Sensitive tooth

[JWoods38]

My front tooth is very sensitive to cold drinks, and drinking is sometimes painful. I have resorted to drinking with a straw, but how come out of nowhere I am experiencing this strange sensitivity?

[Sunny]

JWoods please ask your orthodontist about this.

Sometimes a tooth may become sensitive due to movement, but there are many reasons why sensitivity occurs. Take care when brushing, and never brush too hard, especially over the area of the gum area that's covering the root of the tooth.

It may be a good idea for you to use a toothpaste made for sensitive teeth, if you don't already. Brands like sensodyne are good.

[Zoso]

Sometimes tooth movement temporarily exposes a little of the root of the tooth, where the dentin is not covered by enamel. Because of the structure of dentin (it has little tubules - channels - that run towards the middle of the tooth) this means that stimuli such as heat and especially cod will be more intensely experienced. Toothpastes like Sensodyne help counteract this because minerals in the toothpaste can diffuse into the tubules, helping block transmission of the painful stimuli. This is true really of any good fluoride paste, but preparations like Sensodyne have extra active ingredients (usually potassium nitrate) that should be more help.

If this is the reason, be careful of what you drink and of the mouthwashes you use - generally speaking, anything acidic will attack any exposed dentin, making the problem worse.

Dentin exposure can (as Sunny alludes to) be caused also by brushing too hard, so correct brushing technique and use of a soft-bristle brush is essential - this is a general rule for anyone, but even more important if you are brushing more often, as is common with braces.

Conversely, if part of the roots is exposed, then any accumulation of plaque there will tend to make sensitivity worse. So don't be tempted to back off on the oral hygiene because of a fear of over-brushing!

If the problem persists, even with use of fluoride rinses, and a good sensitivity toothpaste, you should check in with your general dentist, as sensitivity can also be an indicator of root nerve damage, or a chipped or fractured tooth.

[Stephanie]

in my case, braces caused the tooth sensitivy for sure. I had to get a good flouride from my dentist and start brushing with sensodyne to help relieve the pain.

Now that i have had my braces off the sensitivity slowly wore off.

I also think I was brushing too hard, so there were probably many factors.

switch yourself to a soft toothbrush and try sensodyne.