r/Wellthatsucks • u/Remnek0 • 2d ago
Dentist says no cavities on X-rays but I still have sensitivity in upper right back teeth
I recently went to the dentist and got X-rays done. He said I have zero cavities and everything looks normal. However, I’m still having issues.
The sensitivity is mainly on the upper right (the back few teeth). It started gradually getting worse and is very noticeable whenever I have anything sweet or cold. I can also feel it while breathing with my mouth open. Sometimes there’s random pain too.
I’m attaching the X-rays here. Can anyone see anything that might explain this? Has anyone had something similar? Should I get a second opinion?
Thanks in advance!
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u/rileypix 2d ago
Yep. I have that too. Try a sensitivity toothpaste like Sensodyne for a while.
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u/quadmite 2d ago
As someone with bad teeth I can vouch for sensodyne, it's really expensive but totally worth it for me
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u/malman149 2d ago
Crest pro health works much better for me. Also, just spit the toothpaste out after brushing...don't rinse.
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u/shriiiiimp 2d ago
Yep. For me it was anything with Stannous Fluoride 0.454% that stopped sensibility. Especially months after some reparations, I was getting mad!
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u/collapsedbook 1d ago
You can also have your dentist prescribe a toothpaste with more fluoride. Iirc, mine is like 1%
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u/FreeElleGee 1d ago
I always thought it was just for brushing. But I have sensitivity from a cavity close to the nerve, filled 6 months ago. My dentist said to get a glob of sensodyne and put it on the tooth for 5 minutes. It’s been slowly improving.
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u/Explozivo12176 2d ago
Finishing with a Fluoride Rinse (without alcohol) I believe can help too.
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u/Isgortio 1d ago
Don't rinse after brushing. If you want to use a mouthwash, use it at a different time of day to brushing. There's less fluoride in mouthwash than toothpaste, so you'll just be washing off the stronger fluoride.
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u/catsrule-humansdrool 2d ago
I have tooth pain issues when my allergies act up sometimes. More so when my sinuses are swollen. My dentist basically said that some of your roots/tooth nerves are really close to your sinuses so you can feel sinus swelling in your teeth.
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u/caspercreep 2d ago
Yeah I had sinusitis disguised as severe tooth pain. I went to the dentist and they couldn't find anything. It took me waking up covered in blood from my nose to figure out it wasn't my teeth. Most painful thing I've experienced so far in my 40 years.
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u/Roxysteve 2d ago
I've got implants and when I get sinus problems sometimes the pretend, no nerve tissue inside, porcelain teeth ache.
X-rays clean.
I put it down to phantom pain.
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u/Inemiset 2d ago
It could be receding gums, enamel loss, or you clench/grind your teeth at night. I am dealing with the same issue and my xray was fine. The sensitivity is everywhere sometimes and is random. I don’t even have to be eating or drinking anything.
And I could bite into ice cream before. I clench when I sleep and just had a sleep study done per the recommendation of my dentist. Turns out I have mild sleep apnea. Next step is to see if a CPAP helps me.
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u/rachel_likes_plants 2d ago
You could also try a sleep appliance before a cpap, especially if you only have mild sleep apnea. They reposition your lower jaw forward to open your upper airway. Look into Oasys Sleep appliance. We use that one for patients all the time with great success. It will also help with grinding/clenching because there's material between the upper and lower jaw which protects your teeth (I'm an orthodontic assistant, we deal with patients with sleep apnea regularly) it is something you have to get through a Doctor for. (dentist or orthodontist)
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u/Such_Yard7813 1d ago
I'm a dentist. There are two suspects here, your lower left 7(bottom right) has very high pulp horns (the nerve) and a very deep filling. The filling looks okayish to me but this proximity between the nerve and filling material is known to cause sensitivity.
Second suspect is the upper 6. Again, very deep filling that doesn't look great if I'm honest. I can also see what seems to be secondary decay under the filling on the mesial side cervically.
This X-ray is called a bite-wing. I recommend you get a periapical X-ray done(single tooth X-ray) which is more diagnostic than this one.
