Dental sensitivity treatment
Sensitivity treatment depends on exposed dentine, decay, cracks, gum recession, or clenching, so diagnosis guides the remedy.
The short answer
Sensitivity is treated by finding its cause, then using fluoride or desensitising care, sealing exposed dentine, or repairing the affected tooth. Sudden, localised, or lingering pain needs examination rather than repeated home treatment.
What is the direct answer?
What does this question mean?
A stimulus reaches dentine tubules that connect toward the pulp, producing a brief response to cold, heat, sweetness, touch, or air. Common contributors include enamel wear, gum recession, erosion, decay, cracked enamel, and exposed root surfaces.
What can you do next?
Use a soft brush and fluoride toothpaste, reduce acidic drinks, and avoid brushing immediately after an acidic exposure. A dentist may apply fluoride varnish or a dentine sealant, adjust a filling, place a restoration, or provide a night guard when grinding contributes.
When should you seek dental care?
Seek care for pain that lingers after cold or heat, wakes you, occurs without a trigger, or is associated with swelling, a fracture, or a visible cavity. These patterns can indicate pulpal inflammation or structural damage requiring prompt treatment.
What should you ask the dentist?
Ask which tooth and surface are responsible, whether the pulp is healthy, and whether the cause is recession, wear, decay, erosion, a crack, or a restoration. Ask how long to use desensitising care before reassessment.
Frequently asked questions
Can sensitive toothpaste cure a cavity?
No. It can reduce the sensation, but a cavity still requires assessment and, when indicated, removal of diseased tissue and a restoration.
Why is one tooth suddenly sensitive?
A new localised response can follow decay, a crack, a leaking filling, gum recession, or irritation of the pulp.