Do you ever feel sharp pains in your mouth when eating or drinking things? If so, when does this happen? Does it happen only when you eat or drink cold things or hot things? Does it happen when you eat sweet things? People generally experience sensitivity from sweet, hot, and cold things. Here are a few things to understand about these types of tooth sensitivity issues.

Sweet Things

When you feel any sensitivity with a tooth or multiple teeth, it is typically due to the response of nerves found inside and under your teeth. When the sensitivity issues you feel are from eating or drinking sweet things, it could be due to several things. First, it might be the response from decay forming on your teeth. Secondly, it could occur when a tooth begins receding and exposing more roots from the tooth. Your dentist can take x-rays to take a deeper look at the area that is bothering you. Your dentist can also examine this area to see if there are any physical signs of problems.

Cold Things

Teeth may respond to cold things for the same reasons as they react to sweet things. When you take a drink of ice-cold water and feel sharp twinges of pain, it is likely from receding teeth and exposed roots. Exposure of roots due to gum recession is the primary cause of sensitivity issues to cold things. Your dentist might suggest treating the gum recession to fix the problem you are having. There are several ways to do this, and your dentist can explain the options to you.

Hot Things

When your teeth are extremely sensitive to hot things, it can indicate a bigger problem. Issues with sensitivity typically begin with problems related to sweet or cold things. When your teeth start feeling sensitive to hot things, it can indicate a problem with the nerves in your teeth. This issue might result in needing a root canal. While this is not always the case, you should never ignore sensitivity issues to hot things, as they are generally more serious than other types of teeth sensitivity.

These are three common sensitivity issues that people have with their teeth. If you suffer from any of these issues, talk to your dentist. Ignoring the issues will not make them go away. Instead, they may only get worse. You can learn more about sensitivity issues by visiting your local dentist.