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Question:
Gum Disease treatment causes extreme tooth sensitivity: After 4-5 years, I finally went to the dentist earlier this year.
It was found that I was developing periodontis. I am sure from smoking for 6-7 years. About 3 years ago I experienced severe gum bleeding and pain, but it went away after about a week.
When my teeth starting feeling "weak" I finally decided to go to the dentist. They did a deep cleaning and since then I get a pain in my teeth and can't even breathe without the air hurting my teeth.
I started using Sensodyne, but I was told that prolonged sensitivity is a sign of something seriously wrong. I am not sure what to do. ...Visitor from FL
Answer:
I'm not sure I'm following your time frame. I will assume that the severe sensitivity began after a deep cleaning earlier this year. This is not unusual.
When the gums are severely infected, they swell. After the inflamation is removed by the cleaning, the tissues will shrink.
A component of the severe infection is the loss of gum attachment to the tooth, causing some root surface to be exposed. Roots are much more sensitive than the crown of the tooth, so you have root sensitivity.
Fluoride treatments may help you. There is an in-office treatment called Vanish, which is a very strong fluoride treatment. There is also a hone use product called PerioMed, which is diluted with water and swished daily. Both of these are available through a dentist.
Hope that you are not smoking, or very little will help. Also, periodontitis is not curable, just controlled, so you will need to become a very regular scaling patient to keep it under control.
Corinne Scalzitti, DMD, MAGD
Austin Reconstructive Implant Dentistry
3900 RR 620 South
Austin, Texas TX 78738
(512) 263-3330
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