be healthy

Karen Barrow

Medical reviewer:

Medically Reviewed On: January 25, 2006

Published on: January 25, 2006

If the thought of a freezing scoop of ice cream sends pain screaming though your gums, and a steamy, hot cup of coffee makes you cringe, you probably have sensitive teeth. The good news is that sensitive teeth, while common, are not something you have to live with.

Sensitive teeth are a direct result of when either your gums or the hard, protective layer of your teeth, known as the enamel, begins to wear away. This exposes the microscopic, hollow canals of your teeth, called dentin. Because they are hollow, these canals easily send sensations of hot and cold to the nerves of your teeth.

"The nerves of the teeth, once their threshold has been breached, can elicit only one response—pain," says Dr. Richard Price, a dentist and spokesperson for the American Dental Association (ADA).

Sometimes teeth are so sensitive that even breathing through your mouth can cause terrible pain.

It is estimated that up to 40 million adults in the United States have sensitive teeth, making it the most common dental complaint. But there are ways to prevent and soothe a sensitive mouth. The ADA recommends the following steps to prevent sensitive teeth:

• Brush properly. With a toothbrush, make small, circular motions over the surface of your teeth. Don't scrub your teeth.
• Brush gently. As many as 90 percent of Americans brush too roughly. How do you know if you're being too diligent in your cleaning? Check the bristles of your toothbrush, if they are pointing in various directions, lighten up the pressure.
• Use a soft-bristled toothbrush. Anything rougher will strip the enamel from your teeth. Make sure you replace your brush every three months or when it shows wear.
• Avoid drinks with citric acid, like soda and orange juice; this compound may erode the enamel. If you must have these beverages, drink with a straw to limit the amount of contact the liquid has with your teeth.
• Don't chew on ice. Crunching ice cubes can cause tiny fractures to form within the tooth. "Ice cubes are so hard your blender needs special blades to mash them, so give you molars a break," says Price.
• Prevent gum disease. If your gums begin to recede, bacteria in your mouth can move in. Bacteria will further destroy your gums, exposing the sensitive roots. Good dental hygiene is the best way to prevent gum disease.

If your teeth are already sensitive, avoid whitening products. The harsh chemicals in these treatments can worsen tooth pain. If the pain lasts for several days, see a dentist, who will likely recommend one of the following to lessen the pain:

• Desensitizing toothpaste. Available over the counter, this toothpaste may help block sensations from traveling to the nerve. However, it does take several uses to notice the effects.
• Fluoride gel. Applied in the dentist's office, fluoride gel or another, more powerful, desensitizing agent, may work better than the toothpastes to fill in the cracks of your teeth and dull the pain.
• Filling, crown or bonding. Depending on the source of the sensitivity, one of the following agents may help to fill in cracks in your tooth.
• Gum graft. If you have gum disease, a surgical gum graft can cover exposed roots and reduce sensitivity.
• Root canal. This procedure works by removing part of the affected nerve of a tooth, removing the ability for it to feel any pain.

While some of these treatments can be intense procedures, it may be worth a few minutes of discomfort for a lifetime of a pain-free mouth. "Waiting too long to see the dentist may result in more serious problems such as tooth loss," says Price.