Tooth sensitivity is very common and patients frequently come to their consultations reporting the same problem. The reality is that tooth sensitivity can be caused by many factors, and each case is individual and so is the treatment.
Tooth sensitivity is that sensation like a kind of chill in one or more teeth. Some patients describe it as a rush, and treatments vary greatly. Sensitivity can be caused by cavities that are very close to the pulp or “nerve”, a sensation that in a short time will go from sensitivity to pain. Another of the most common reasons for tooth sensitivity is the exposure of the neck of the tooth (the part of the tooth that is closest to the gum), this area of the tooth no longer has the protection that the enamel provides against external stimuli, that is more “porous” and in fact has “microtubules” that are small microscopic channels that reach directly to the pulp, so when receiving a stimulus in this area of the tooth it gives that sensation that is described as sensitivity.
The main causes of exposure of the necks of the teeth are due to inflammation of the gum, which can be due to the accumulation of bacterial plaque and calculus, which causes the gum to separate a few millimeters from the tooth, or due to what we know as “recession.” gingival”, literally the gum retreats and moves away from the neck of the tooth either due to poor brushing technique, cavities in the area, or a large accumulation of calculus.
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