If you have ever felt a sharp pain while biting into food, you know how excruciating tooth sensitivity can be. Even though the pain will fade quickly when you remove the food or other stimulus, oral pain of any kind is abnormal and should warrant attention from your dentist.
In many cases, tooth sensitivity can be a symptom of a larger dental problem. So you should not ignore this discomfort. Treatment for tooth sensitivity will vary depending on the underlying cause of the issue, so do not delay scheduling a dental evaluation. Read on to discover four ways that you and your dentist can relieve tooth sensitivity symptoms.
Desensitizing Toothpaste
Tooth sensitivity occurs when the outer layer of your tooth, enamel, suffers some kind of damage. Thinned or weakened enamel will expose the underlying dentin layer of the tooth, which contains nerves. If food or another stimulus touches these nerves, you feel tooth sensitivity pain.
In mild cases of enamel loss, you can find relief from resulting sensitivity pain with desensitizing toothpaste. This product contains ingredients that will shield exposed nerves so that you will not feel this pain when something touches the tooth. It will treat the symptom but not any other underlying dental issue. So make sure you talk to your dentist about the problem too.
Cavity Treatment
Tooth sensitivity might happen if you suffer from tooth decay. A cavity can form if oral bacteria eat away at your tooth enamel and create a hole in the tooth’s surface. Decay can expose nerves and give you tooth pain.
Cavities will not go away on their own, and the decay can worsen and penetrate deeper into your tooth. Your dentist can remove the decayed part of the tooth and give you a dental filling to restore the tooth’s structure. With the filling shielding the vulnerable portion of your tooth, you can find relief from tooth sensitivity.
Cosmetic Dental Solutions
As mentioned, weakened tooth enamel will not regenerate. But your dentist can replace lost enamel with a variety of treatments. In the case of mild dental damage, your dentist can restore aesthetics as well as structure to your tooth with cosmetic dental treatments.
For instance, a dentist can shield and seal exposed dentin with tooth bonding treatment. The resin is similar to a dental filling in that it will mold to cover your tooth as needed. Then it cures and hardens into a durable protective layer.
Your dentist may also suggest porcelain veneers to cover damaged enamel on the front of the teeth. Veneers will build the beautiful smile of your dreams while also offering reliable protection from tooth sensitivity.
Dental Crowns
If you suffer significant damage to your enamel, your dentist may want to replace it and restore your smile with a dental crown. This ceramic cap will fit over the entire surface of your tooth to cover an extensive amount of weakened enamel if necessary.
The crown can remain in place for fifteen years with proper care. So many people look forward to this level of protection and restoration in their smiles through this treatment. Find the right treatment for your tooth sensitivity by calling your dentist today.