I don’t have any cavities, why do my teeth hurt when I eat or drink cold or sweet things?
You may be suffering from dentin hypersensitivity which is pain transmitted to the nerve of the tooth due to exposed dentin (root surface). It was thought that gum recession from toothbrush abrasion was the most significant cause of sensitivity. Evidence suggests erosion, caused mainly from dietary acids, is the most significant factor in the loss of tooth enamel and a key predisposition for the development of dentin hypersensitivity (Canadian Advisory Board on Dentin Hypersensitivity 2003).
Citrus fruits and juices, wines and carbonated beverages, among others, are risk factors and play a critical role in “softening” enamel that then becomes more susceptible to the stresses of abrasion, attrition (grinding), or abfraction (clenching) causing dentin exposure.
First-line treatment should be non-invasive and reversible and should include behaviour modification to control or remove risk factors. Your registered dental hygienist can help you evaluate risk factors, make alterations, monitor the progression and provide non-invasive therapy for treatment and prevention of dentin hypersensitivity.