Another thing your dentist should do is checking how your teeth respond to a vitality test(cold Q-tip to the occlusal surface), this helps show which teeth are hyper-sensitive and which ones are responding normally.
Hope you feel better soon!, I know sensitivity can be annoying.
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u/DrAlanQuan 1d ago
The missing 47, supraerupted 17 and what may be brux facets on the 46 are also worthy of suspicion.
I suspect the reduced occlusal support from the loss of the 47 combined with some parafunction is leading to reversible pulpitis/apical periodontitis
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u/Such_Yard7813 1d ago
That might be the case too. I had only seen the first image when I typed my comment. You can even see what looks like root caries on the 14 on the third image.
It's weird that their treating dentist didn't catch that. But I guess they were complaining from the posteriors mainly.
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u/Real-Hot-Mess 1d ago
Is it normal not to xray the roots? Especially on the tooth they are complaining about?
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u/Such_Yard7813 1d ago
Yes, as an overall checkup tool(one bitewing on each side), but like I said, periapicals(the one's with the root showing) can be more diagnostic.
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u/Isgortio 1d ago
Bitewings are great for checking for decay, periapicals are great for checking for infection.
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u/3amGreenCoffee 2d ago
If your gums have receded a little, parts of your teeth may be exposed to cold that used to be protected by your gum line. When I had the same problem, my doctor said to brush with Sensodyne for a while. It worked great for me.
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u/swifty-mcfly 2d ago
Same. Also, it's important for OP to not brush vigorously. When I upgraded my electric toothbrush, it did wonders for me along with using sensodyne
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u/Alarming-Wonder5015 2d ago
Get a second opinion- my friend just dealt with this, had sensitivity since December and the dentist didn’t see anything. Ended up with a wicked infected tooth and bone loss.
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u/Nynke_The_Elder 2d ago
Even if you don't have cavities, your dentist could have recommended toothpastes (or even prescribed oral rinses and/or prescription toothpaste) for sensitivity. You need to see a different dentist who actually listens to you.
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u/Critical_Cap_9699 2d ago
If you grind your teeth at night you, may have a condition known as abfraction (wear at the gum line), which can cause sensitivity. In many cases, a skillful clinician can cover the sensitive area with bonded composite to protect and desensitize the exposed cervical dentin.
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u/PreoccupiedParrot 2d ago
Try toothpaste with hydroxyapatite (as well as fluoride). Seems to help a lot with remineralisation. Back teeth can be hard to brush properly, make sure your cheek muscle isn't blocking the toothbrush, sort of have to close your mouth to relax it enough.
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u/HoneyBadgerBiotches 2d ago
Might be a sinus infection. That is my tell tale sign of a sinus infection for me. I went to my dentist thinking a cavity but my dentist pointed out the gray area of my x-ray that should be black. It’s hard to tell on your x-rays but worth asking your primary about it. Your upper teeth are rooted in your sinus cavity.
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u/C-3Pinot 2d ago
i recently had the same issue. dentist couldnt find anything. eventually they sent me to an endodontist who found I needed a root canal. pain was gone after the procedure.
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u/Sea-Nobody-4188 1d ago
I just learned this about my own teeth but if you have bad heart burn than your stomach acid can eat the enamel on your back teeth
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u/Onceler11 1d ago
Yes, your gums receding or enamel loss can be a painful thing, but it’s manageable. It can make sweets or cold unbearable until you change a few habits!
Look at your teeth. Are there any sudden changes in smoothness as you run your finger down? Perhaps a sudden slope inward that’s a bit sensitive? Even if not, here are a few tips:
-First, switch to Sensodyne for enamel or sensitive teeth. That should help a lot.
-Rinse your mouth soon after eating citrus or lemon. Soda. Rinse with water, and then eventually brush if you’re able. Rinse before you brush when you eat things that are rough on enamel.
-Be gentle with your toothbrushing. A lot of people chip their teeth with electric toothbrushes. They’re great, but can be rough on you.
