Sensitivity Treatment

Fluorinex treatment helps treating sensitive teeth

What causes sensitive teeth (Dentin Hypersensitivity)?

Usually tooth sensitivity present as temporary tooth discomfort or pain after eating cold food, drinking cold liquids, or breathing cold air.
Dababneh et al (1999)¹ described dentinal hypersensitivity (DH) as, "An exaggerated response to non-noxious stimuli. It is characterized by pain of short duration arising from exposed dentin in response to stimuli, typically thermal, evaporative, tactile, osmotic, or chemical and which cannot be ascribed to any other dental defect or pathology".
The discomfort is temporary but the sensitivity is lasting!
Normally the gums cover the roots like a protective blanket, thus preventing external stimuli from reaching the sensitive roots. When the gums recede, the underlying tooth roots become exposed to external stimuli. The exposed roots contain small pores or tubules which lead directly to the nerve of the tooth. Stimuli can travel down the tubules and trigger the tooth nerve causing pain and discomfort.
Gums commonly recede for one of two reasons:

• Improper heavy handed brushing of the teeth. It is estimated that 50-90% of people brush with too much pressure. Over weeks, months and years of brushing they remove significant gum tissue exposing the tooth roots.
• Poor oral hygiene can lead to plaque build-up around teeth and gums. Over time this plaque hardens into tartar. Bacteria in this tartar are responsible for the gingivitis and periodontal disease that cause gum recession.

Treating Sensitive Teeth (Dentin Hypersensitivity)

1. Most treatments of hypersensitivity involve surface modifiers and intratubular blocking agents or barriers like; silver nitrate, zinc chloride, sodium citrate, potassium oxalate, resin adhesives and fluoride varnishes in order to reduce dentin permeability.
2. Topical fluoride applications² (mostly varnishes) create a barrier by precipitating calcium fluoride (CaF2) on the tooth surface, thus blocking patent dentinal tubules and reducing permeability and hypersensitivity (³,⁴).

3.   Research results on sensitive teeth approve the iontophoresis application method's efficacy^{5, 6}. Patients treated by iontophoresis obtained significant relief from sensitivity elicited by a blast of air and the touch of an explorer.

1. Dababneh RH, Khouri AT, Addy M: Dentine hypersensitivity - an enigma? A review of terminology, epidemiology, mechanisms, etiology and management, Br Dent J 187:606-611, 1999
2. Effectiveness of sodium fluoride on tooth hypersensivity with and without iontophoresis. Lutins ND, Greco GW, McFall WT Jr. J. Periodontol, 1984 May: 55(5):285-8
3. Orchardson R, Gangarosa LP, Holland GR, et al. Dentine hypersensitivity: Into the 21st century. Arch Oral Biol 1994;39:113S-9S
4. Gaffar A. Treating hypersensitivity with fluoride varnishes. Compend Contin Educ Dent 1998;19:1088-90
5. An evaluation of iontophoretic application of fluoride for tooth desensitization. Carlo GT, Ciancio SG, Seyrek SK. J Am Dent Assoc. 1982 Sep; 105(3):452-4.
6. Practical consideration in iontophoresis of fluoride for desensitizing dentin. Gangarosa LP, Park NH. J Prosthet Dent. 1978 Feb; 39(2):173-8.