Don’t let dental discomfort put a damper on your day to day life. With a thorough oral health assessment, and prompt treatment, you can overcome tooth and gum pain. This article from our Novato dentists is a great place to get started…
What Causes Sensitive Teeth and Gums?
Dental sensitivity can develop for a number of discrete reasons, but they all something in common: they leave the dental pulp and nerves at the center of your teeth overly exposed to irritants and bacteria.
Our dental enamel—the outermost layer of our teeth—doesn’t contain dental nerves. That is why we can eat comfortably, and brush our teeth without pain. When dental enamel is damaged, weakened, or broken down, the nerves of your teeth are left too exposed, leading to discomfort.
Here are some commonly experienced causes of dental pain:
- Infected gum tissue
- Dental caries
- Thin enamel, which may be caused by acid exposure or conditions like bruxism
- Cracked or chipped tooth structure
The goal of treatment is to keep you comfortable, however, it is also to important for our team to underlying causes of sensitivity, as they are often related to larger oral health issues.
What Should I Do If I Notice Dental Sensitivity?
The first thing to do is to call your dental team to schedule an appointment. Your team will be able to screen your smile for signs of infection or damage. There is very little point in using ameliorative measures to manage pain without also addressing the structure of your smile.
Once we’ve pinpointed the root cause of your discomfort, we can tailor our treatment recommendations to fit your specific needs. You may benefit from…
- Treatments that strengthen dental enamel, like topical fluoride treatments
- Swapping existing oral hygiene products for ones that are better suited for sensitive teeth
- Undergoing restorative treatment to repair infected or structurally unsound teeth
- Covering your natural enamel with a dental material like composite resin or porcelain
Dental discomfort is absolutely not something you need to suffer with long-term. There are effective and accessible treatments available to you. As always, our Novato dentists are happy to provide you with any additional information and support that you may need—give us a call!