Sensitive teeth: causes and treatment in Blackpool

Why Teeth Become Sensitive

A tooth has three layers. Enamel is the hard outer shell. Under it is dentine, a softer layer full of tiny channels that run towards the nerve in the middle. Enamel covers the crown of the tooth, and gum covers the root. While both are in place, the dentine is sealed off and cold, sweet or touch cannot reach the nerve.

Sensitivity happens when dentine is exposed. Cold or sweet things travel down those channels, the fluid inside moves, and the nerve reads that movement as a short, sharp pain. It stops as soon as the trigger is gone. That pattern, a quick zing that fades in seconds, is the classic sign of dentine sensitivity. Pain that lingers for minutes or throbs on its own is something different, and we cover that below.

The common causes we see in Blackpool

• Gum recession. The gum pulls back from the neck of the tooth and uncovers the root. Roots have no enamel. Hard brushing and gum disease are the usual reasons.
• Enamel wear. Acid from fizzy drinks, fruit juice, wine or reflux softens enamel. Brushing straight after an acidic drink wears it away faster.
• Grinding and clenching. Teeth grinding wears enamel flat and can cause small notches at the gum line. Sensitivity is often the first sign.
• Decay. A new cavity lets cold and sweet reach the dentine. Catching it early means a smaller filling.
• Cracks. A cracked tooth is often sensitive to cold and hurts on biting or when you release the bite.
• Old or leaking fillings. A filling that has shrunk or chipped at the edge lets fluid in underneath it.

Is It Normal After Dental Work?

After a filling or crown. The tooth has been drilled and shaped, often close to the nerve, so some sensitivity to cold and biting is common for the first few days or weeks. It should get better week by week. If it gets worse, or the tooth hurts when you bite down, the new filling may be slightly high. A short adjustment usually fixes that, so please tell us rather than put up with it.

After a hygiene visit. A scale and polish removes tartar that was covering parts of the root. Those surfaces can feel the cold for a week or two until they settle. Sensitive toothpaste helps. Skipping hygiene visits to avoid this makes gum disease, and the recession that follows, more likely.

After whitening. Teeth whitening can cause temporary sensitivity while you are using the gel and for a short time after. Results vary. Our whitening uses up to 6% hydrogen peroxide and is for patients 18 and over. If you already have sensitive teeth, say so before you start so we can prepare the teeth and adjust the wear time.

Your New Patient Examination

Sensitivity is a symptom, so the first job is to find which tooth and why. At a new patient examination, from £79 with X-rays included, we ask what sets the tooth off and how long the pain lasts. We look at each tooth for wear, cracks, decay and failing fillings. We measure your gums and look for recession. We test the suspect teeth with a blast of cold air and gentle tapping, and the X-rays show decay or problems between and under the teeth that cannot be seen by eye.

At the end you get a written plan with a fixed price for anything we recommend. If the honest answer is a change of toothpaste and brushing technique, that is what the plan will say. If you are already a patient, a routine examination or an emergency appointment covers the same checks for the tooth in question.

Matching the Treatment to the Cause

There is no single cure for sensitive teeth because there is no single cause. These are the treatments we use most often at Tower Dental, from the simplest up.

Small Changes That Make a Difference

• Spit, do not rinse. After brushing, spit out the foam and leave it. Rinsing with water washes the fluoride off before it can work on the enamel.
• Use a 1,450 ppm fluoride toothpaste. That is standard adult toothpaste in the UK. Check the tube. A sensitivity toothpaste with the same fluoride level is a good choice; give it two to four weeks.
• Soft brush, light hand. Hold the brush like a pen, not a fist. Small circles at the gum line, not scrubbing. An electric brush with a pressure sensor takes the guesswork out.
• Wait after acid. Leave at least 30 minutes after fizzy drinks, juice or wine before you brush. Enamel is soft straight after acid and brushes away more easily.
• Clean between the teeth daily. Floss or interdental brushes, whichever you will actually use. Healthy gums are less likely to recede.
• Rub a little sensitive toothpaste on the worst tooth last thing at night and leave it there.

If you have done all this for a month and the tooth is no better, or it is one tooth rather than several, book an examination. Home care cannot fix a crack, a cavity or a leaking filling.

What It Costs at Tower Dental Blackpool

All prices are "from" prices taken from our treatment price list. You get the exact price for your tooth in writing before anything starts.

Membership plan. Our dental plans include routine examinations, hygienist visits and X-rays, and give a discount on treatment fees. That covers the visits where sensitivity is usually picked up.

Finance. 0% finance over 6 or 10 months via V12 is available on treatment, subject to status. Tower Dental is a credit broker, not a lender.

A Dentist for Sensitive Teeth on Devonshire Road

Tower Dental is at 302a Devonshire Road, Blackpool FY2 0TW, on the north side of town. Patients come to us from across Blackpool and the Fylde Coast, including Bispham, Cleveleys, Thornton, Poulton-le-Fylde, Fleetwood and Lytham St Annes. We are open Monday to Friday, 08:30 to 17:30.

The practice is on the first floor and is not wheelchair accessible, but a stairlift is available. Please tell us when you book if you need it. There is free on-street parking nearby. We are a fully private practice and do not offer NHS treatment. Our sister practice is Station House Dental Care in Barnoldswick.

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