You’ve probably asked Dr. Google already, but let’s dig a little deeper at Dentistry on Queen West into what heat sensitivity means for your tooth.
Sometimes through aggressive brushing, acid erosion, grinding and clenching or other reasons, we can have dentin exposure. Dentin is a living and sensitive part of the tooth which is usually protected and covered by one of two things: enamel or gum tissue. If either of these protective coverings is damaged or missing, we can experience hot or cold sensitivity or even both types of temperature sensitivity.
Another reason we may have heat sensitivity can be because of something we call pulpitis (inflammation of the nerve). The nerves in our teeth can become inflamed for many reasons, and it is always best to seek advice from a dentist, like Dr. Arin, Dr. McMartin, or Dr. Hanson whenever you have any kind of discomfort or pain in your teeth. Pulpitis can be reversible in some cases or irreversible in others, meaning that a root canal treatment may be indicated. Pulpitis can present with other symptoms, such as pain to the tooth or jaw on touch, swelling of the gums or face, or fever.
In any case, give us a call or book an appointment online to find out the cause of your heat sensitivity and what we can do to help relieve your discomfort and bring your smile back to health!
