ARE YOUR TEETH SENSITIVE?
Ouch!!! Are your teeth overly sensitive? Current research shows that 30-45% of adults over 40 have overly sensitive teeth to cold, hot, certain foods, or even when touched by a tooth brush bristle or other objects. The primary reason is the exposure of the tooth root surface when the gum recedes exposing these areas that were previously covered and protected by the gum tissues. This exposed area is called cementum – that’s the root surface that is not protected by the enamel.
It helps to understand the different parts of the tooth. Every tooth has three main parts –
1. Enamel - that’s the white hard outer surface – the hardest substance in your body and it is not living tissue – just a hard covering. 
2. Cementum is that layer farther down where the enamel stops – it is also known as the root surface and it is made up of dentin – that’s the softer layer under the enamel that has nerve endings and thousands of exposes tiny tubules – this is a the living part of the tooth.
3. Pulp – the inner most part of the tooth which has blood vessels, nerves and is the vital living center of the tooth.
When you are young (15-35) normal aging has not yet exposed the sensitive cementum area, but when most people get into their 40’s and beyond we often begin to see gum recession primarily as a simple result of a combination of maturity, aggressive tooth brushing techniques, genetics, gum disease, and other less significant factors. It does not have to be much – a tiny exposure of the root can result in major tooth sensitivity. If you have this you know exactly what I am talking about. Not a day goes by in our practice without seeing multiple adult patients with varying degrees of hypersensitive teeth wanting relief.
OK - so now you are forty there is gum recession typical for your age group and your teeth now hurt to the point of distraction. You may even avoid simple brushing because it hurts when you touch that exposed root surface on your teeth. It may just be one tooth or it could be multiple teeth. What can you do to stop this common problem?
Good News! Your teeth hurt because there are thousands of dentinal tubules which used to be protected by the gums are now exposed. If these tubules can be sealed the pain will usually go away completely or be reduced significantly. There are lots of over the counter tooth pastes that can help, such as “Sensodyne” . These toothpastes contain a chemical called potassium nitrate. The potassium nitrate basically “plugs” up the open tubules and over time makes the teeth less sensitive. The only problem is it may take weeks to work and many times these products simply are not adequate, but it’s the only over the counter product available to patients.
Dental science has developed multiple products specifically created to stop this annoying problem for most people. It usually involves a simple process of the dentist or hygienist cleaning off the root surface and applying a “desensitizing” agent that soaks into the cementum plugging up all the dentinal tubules. Once the tubules are plugged up the area is sealed. Often patients will find immediate relief. The treatment may last several years with some areas needing re application every 3-5 years. It is not uncommon for one treatment to stop the tooth sensitivity permanently.
For severe cases we can make a custom fitting flexible tray that hugs the teeth. The patient fills these form fitting trays with the desensitizing medicine and places the tray over the teeth. The tray holds the medicine against the teeth allowing it to soak into the dentin. This technique is a little more expensive but it allows the delivery of a variety of great new products t0 protect the teeth.
We can put a fluoride gel in the tray to harden the teeth against tooth decay. We can put a gel that contains a product called amorphous calcium phosphate (ACP) into the tray to put the mineral, calcium back into teeth.
Today we have a huge epidemic of teeth that have de mineralized from dietary acids so common today from sodas to sports drinks to energy drinks - you name it - the current American diet is responsible for many of the problems we see in our dental patients today. The acids that are found in the typical American diet literally sucks the mineral calcium out of teeth making them sensitive and much more likely to get decay. The solution is surprisingly, pretty simple – just put back the lost minerals that have been leached out by the dietary acids and armor plate the teeth with these products to prevent tooth decay and sensitivity.
Ask your dentist about all of the products and treatments now available to desensitize and protect your teeth now – don’t wait until they are damaged any more. You can reverse the process if you start early!Schleicher-Read Dental Group
