Tooth Sensitivity

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#1 Post by **Dramagyrl** » Sat Mar 17, 2007 9:50 pm

Anyone else having issues with this?
I feel sometimes like I have cavities or something. The site of the sensitivity keeps changing from one area to another, and the dentist says my teeth are cavity-free. But that's what it feels like...

I've got lots of gaps going on these days as they close the extraction sites. I've wondered if maybe that's the problem? Maybe these teeth are used to being packed tight between others or the gums aren't used to being exposed? All I know is I am pretty much stuck using sensitivity toothpaste right now because any time I try to get away from it, the irritation comes back. I have better pastes I would rather be using, but sometimes I'll be using my sensitive toothpaste and still have a reaction out of the blue. One of those when you drink something cold or get a big mouthful of cold air and feel it in lots of spots.

Just wondering if there's any suggestions beyond the sensitivity toothpaste?

Thanks for your help

#2 Post by **Fran1988** » Sun Mar 18, 2007 4:32 am

I have awful pain some days in one of my top front teeth and the one next to it. It hurts so badly sometimes it lasts all day it is really deep with in the root it makes me cringe lol I think it is from all the snake bites i have drunk lol- ooopppss!!

Sensitivity is awful though, not good at all, but it will all be worth it!!

#3 Post by **wmastin** » Sun Mar 18, 2007 7:48 am

What you're describing is very similar to something that recently happend to me. I assumed it had something to do with the chains that had recently been put on, and was extremely concerned about another tooth fracture showing up due to the movement. (My original fractured tooth showed up as a sensitive area, no great pain.)

Anyway, my sensitivity developed into excruciating pain almost overnight. I had spoken to the periodonist about it at my regular cleaning and he couldn't see any obvious problems, but four days later the agony began.

To make a very long story short, everything started with a loose lower band and was aggravated by bite issues (I grind at night.) The band was tightened, a couple high spots adjusted and the pain stopped - boom, just like that.

I was shocked that it was so simple, because this was probably the absolute worst pain I've ever known in my life! After describing the pain to my husband, he said it sounded like the cluster headaches he dealt with years ago.

Have you spoken to your ortho in addition to the dentist?

#4 Post by **Dramagyrl** » Sun Mar 18, 2007 3:10 pm

Thanks for the feedback everyone! I have been using Crest Sensitivity toothpaste and it's certainly reduced the consistency of pain, but not completly. I watch extreme temperatures, but sometimes it's just as easy as breathing in on a cold morning.

Something interesting came up in your comment wmastin. You mentioned a "cluster headache" your husband had. What's strange is that I have been fighting a headache since my last adjustment. My massage therapist had to rub my scalp, especially on the temples and around the ears, to try and reduce some lumps, clustered of painfully tight muscles, and she believes it's jaw related.

Maybe I am just clenching more than I realized. With my bite changing so much lately, the clenching probably feels very different compared to when I was first diagnosed with TMJ.

#5 Post by **wmastin** » Sun Mar 18, 2007 7:34 pm

Dramagyrl wrote: What's strange is that I have been fighting a headache since my last adjustment.

That, combined with your area of pain moving around and your grinding, makes your problem so very similar to what happened with me. Initially, I thought I was just experiencing sensitivity, then it got a little worse and I started being concerned about a problem with a tooth, but the pain kept moving around between an area of 3-4 teeth. By pain, I don't mean anything bad or prolonged. It took probably 3 weeks for me to reach the "agony" stage and I happened to be out of town at the time. Even that was odd, because most days it only hurt beginning around 3 pm. Ortho said it was most likely because of just minor banging together of the high spots during the day which eventually caused all the pain.

I wish I were better at relating exactly what he said, because it all made great sense. Matter of fact, the whole situation made sense once he started talking.

My TMJ and grinding first presented itself years as a very bad headache.

#6 Post by **payoki** » Wed Mar 21, 2007 9:12 am

my teeth used to hurt if I breathed cold air it was so sensitive.
KK and others recommand that I use sensodyne and I'm much much better.^^

#7 Post by **payoki** » Wed Mar 21, 2007 9:12 am

my teeth used to hurt if I breathed cold air it was so sensitive.
KK and others recommand that I use sensodyne and I'm much much better.^^

#8 Post by **chillin-in-grilz** » Wed Mar 21, 2007 2:48 pm

Im like that too, on my left molar i can not touch chocolate there, or sometimes when I chew chewy cadle it pains. Just the one tooth, and its sensitive to cold. But I have no cavities as well.

#9 Post by **florencegal** » Wed Mar 28, 2007 6:20 am

I've just checked in to ask for some advice on this very problem! For the past 2 weeks my teeth have been soooo sensitive. It migrates around a bit but is centred a lot on one tooth that has straightened heaps and now has a gap on one side. When I breathe in on a cold morning it really stings and using mouthwash is agony! I'd managed to convince myself that all my teeth must be riddled with cavities all at once but I'm relieved that others have had this and it's proved unrelated to cavities. In any case, I have my check-up and clean with my general dentist in half an hour so I'll make sure I ask! Will be sure to post any useful advice he might pass on

x

#10 Post by **florencegal** » Wed Mar 28, 2007 2:43 pm

Relief! As the rest of you have found, I've been told the sensitivity doesn't equate to teeth riddled with decay

I checked with my general dentist today at my check-up and he's confirmed it's nothing at all to do with cavities as I have absolutely none

He explained the pain to me like this: each tooth has a nerve going up inside of it, if the tooth moves slowly the nerve has time to reform behind it but if the tooth moves quickly then the nerve can't quite grow fast enough and so gets a bit stretched until it can catch up. It's this stretching that causes the sensitivity and the pain then somehow "transfers" itself to surrounding teeth (he didn't explain exactly how).

So now I guess I just need to invest in some Sensodyne and I'll be ok!

x

#11 Post by **brandee987** » Fri Mar 30, 2007 11:13 pm

Karen you are lucky you never felt pain with a cavity!! Sometimes when I get pain or sensitivity I cringe because it feels exactly like when I needed a root canal in the past and OMG a tooth the needs a root canal is the worst pain imaginable to me! I would choose childbirth pain over a toothache anyday!

[/quote] The thing is, I can never remember them causing sensitivity issues or pain ... that's why it surprises me that nearly everytime someone seems to have sensitivity issues, they think it's a cavity. [quote][/quote]