Dentistry
DENTIN HYPERSENSITIVITY:
CAUSES & TREATMENT OPTIONS
By Dr Kazaid Kermani
D
entin sensitivity is more
common than you may think.
This condition causes a sharp
pain when one consumes
certain foods and drinks.
Dentin hypersensitivity is a short, sharp
pain arising from exposed dentin (the
layer of tooth below the enamel) and is
in response to stimuli that are typically
thermal (cold or hot), evaporative
(drying of teeth), tactile (the dentist
running a probe over the affected
area), osmotic or chemical (sugars
and acidic things). This pain needs
to be differentiated from other dental
pathology that can cause similar pain.
The pain associated with dentin
hypersensitivity is prevalent in the
majority of the countries worldwide.
The majority of sufferers are unaware
that the condition is easily identified
and treated. The dentist would
normally examine the teeth and assess
the degree of pain through qualitative
parameters such as slight, medium,
and severe pain or through using
quantitative parameters such as a
visual analogue scale.
Dentin hypersensitivity (DH) is typically
found in patients whose dentin has
become exposed by recession of the
gums around teeth, gum disease and
therapy. Some of the causes are:
• Enamel loss and tooth wear resulting
from aggressive and incorrect
methods of tooth brushing causing
abrasion.
• Ingesting acidic foods and drinks.
• Acid regurgitated from the stomach
• Tooth