Visit Oakwood Dental of Staten Island, NY if pain lasts multiple days or tooth reacts to heat or cold

Although tooth sensitivity affects millions of people, a “Yowza!” reaction to a spoon of ice cream might warrant a dental appointment. Oakwood Dental in Staten Island notes that pain symptoms have similarities, and what a patient might dismiss as a passing annoyance could actually be a cavity or infection in bone surrounding the tooth, or gum disease indicated by pus. A dental evaluation can discover these kinds of problems.

When sensitivity stems from something less serious, though, a dentist in the Staten Island office can offer treatments for desensitizing and managing the discomfort. Typically, sensitivity is from nerve irritation inside the tooth and beneath the hard enamel. Pain can be introduced when this enamel is worn down or when gums have receded. These kinds of conditions can make eating and drinking uncomfortable.

In a consultation with a dentist, a patient should be clear about the exact sensation, when it began and which self-applied approaches seem to relieve it. Dentists have a wide range of solutions for sensitive teeth, sometimes with a mix of in-office methods and at-home product uses. Additionally, the dentist’s instructions should be carefully followed. These may include short-term avoidance of certain likely causes of irritation.

There is no single, one-fits-all approach when it comes to sensitivity, which when extremely severe, can even inhibit a patient’s ability to control the accumulation of plaque that may lead to cavities. That’s why a dentist’s evaluation is a necessary next step when sensitivity detracts from normal, everyday living. And if it does point to something that could become serious, the experienced professionals at Oakwood Dental in Staten Island will work to fix it expeditiously.