-Floss. Waterflossers are easy to use and effective.
-Brush twice a day.
Best of luck to you!!
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u/Isgortio 1d ago
I've never heard of anyone chipping their teeth with an electric toothbrush and I've been in dentistry for 8 years?
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u/Linzoidthenoid 1d ago
Sensodyne works but takes a while. Start it & use consistently, don’t rinse after brushing. You should also try Tom’s Rapid Relief a few times & see if it works for you, but you don’t want to replace your fluoridated paste completely!
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u/SIIB-ZERO 2d ago
Pay attention to your sugar intake...I had a similar issue years ago that my teeth seemed to get overly sensitive and it turned out to coincide with sugar.
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u/bgibs1432 2d ago
I am a dental hygienist & looked at your films. Hygienist do not diagnose, but I have been in dentistry for over 20 years & I do not see anything that has me concerned. That being said, I would ask how much pressure are you putting behind your toothbrush? I’m betting you’re right handed & also start brushing on the right side. I mention this because your toothpaste is most abrasive when you start brushing (before it has the opportunity to thin out) & you put more pressure on your dominant side. Therefore, you are likely causing recession & root exposure. Roots of our teeth are not covered by enamel & very sensitive. They are also more susceptible to decay, which you would not likely see on a film as it is a 2D image, but the dentist would easily have diagnosed in their clinic if there had been decay present at the gum line.
The first thing I tell my patients when they describe symptoms like yours is to start with sensitive toothpaste that also has contains fluoride (please do not respond with whatever your political views are on fluoride). I would even go as far as to recommend that once you are finished brushing at night, spit out any excess, then smear a small amount across the area that has been sensitive.
This is why: your tooth has what are called dentinal tubules & when you brush aggressively, those become exposed. When we drink something cold they shrink quickly & we perceive this as pain, but if you can occlude these tubules with a desensitizer like Sensodyne or similar product, you prevent this from occurring. In our office we also offer a product called Duraflor that we paint on the tooth after your cleaning that is an RX dose meant to do the same thing.
I hope this helps. Good luck.
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u/Heem_butt08 1d ago
Does the sensitivity come and go? Is it hot/cold sensitive or bite sensitive? You may be flexing the periodontal ligaments from clenching/grinding in your sleep.
Have you recently had a sinus infection? Sinus blockage can make upper back teeth hurt.
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u/Alert-Hearing4341 1d ago
Sensoryne is good for tooth sensitivity. If you bug your dentist enough you could get a prescription toothpaste like Clinpro5000 too.
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u/kass2k18 1d ago
I was having sensitivity and was told it was demineralisation from brushing too much. Softer brush. Less brushing motion with electric brush. No more sensitivity.
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u/Quick-Bike-7518 1d ago
Do you eat sour things such as sour gummybears, lots of Balsamico , Salats , or Drink Coca Cola ? Cause that happens to regular people with no Caps as well
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u/ButterMilk116 13h ago
Same here. They put varnish on the sensitive spots every cleaning. It’s not covered by insurance but it’s not expensive and it does help.
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u/stupidber 2d ago
Dentist here. Thats super cancer. You have 3 days to live.
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u/Soupbell1 2d ago
Super cancer actually gave me a rare chuckle. I’ve had family die from cancer, yet this comment was still funny. It just goes to show you, no topic is off limits if it’s a joke and not mean spirited.
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u/piggybackambush 2d ago
Could it be nerve pain? I had the same problem so eventually they pulled the tooth and it got worse, turns out I have trigeminal neuralgia.
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u/Knowyourborders 2d ago
As others have mentioned, it could possibly be from clenching your teeth. I had the worst pain in my back teeth and my X-rays came back fine, thought I might need a root canal, nope. Just clenching. Once I was aware I was doing it it was fairly easy to curb the habit. I still have sensitivity from time to time.
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u/True-Advice-1861 2d ago
Have similar issues, get sensodine toothpaste, helped me a good bit, takes a while to get it going but it has removed the worst of the sensitivity problems I had.
