Test finds the root of sensitive teeth
By ROGER DOBSON, Daily Mail
The test, developed by dentists at Leeds University, is the first to pinpoint the exact areas of sensitivity.
That means problem areas can be much better targeted for remedial action by dentists, or with special over-the-counter pastes.
The new equipment is expected to be on the market in the next 12 months, after clinical trials which are due to start shortly.
Sensitive teeth, or dentin hypersensitivity, is among the most common dental complaints, and up to 10 million people in Britain suffer with it at some time.
It is often an acute, temporary pain triggered by eating cold food, drinking cold liquids, or breathing cold air. It can also occur as a result of gums receding and leaving the tooth roots exposed.
It is thought that the hypersensitivity starts when the dentin, the porous part of the tooth below the protective enamel covering, is left uncovered, often as a result of wear and tear.
Hot and cold temperature changes can also cause the teeth to expand and contract, creating microscopic cracks.
When the dentin is uncovered, so, too, are tiny fluidfilled tubes known as tubules that make the dentin porous. These are directly linked to the centre of the tooth, where the nerve is located.
When hot, cold, sweet, or sour foods or drink come into contact with the tubules, they trigger movement of the fluid in the tube, which excites the nerve, causing a tingly sensation or intense, sharp pain.
Once the sensitive area of a tooth is identified, remedial action can be successful.
The problem until now has been knowing exactly which part of the tooth is affected.
'Mostly it has been done by tapping the tooth which in itself can be painful,' says Dr David Belford, chairman of D-Sense, a high-tech, spinoff company from Leeds University, which is developing the test.
The test works on the idea that once the tubules are exposed, the manner in which a tiny amount of electricity passes through them changes. So a hand-held device can touch the tooth and measure the electrical induction.
The results appear on a computer screen so that the dentist can pinpoint the teeth in need of treatment.
Once it is diagnosed, tooth sensitivity can be reduced by using desensitising toothpaste.
Reducing the intake of acid- containing foods can also help.
Some pastes help to block transmission of sensation from the tooth to the nerve. In some cases, dentists can apply a protective coating to seal off the affected areas.
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