Tooth Sensitivity: Causes and Solutions

Why teeth become sensitive

Under your enamel sits dentin, a layer laced with microscopic tubes that lead straight to the nerve. Anything that exposes dentin lets temperature and sweets reach the nerve directly. The usual causes:

• Enamel wear from acidic drinks, aggressive brushing, or grinding
• Gum recession exposing root surfaces, which have no enamel at all
• A cavity, cracked tooth, or leaking filling
• Recent dental work, which usually settles within a few weeks
• Whitening products, which cause temporary sensitivity

What you can do at home

Switch to a desensitizing fluoride toothpaste and use it consistently for two to four weeks — it works by plugging those dentin tubes. Brush gently with a soft brush, cut back on sodas and citrus sipping, and don't rinse after brushing.

When sensitivity means see the dentist

• Pain that lingers more than 30 seconds after the cold is gone
• Sensitivity in one specific tooth rather than a general zing
• Pain when biting down
• A tooth sensitive to heat — often a sign the nerve is inflamed

Those patterns suggest decay, a crack, or nerve trouble, and early treatment is dramatically simpler and cheaper than waiting.

How we treat it in office

Depending on the cause: prescription fluoride varnish, bonding over exposed roots, a night guard for grinders, or fixing the underlying cavity or crack. Sensitivity is a symptom; the win is treating what's causing it.