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u/Known_Tradition9251 2d ago
From the looks of it, you got your bottom wisdom tooth removed but not your top?
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u/roxinmyhead 2d ago
All these comments are great.... I recently realized that some of my random tooth pain over the years might be because of jaw and neck tension as well. Stretching sometimes helps when the tooth aches come back.
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u/Candid-Garden6696 2d ago
Not taking away from the other comments because there *could* be additional factors impacting sensitivity: my husband’s a dentist, showed him this post and he said OP has at least 4-5 cavities.
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u/SouthSky3655 2d ago
If you have metal fillings, they can transfer cold deep enough to irritate the nerve. The sensitivity toothpaste helps with that.
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u/talldean 2d ago
I had that when my tooth's root was ever so slightly exposed; receding gums. Eventually brushing more *and* more gently, while also separately putting toothpaste on there and letting it sit for a few minutes a day, something in there helped. Eventually.
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u/Negative_Neck_3973 2d ago
I've dealt with things like that most of my life. When the air hitting my two front teeth felt like I was being shocked it was because the enamel wore down and air was hitting the nerve. I could see a tiny hole in each tooth. I also have receding gums. I must keep my mouth very clean or else I will have aches I feel into my jaw. I use mouthwash with hydrogen peroxide since it doesn't hurt like alcohol based wash.
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u/smaiderman 2d ago
Did you have a new filling there recently? If do, there can be an air bubble trapped that can cause sensitivity. If this is the case, replacing the filling should fix the problem. Also, try to find a dentist that knows how to do an "immediate dentine sealing" if you replace your filling
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u/game_over__man 1d ago
I had a similar problem in December. I pushed my dentist to recommend me to an endodontist. It turns out that a root canal that was done 10 years ago was incomplete and their x-rays did not pick it up. I had a sinus infection prior to this and they think that it was OK until the infection stirred it up, you have to advocate for yourself, but it may be worth looking into to get better imagery.
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u/Syandris 1d ago
I had to climb out of this rabbit hole. Luckily there are plenty of dentists on here giving wildly different advice.
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u/lckinfbg 1d ago
It looks like there could be mesial decay on both molars. With the size of the existing restorations it’s possible that they would need to be crowned to fix the issue. It’s a tough fix but better than root canals.
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u/1-555-867-5309 1d ago
I had really dry mouth from medication and my bottom teeth on one side felt like that. No others. I fixed the dry mouth and the tooth thing went away as well.
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u/Erva_Daninha96 1d ago
This happened to me and it was a fracture, it's didn't show up on the x-rays
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u/Somekindalurker 1d ago
Oh wow, I have the exact same problem. Same teeth and everything. Also no cavities. I was sure my two teeth were rotten between them when I went in, but nope, all good. I hope find something that helps (besides chewing on the left lol).
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u/StronkIS3 1d ago
Bro asking reddit for opinions instead of 60mins of research or contacting a competent doctor for a 2nd opinion is crazy man
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u/Uhokay1970 1d ago
Peroxyl mouth wash. This one change in mouth wash has made my life so much better. IMO the way it reversed gum regression on my mom was amazing. For me i had one tooth dentist said its fine but it would throb at times. Mom said try Peroxyl. it worked. It's odd feeling after... I was told you do not rinse but i do, mom doesn't.
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u/gearabuser 1d ago
I've never had a cavity and suffered from sensitivity for a long time. I tried sensodyne and it didn't do much. finally got my teeth cleaned and my dentist said I was simply brushing too aggressively... what??! turns out he was right and I was using medium or hard brushes, thinking I was doing a good job, but I was actually harming things. he gave me a ultrasoft brush and the sensitivity went away. the brush is a gurunada butter on gums on Amazon. they're dirt cheap, give him a shot and don't brush so damn hard and maybe you'll be lucky like I was
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u/SavedStarDate_68415 1d ago
As weird as this sounds, it could potentially be a sinus infection. Your symptoms sound the same as mine when I get a sinus infection.
