Sensitive teeth is one of the number one problems we see in our office. They can make people stop cleaning the teeth in certain areas and avoid cold drinks and ice cream. Some clientele tell my wonderful, sweet hygienist, Lenia to avoid cleaning that tooth or section of teeth. This makes them both pretty edgy. She needs to do her job and the teeth need the plaque film off of them. Even in healthy mouths, gum recession can happen. There is no enamel underneath the gum. The root surface is exposed. This can happen due to a variety of reasons, brushing too hard, or generally how the tooth is positioned in the bone. Another reason sensitivity may occur is due to craze lines in the teeth. Small cracks in the enamel are like cracks in eggs. The cold leaks through the cracks.
Something to know about toothpastes is that they are ALL abrasive. Sensodyne works by applying a painkiller- Potassium Nitrate on the root surface. It tells you on the box it is not made for long term use. A six month supply may cost as much as $48 and it is not healing the tooth. You can eat and drink immediately after placement. Traditional fluoride treatments, in order to be effective last 4 minutes with a waiting period of 30 minutes. This usually entailed those big foam trays, a suction device and a lot of gagging and possibility of being a little sick afterwards becauase you may swallow some of the fluoride. The new varnish will help the sensitivity on the root surfaces and surface cracks.