MEDICAL INSIDER
DR. RHODA ENTERO
FOR JULY 23, 2023

TOOTH SENSITIVITY

(Part 3)

We have already discussed the reasons for tooth sensitivity
including its signs and symptoms.
Today, we will tackle the origins of Dentin Hypersensitivity,
We have to know that the enamel is what protects your
teeth and gives it the hard shell that allows it to cut up,
chew, and grind most types of food into digestible chunks.
Beyond this hard, outer layer of your teeth is the dentin,
which is the material that your tooth is primarily made of. It
contains microscopic tubules filled with tiny nerve endings
that allow you to gauge whether what you’re eating is hot or
cold or if you’re biting into something so hard that it’s
damaging your teeth.
The dentin extends down to your tooth root, which in turn is
protected by a cementum layer. The American Dental
Association or ADA claims on its “Mouth Healthy” website
that nerve irritation or dentin hypersensitivity happens when
the dentin loses its enamel shield or cementum layer,
exposing the nerve endings to sweet, acidic, spicy, sticky,

hot, or cold foods. You’ll be having sharp pangs of pain
every time you eat ice cream or drink wine.
Some factors that contribute to tooth sensitivity include the
following:

  • Brushing Too Hard: You can have or do much of a good
    thing such that you’ve gone overboard with it. Don’t brush
    your teeth with too much force because it can cause the
    enamel covering to wear down from sheer friction and effort.
    Avoid using hard-bristle toothbrushes that can damage the
    outer shell or tear up your gums, thus exposing the dentin or
    cementum underneath.
  • Teeth Whitening: When you bleach your clothes, you
    should be aware that leaving them soaking in bleach for too
    long frays the threads, leaving them threadbare when push
    comes to shove. The same thing happens to enamel when
    you attempt to whiten it with a tooth-whitening bleach. This
    is why many people anecdotally report that their teeth have
    become sensitive after undergoing the procedure. However,
    the latest teeth whitening gels have addressed this problem
    by reducing their peroxide concentration.
  • Gum Disease: Inflamed gum tissue pulls away from your
    teeth, leaving vulnerable areas like the cementum layer and
    the tooth root exposed to nerve-wracking stimuli from spicy
    to sweet food as well as hot or cold beverages. You could
    be suffering from mild and treatable gingivitis to expensive
    periodontitis, thus requiring deep cleaning or scaling.