums through certain interventions. These include, for example, the treatment of periodontitis and the provision of crowns and bridges.

Diseases with this symptom

Find out here about the diseases in which the symptom can occur:

Pain Sensitive Teeth: When to Visit the Dentist?

Teeth that are sensitive to pain can become quite uncomfortable. Nevertheless, many patients prefer to endure the pain before they see a dentist. With the following signs, however, it is advisable to go to the dentist’s chair immediately:

Bleeding gums: If you have seen bleeding gums lately, have your dentist check this out.
Receding gums: It only develops over time and gradually becomes visible. If you discover such changes in yourself, this can be a sign of periodontitis.
Loose teeth: Even suddenly loosened teeth are always an alarm sign.
tooth fractures: Bumps against teeth can cause cracks and fractures in the tooth, which are often only noticeable at second glance if the teeth become sensitive.

Teeth sensitive to pain: what the dentist does?

There are several ways to treat the tooth necks that can contain the pain stimulus:

sealing: With exposed tooth necks, the surface can be sealed with medication or low-viscosity plastics; they form poorly soluble deposits in the dentinal tubules. A single application closes the tubules and prevents the occurrence of further pain stimuli.

Cervical restorations: A hollowed tooth neck area or wedge-shaped defect can be closed with a small, invisible plastic filling. This not only keeps unpleasant stimuli away from the dentin, but also restores the tooth’s original shape.

surgery: Severe gum loss, especially in combination with a decrease in bone, often occurs in patients with periodontitis. Teeth that are sensitive to pain, but also aesthetic losses, are the consequences: the exposed tooth necks are darker in color and the teeth appear longer. The gums can be returned to their original position using surgical measures. The aesthetics improve and sensitive tooth necks are covered again.

aftercare: One should not only treat the symptoms, but investigate the cause of the sensitive tooth necks. You can counter the loss of gums and the exposed tooth necks in a variety of ways. This includes the correct tooth brushing technique, the preparation of a crunch splint and the removal of malpositions or periodontitis.

Teeth sensitive to pain: you can do that yourself

There are now a number of products for pain-sensitive teeth that are supposed to prevent the flash of pain. The proven effectiveness of these products can be enhanced by proper tooth brushing and prophylactic measures:

Proper brushing: Let the dentist show you a gentle tooth brushing technique. Particularly important in order to prevent the tooth necks from being exposed and sensitive to pain: avoid pressing too hard with a hard toothbrush! With a gentle massage and soft brush bristles, plaque can also be removed without injuring the gums or damaging the tooth neck.

Sensitive toothpastes: It is best to use toothpastes that offer additional protection against caries. Oral care products that have been developed for teeth that are sensitive to pain often have the word “sensitive”. Depending on the product, these toothpastes or mouthwashes contain strontium, calcium, arginine or amine fluoride. These form connections that deposit on the tooth, close the dentinal tubules and teeth sensitive to pain don’t let it arise at all.

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