Posted

When it comes to oral health and issues of the mouth, most problems occur in progressive stages. This means that when something is left untreated, it will continue to worsen. For instance, a tooth that starts off as just a bit sensitive may progress into an excruciatingly painful toothache. In most cases, oral issues become severe because people often choose to ignore or endure minor irritations. Routine dental visits can help your dentist identify any potential issues before the progress, but more importantly, you must learn not to ignore problems, even if they seem minor. 

What Causes Sensitivity

The layer beneath the enamel of your tooth is called dentin, which is similar to the texture of bone in that its slightly porous. Being porous allows sensory information to travel from the dentin to the nerves of the tooth. When a tooth is healthy, the dentin is protected by highly mineralized tooth enamel, which prevents your tooth’s dentin from feeling anything. The weakening of your enamel is one of the most common reasons for a tooth sensitivity. Weakened enamel can be caused by the development of a cavity, unchecked bruxism, or a wide variety of other potential causes. Bruxism is also known as grinding your teeth. The friction from grinding can create microscopic fractures in the enamel. Grinding your teeth over a long period of time can create enough fractures to weaken the enamel, which can leave your teeth sensitive and vulnerable to breakage and decay.

Advancement to a Toothache

The more that your tooth hurts, the more of your tooth is compromised, and the more extensive treatment may be needed to fully restore it. If the initial sensitivity is caused by a cavity, it can progress to cause inflammation and infection inside of the tooth. An early cavity may be treated with a filling at the early stage, but may require root canal treatment or extraction at the severe stages. Bruxism can be treated, so that your mouth is further protected against the nightly wear and tear of friction.

Do you have sensitivity or pain in your teeth?

Stop a sensitive tooth from becoming a toothache. To schedule a consultation, with Dr. Jones and Dr. Harris of Mansfield Dental Associates in Mansfield, TX, call 817-473-6227. We proudly welcome patients from Mansfield, TX and the surrounding areas, including South Arlington, Kennedale, Southeast Ft. Worth, Alvarado, Midlothian, and more.