Dental Advice faq from Seattle Area Dentist

Thank you for visiting us and for your question. There are several possible reasons for your sensitivity. Two of the most common are gum recession and cavities. Gum recession is very common and can at times cause extreme root sensitivity. Your dentist can provide treatments to reduce such sensitivity, including coating the teeth with sealants and placing fillings in the affected areas. It is also possible that you may be exacerbating the sensitivity by brushing with too hard of a brush (I recommend soft bristles to all of my patients) or an abrasive toothpaste. Also, you might want to consider requesting to have the sensitiv teeth numbed before they are cleaned. If you decide to do this, call your dentist's office before you go to your appointment to let them know about such a request. I hope this helps.