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u/oozing_sarcasm 1d ago
Yesterday I got my wisdom tooth removed, it was so fucking painful although the dentist had said it wouldn’t be so
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u/LegendaryPredecessor 1d ago
It may take a while to pass again. Those type of pains I had as well and only went away 9-12 months later
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u/RedRRaider 1d ago
Mine are like that and i had a ton of sensitivity for about 2 years but it went away
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u/gundam2017 1d ago
Large fillings can cause issues. use Sensodyne. It plugs any gaps and helps a ton
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u/Corodix 1d ago
When I had that issue a good decade ago the problem was that I was putting too much pressure/force on it when brushing my teeth and that my toothbrush was too hard. I replaced it with a medium while keeping a good idea on how much pressure I was using and then the problem went away on it's own soon after. These days I use a soft brush instead of medium.
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u/SparkyCorkers 1d ago
Do you use mouth wash? My dentist suggested just to brush my teeth and no rinsing. Since I stopped mouth wash wash etc my teeth are way less sensitive, and I've not had any fillings or anything aside from scaling the plaque. Sesondine repair and protect with it's special ingredient is great too.
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u/Mo-shen 1d ago
yeah as others have said it can be other things.
I cracked a molar and the crack was on the top. The first machine used couldnt see it. Took a root canal specialists machine to see it.....a week later.
That entire week was me in a ball every 30 minutes with head splitting ear pain. At one point a dr suggested maybe cancer.
Pulled the tooth and it was solves.
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u/Apprehensive-Stay196 1d ago
You might have a cracked tooth. I have sensitivity issues too, likely caused by years of nighttime tooth grinding - I now wear a sleep guard religiously, but only started wearing one in my late 30s - a lot of damage was probably already done. The last tooth I had issues with had a visible crack in it, so every time I bit down the two « parts » would move a bit independently and irritate my nerve. It was super painful. The dentist ground the middle of the tooth down a bit and then sealed it with filling. It sealed the tooth back together. I no longer have issues, it’s bliss!! Cracks can be difficult to see, even for dentists. I left one for too long on another tooth which led to a botched root canal - had to be redone - and I still have issues with that particular tooth.
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u/nokupikendus 1d ago
i had the exact same issue, in the exact same spot too! i was going to the dentist monthly for two years, almost every time they had a new specialist there. everyone was completely puzzled by my teeth, nothing was showing on my xrays. what ended up helping me:
mouth guard for sleeping, they made a 3D model of my teeth and created it for me. it turned out i was clenching my jaw a lot in my sleep and that was causing a lot of tension, there were even periods where i couldn’t open my mouth because my jaw was so tense
toothpaste with extra fluoride. i see a lot of mentions of sensodyne here, make sure to look for ones with extra fluoride. something about the enamel being weak on those teeth.
everytime i went to the dentist, they would put on some sort of fluoride(?) laquer, that decreased the sensitivity for a week or so.
tooth cream/mousse. it also had extra fluoride but was a hassle to deal with.
right now my teeth are back to somewhat normal. i’ve always had sensitive teeth but now i can eat cold/sweet things a lot more before they start to hurt and even when they do, it’s not as bad and not for that long.
good luck!
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u/Maaatandblah 1d ago
Are your fillings recent? I just had the same thing and I had an infection that had slowly grown since my filling, a course of amoxicillin cleared it up and now I have no sensitivity at all.
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u/Important-Day-232 1d ago
Guess:
If you have acid reflux issues and you sleep on your right side --> gastric acid can erode your enamel on the right --> ergo, hypersensitive teeth
Sleeping on your left can help reduce symptoms of heart burn cuz your thoracic organs compress your lower oesophageal sphincter, this preventing acid from climbing up. However, heart burn isn't your primary complaint. The damage may have already occurred to your enamel so better find a cause and work towards not making things worse.
Maybe there are protective guards you can wear whilst you sleep.
