Cant eat Ice cream anymore because it hurts your teeth? It can be fixed!

Image result for ice creamEvery time you drink or eat something cold or hot you feel tiny little shocks go up your teeth?
In my last blog I talked about causes of tooth sensitivity. This time I will tell you how to stop and prevent it.






Actual tooth problem.

File:Dental Caries Cavity 2.JPGIf you have an actual tooth problem, meaning the pain lingers (5-10 sec) and is getting progressively worse please come in as an emergency because that tooth needs to be treated asap. This usually means a cavity has progressed to the nerve. Likely you will need a filling or a root canal. Make an appointment with us and we can take you out of pain within an hour of you arriving with minimal discomfort. You can be back in your office or back to your family the same day without any disturbances to your daily life except maybe to avoid chewing on that side until the treatment is completed. We will likely do a "pulpotomy" which is basically a half root canal just to take you out of pain. You will have to return another day to complete the case but you don't need to be in anymore discomfort.



Image result for gum recessionTeeth sensitivity. (Lasts 1-3 seconds with stimulus and gets better with time)

Treating teeth sensitivity is about treating the cause of the sensitivity. I mentioned in the previous blog several ways you can get sensitivity. Once we eliminate what is causing it there are a few things we can do at the clinic to speed up the process.

  1.  Fillings on large exposed areas that have sunken in like the picture to the right to prevent further damage. If you have a single tooth sensitivity problem this will immediately solve the issue sometimes we can do these fillings without anesthesia.
  2. We have desensitizing agents at the office that can be applied to the surface which will alleviate the pain. However if you continue to damage the tooth the pain will resume.
  3. Sensodyne or any toothpaste that specifically targets sensitivity. These toothpastes have a special ingredient that will clog up the pores of the teeth so you longer feel pain from sensitivity. This takes a solid two weeks to happen but if you have generalized sensitivity from over brushing or other causes that are not cavity related this is the least invasive option to cure your sensitivity.
Disclaimer: For all dental discomfort I still recommend a professional diagnosis before you start treating yourself. Sometimes the beginning of an actual tooth problems presents itself as regular teeth sensitivity and vice versa. Please contact us at dentist@canaandental.com and let us make a definitve diagnosis and treatment plan for you. 


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