Closing an Unattractive Gap between Your Two Front Teeth

For many people, one's teeth can seem to be perfectly fine one day only to suddenly start becoming sensitive for no apparent reason. If you're suddenly experiencing tooth sensitivity, here are three of the most likely culprits.

1. Cavity

Cavities - even little ones - are one of the biggest causes of tooth sensitivity.

When you develop a cavity, a hole forms in the tooth that goes deeper the longer it's allowed to exist. This allows anything in your mouth to touch the internal areas of the tooth, which are packed full of nerve endings and sensitive. This means that when you drink, eat, or chew, you may experience pain. If you haven't had pain until recently, it could mean that you've had a slowly developing cavity that has only just now become deep enough to cause you discomfort.

2. Enamel Damage

Another possibility is that the enamel shielding your teeth has become damaged. This is something that happens when you have a cavity, but it can also happen on its own.

Enamel can gradually get worn down from wear and tear and the food that you eat. Acidic food and beverages can weaken the enamel until it becomes thin and brittle or wears away entirely. Like a cavity, this means that the softer parts of the tooth that have more nerve endings will become exposed. If you regularly drink acidic things like juice or wine, this could be the problem that's causing your pain.

3. Gum Disease

Finally, it might surprise you to discover that gum disease could be responsible for your tooth pain.

Your gums should normally form a tight seal around your teeth. This is important because the part of your tooth that's under the gums doesn't have the same enamel coating that the exposed part does. Unfortunately, gum disease can cause gums to recede or become looser around the tooth. If this goes on for long enough, you could experience tooth sensitivity when you try to eat or drink, as again, the deeper parts of your teeth are being touched when they should always be protected by your gums.

As you can see, all three of these possible causes aren't something that should be ignored. If you're having pain or discomfort, get in touch with a dentist to find out what's causing it. Putting it off can allow your situation to become worse, which can put your oral health at risk.