<p>I have been gritting my teeth as of late (something i tend to do when i’m really stressed), and as of yesterday, I have noticed that a lower tooth on my left side is now sensitive to cold (i was eating some ice cream and it shocked me). I’m not new to tooth sensitivity; I had to deal with it daily when i had braces and such (in this case, it went away on its own).</p>
<p>I will say that putting my retainer in helps keep me from gritting and, it seems, when i do it, my teeth try to move as well.</p>
<p>My last dentist visit was in Feb. and I don’t have another scheduled till next month. No cavities appearing and whatnot, teeth are kept clean (<3 soniccare tooth brush), nothing overly sugery and nothing acidic.</p>
<p>It has no pain except for when i put icecream on it. However, the entire area will get sore if i’m gritting my teeth.</p>
<p>So, would i be right in saying that this is the cause of it? Will it go back to normal eventually?</p>
<p>(thought i’d ask here since you guys are so knowledgeable).</p>
<p>Several of my family members have cold sensitivity, and they have gotten good results with Sensodyne. It takes several weeks to be fully effective.</p>
<p>How can you be sure you don’t have a cavity? It’s possible you have a crack in the tooth that is creating the nerve sensitivity. I wouldn’t wait to see a dentist.</p>
<p>I would wait. Unless you’re in excruciating pain, there’s no urgency. You think it’s due to grinding your teeth. Wear your retainer for a month and see if it improves. If not, then see the dentist.</p>
<p>If it’s bothering you, go to the dentist. There’s no law that says you can’t make an appointment with a dentist if you have a problem between regular checkups.</p>
<p>For a simple matter of sensitivity to cold, since you have an appointment in a month, I would deal with it then. No need to over react and get an emergency appointment. If you had significant constant or more frequent pain and no scheduled appointment for months, that would be a different matter.</p>
<p>Just make sure you tell them about it when you go.</p>
<p>Is it just ice cream or other cold foods/iced drinks? Try to give your tooth a break from the cold trauma by limiting what you chew on that tooth.</p>
<p>Clenching can create cracks in teeth that can lead to cold sensitivity. See what happens in the next few days. If you feel you are getting worse, call the dentist. You may have a cavity (you won’t be able to tell if you have a small one) or you may need a splint to prevent clenching/grinding or you may have a crack large enough to warrant a filling or crown. My suggestions are based on your description, but impossible to diagnose without actually seeing your mouth.</p>
<p>If you think you can wait a month, fine, but don’t hesitate to schedule an appt before your checkup if you are concerned.</p>
<p>I cannot use Sensodyne for my sensitive teeth because my sensitive teeth are very sensitive to sweet and Sensodyne is extremely sweet. I got good results with continous usage of Tom’s for Sensitive teeth. It takes long time. Whenever dentist touches that one tooth, it agravates nerve and every time he does, it takes long time to calm it down. I absolutely do not allow to clean this tooth during cleanning procedure, it is simply not possible. I have very sensitive teeth overall and regular tooth paste is just too much for them. I use Tom’s for sensitive teeth on a regular basis. However, if you can tolerate Sensodyne, why not, it is cheaper.</p>
<p>If you are noticing some gritting during the day you are possibly also doing it as you sleep. I still use Sensodyne but what really changed my life was when I started wearing a mouthguard to bed. No more jaw issues and the tooth sensitivity was reduced in a major league way. If you haven’t already, you might want to try wearing your retainer to bed for a while and see if that helps. If it does you may want to upgrade to a bona fide mouthguard.</p>
<p>Sensitivity could be caused simply by very very bad teeth as in my case, I have had many surgeries and in a process of building my 6th implant. Dentist might advise what is the best personal solution.</p>
<p>It is better to see someone than to self-diagnose. For example, I sometimes get pain in my teeth and jaw but I know it’s not the teeth but is instead an inflamed facial nerve that’s connected to vertigo. I might have gone to a dentist but my path into this was through a balance problem and that led to an ENT doctor and that led to this understanding. Inflamed facial nerves can cause a lot of tooth and jaw pain. </p>
<p>BTW, if you’re curious and have any balance issues at all, you can test the main facial nerves by pushing on the front middle of your cheekbone and by feeling the back, lower portion of the jaw. You can also do a simple check by moving your finger across your field of vision and seeing if you can track it well. People with vertigo can’t and you can really notice the lag. An observer can easily see your eyes lagging. Not to get too far off topic, but I would argue the best thing you can for yourself other than losing weight is to work on your balance.</p>
<p>Icedragon, give the dentist a call now. Better to have it checked out and find out that it is a minor issue such as root recession or grinding as the cause of the sensitivity than wait until it flares up on a Saturday night and then you have to suffer until he/she can see you. It COULD be a whole host of problems up to and including a dying nerve ( irreversible pulpitis) which would require root canal but you won’t know unless you give them a call. It is also a lot easier to treat the tooth ( i.e. get it numb) if it is not a hot or actively infected tooth…Bottom line, do you really want to take the chance it could be a major issue with potential for pain? Call the office and explain the situation.
Disclaimer Note- Above is not to be taken as legal or dental advice, consult a dentist of you own for your specific situation.</p>