Causes of Sensitive Teeth

Do you experience shooting pain in your teeth when you bite into something cold? If so, that’s not normal, and you shouldn’t have to endure it. Tooth sensitivity can have several causes, but at the Bridge Smiles Dental Group, we’ll work to identify and rectify it.

Each tooth contains a nerve in its dental pulp. Surrounding the pulp is a material called dentin, which is made up of tiny tubes that easily transmit heat in or out of the pulp. Enamel, which makes up the outside of the crown, is the hardest substance in the human body, but it can still become cracked or eroded. When it is thin, the yellow-grey colored dentin may be visible through it.

Teeth grinding can wear enamel down or break it outright, but most erosion is due to exposure to acid. Sources of acid include sugar-eating bacteria that secrete acid as they metabolize, acid that is regurgitated from the stomach into the oral cavity, and drinks such as soda and citrus juice have high acid content. Tooth roots have less enamel and are dependent on gum tissue to protect them, so when gum tissue recedes, they’re especially sensitive. Patients can use extra-fluoridated toothpaste to remineralize enamel, but once it’s gone, it will have to be replaced with bonding or a similar prosthetic.

Drs. Meghadri and Grewal run Bridge Smiles Dental Group at 820 US Hwy 202 North Neshanic Station, NJ, and 15 North Bridge St. Somerville, NJ. To schedule an appointment, visit Bridge Smiles Dental.