WE are what we repeatedly do! Aristotle (384-322 BC). Who we are is a product or a compound effect of what we do every single day “habits”.
Habits are a double-edged sword
Bad habits can cut you down as easily as good habits can build you up, which is why understanding the details is crucial.
The same goes for tooth sensitivity, which is mostly a result of your regular routine.
It goes without saying that our teeth are meant to be sensitive rather than hypersensitive.
Naturally, because they have nerves, teeth can sense temperature changes, but hypersensitivity is defined as a sharp discomfort that occurs whenever you eat hot or cold food or drink acidic liquids.
Our habits and actions cause our teeth to deteriorate over time.
In fact, it has become commonplace to see in grocery shop aisles rows of toothpaste made specifically for hypersensitive teeth.
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Our forefathers eat natural and organic food, thus, they didn’t really have these issues before.
Even though they were still learning the appropriate technique for brushing their teeth, they at least avoided dental issues by eating healthy diets.
People who use desensitising toothpaste (made for sensitive teeth) for years never see any improvement because they keep patching the problem by covering it up with a band-aid solution.
This raises a pertinent question of what precisely tooth sensitivity is and how do we address it?
What exactly is tooth sensitivity?
Tooth sensitivity is a sign of damage.
It is a symptom and not a disease.
Damage to the tissues (defensive barriers) that are meant to shield our teeth and gums from exogenous factors (factors coming from outside the mouth).
These protective barriers that are meant to shield our gums and teeth can be challenged by the foods we eat, the way we clean and maintain our teeth and anything else that makes our mouths acidic.
Your teeth become vulnerable to chemical injury caused by food, spices, acidic beverages etc, if the protective layers are compromised.
There are several ways in which chemical damage may affect our teeth: It can dissolve them, make them weaker and cause them to erode more easily.
Good protective barriers shield us from injury due to external factors.
What is this protection and defensive mechanism?
The biofilm is a mesh of common bacteria that are bound together with salivary proteins, this layer covers the enamel (the visible white part of the tooth).
This biofilm creates an outer, nearly transparent layer over your teeth and protects the enamel which in turn also shields the inner layers of the tooth from damage.
There are no viable tissues or cells within the enamel.
This layer is made up of minerals that are enclosed in a collagen framework.
The biofilm that covers the enamel can demineralise when your mouth’s pH changes (drinking Coca-Cola, for instance, makes your mouth more acidic).
Restoring all these demineralised elements is aided by saliva.
Our teeth are extremely powerful when the enamel barrier (biofilm) is healthy and intact, making them better able to withstand attacks from chemicals and other things.
For this reason, in order to maintain a healthy biofilm, you should schedule professional oral hygiene (cleaning) appointments with your dentist every two years.
Professional oral hygiene’s goal is to eliminate the diseased biofilm that surrounds the enamel (plaque), which causes the enamel to dissolve.
The second layer of our teeth, the dentine, is made up of microscopic tubes that go from the tooth’s centre to the enamel.
Lymphatic fluid is found in these tiny tubules.
The real body of the odontoblasts, which are microscopic cells, is located in the middle of the tooth, where the pulp (the third layer) is found.
The arms of each odontoblast, or dentine cell, are long.
When the dentist drills a hole in your tooth, the odontoblasts are usually the ones that sense the change in pressure.
This causes pain because the odontoblasts send a signal to the pulp, which contains nerves and from the nerves to the brain.
The barriers are broken if this occurs daily, every time you eat or drink, which indicates a chronic irritation of the nerves.
The same feelings that are always transferred will occur if your enamel is worn out.
Only odontoblast cells are responsible for this issue and if you irritate the pulp with these signals for an extended period of time, you will develop hypersensitivity.
It is a sign that the tooth’s inside cells are exhausted and dying.
Your tooth may get completely infected when the nerves die, necessitating a root canal treatment or extraction.
The two additional barriers are located between the gum and the root.
The gum tissue is also supposed to cover the root and inside that is a layer known as the cement layer.
This layer is meant to protect your roots so that when you brush your teeth, the odontoblasts (even in the root of your tooth) are not irritated.
This is especially true if you have gum recession, which occurs when your gums shrink and reveal the outside surface of the roots.
Common causes of tooth sensitivity
- Vigorous brushing: People who typically brush their teeth with a lot of pressure may wear off the enamel layer, making their teeth more sensitive.
Using a very hard toothbrush, cleaning your teeth for long periods of time, and using whitening toothpaste for an extended period can also cause dental abrasion because these products constitute a lot of abrasives.
The continuous grinding of teeth (bruxism) results in the loss of the enamel layer, exposing the dentin, the inner, sensitive layer.
- Gum diseases: Gum recession and root surface exposure might result from a deep gum infection, which makes the teeth more sensitive.
Improper dental care: Following crown implantation, root canal therapy, orthodontic treatment, or fractured fillings, teeth may become sensitive.
However, these are transient.
- Tooth infection and fracture: The teeth may become sensitive if the patient has extensive decay with exposed nerves or if they have fractures from trauma or abrupt strong biting forces.
- Systemic conditions: By causing tooth erosion, certain illnesses such as bulimia, anorexia nervosa, peptic ulcers and acid reflux can make teeth sensitive.
- Acidic and citrus food: People who consume a lot of citrus and acidic foods, such as pickles, sauces, soft drinks, etc, generally lose more minerals from their teeth, which makes them more sensitive.
Instead of rushing to the dentist right away, attempt to figure out what is causing the sensitivity.
Sometimes a dentist advises a root canal, particularly if the sensitivity’s underlying cause cannot be identified.
Of course, this procedure may eliminate the sensitivity because the nerves that cause the sensitivity and pain are removed from the pulp during the procedure; without these nerves, there is no sensitivity or pain.
Since the root canal treatment removes the symptom but not the cause, it is more akin to symptomatic therapy in this instance.
Tooth sensitivity is always caused by something.
lDesensitising toothpaste: Anti-sensitivity toothpaste is recommended for people with mild to moderate dental sensitivity.
They function by obstructing or shutting down the dentinal tubules.
To lessen sensitivity, apply the paste to the teeth, let it stay for about 30 seconds, and then clean the teeth.
- Other agents: Fluoride varnish and dentine adhesives may help to obstruct the dentinal tubules.
- In-office treatment methods are employed if desensitising toothpaste is unable to alleviate sensitivity.
- In the event that alternative management strategies prove ineffective, CO2: YAG lasers may be employed.
- Sustaining proper oral hygiene: Frequent and appropriate brushing and flossing are essential.
- Use a soft-bristled toothbrush: This type of toothbrush can lessen abrasion and prevent gum irritation.
- Food intake: Consuming acidic foods on a regular basis might cause the teeth’s enamel surface to disintegrate, exposing the dentin and making it sensitive.
- Utilisation of fluoride-containing dental products: Fluoridated mouthwashes can lower the risk of sensitivity.
- Preventing teeth grinding: Sensitivity may arise from clenching and grinding teeth.
Therefore, a mouthguard can be employed in these situations.
Home remedies
Mild tooth sensitivity can be relieved by using home remedies; but professional consultation and treatment are required if there is underlying pathology.
Gently rub the teeth with a mixture of rock salt and a spoonful of mustard oil. Rinse it off after a minute of waiting.
Twice daily, a warm saline (salt and water) solution should be gargled.
Remember that when it comes to acidity, it weakens teeth, but it is the amount of time that acids are in contact with teeth that determines the severity of the damage.