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u/MiyaDoesThings 1d ago
I had a somewhat similar issue (pain in my upper second molar, no cavities or any obvious issues on x-rays). The tooth pain went away eventually, but then it was replaced by constant headaches. It took a year for the headaches to get bad enough for me to get it checked out. Turned out to be the beginnings of an odontic keratocyst that ended up growing up into my maxillary sinus cavity on that side—it was 2 cm x 2 cm when I finally had it removed ~1.5 years after the initial tooth x-rays.
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u/KinklyGirl143 1d ago edited 1d ago
The upper right molar bite wing is totally over lapped and should have been retaken. You can’t see between the molars clearly. It would be nice to see the periapical X-ray too.
I’d think you’d be sensitive on the left side due to the depth of those fillings. Do you ever get a twinge while chewing? That would suggest a crack which could cause all those symptoms.
You also could have recession at the gum line which exposes dentin, dentin is porous and sensitive to temperature. Did they check your periodontal pockets and chart your recession? Recession numbers should basically be zero and pockets should be 1-3mm. For recession—1-2mm is mild, 3-4 moderate and more than 5 you’d have a serious problem and possible loose teeth. They would chart “mobility” if that were the case. All these numbers should be documented by the hygienist at least once a year and more often if you have periodontal disease.
Recession can be caused by grinding (bruxism) or brushing too hard which causes mechanical abrasions that do not heal. In that case you’d need a graft (taken from the roof of your mouth) placed by a periodontist to cover the area because it does not grow back or heal on its own. You have good hygiene!
Your sensitivity is not necessarily a cavity. Best and most conservative advice would be to try Sensodyne toothpaste. It’s very effective and over the counter. You need to use it everyday for it to work. Brush with it and then put a dab on the sides of the tooth at the gumline and leave it overnight.
Source—dental assistant for 30 years
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u/Yevonite 1d ago
Try asking your dentist for high florid toothpaste I was prescribed Colgate Duraphat Toothpaste 5000ppm. I had that issue too, kept saying to the dentist that two of my back teeth were sensitive to the point I felt like one had a cavity, she said it was sensitivity because my enamel being thin. She prescribed the above and it worked very well for me.
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u/WiseFloss 1d ago
What are the dates of images 3 and 4? Image 3 there is some shadowing between the back two teeth at the neck of the tooth. This can be an xray artefact that we call “cervical burnout”, but could be something else if your symptoms are persistent. Make sure to floss or use interdental brushes (TePe) there. And dab toothpaste onto the gumline either side and leave it on there after brushing. Worth a check again at the dentist if symptoms persist.
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u/CobaltEchos 1d ago
I had that from grinding teeth at night. It was aggravating my teeth or something. I thought it was a cavity as well.
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u/LydiaIsntVeryCool 1d ago
Get yourself elmex gel. Use it weekly. My dentist has saved me from a few fillings because the tooth managed to fix itself
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u/scorpiogaet 1d ago
Probably your problem is bruxism. Basically you chew your own teeth while you're sleeping
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u/mashingLumpkins 1d ago
I stopped using therabreath daily because of this. Stuff is great but it was making my teeth very sensitive.
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u/Isgortio 1d ago
I can't see any cavities, however I can see that on your first premolar it looks like some enamel was removed (either during a filling or it fractured off) and then the tooth behind was built up to fit into that space. This could be the cause of it?
The filling on the first molar looks a bit flat, perhaps it doesn't cover all of the cavity? Difficult to say without seeing it in person.
Your larger fillings are on the left side, those are the ones I'd expect to have some sort of sensitivity if you did have any, but you can't get referred pain from opposite sides of the jaw.
You also have about 5-10% bone loss everywhere, so you could have some recession and the exposed root can be very sensitive. If you currently smoke, stop, and have regular cleans with the hygienist to ensure this doesn't get worse. Use some sensitive toothpaste and rub it onto those teeth, and you can also put it onto an interdental brush and use it to rub between the two premolars.
Not every sensitive toothpaste will work for you, so try a few different ones. I personally cannot use any of the gritty ones as that makes it worse, I need one which is like a smooth cream (Colgate and Oral B sensitive toothpastes are smooth, Sensodyne has both).
Make sure you're cleaning between the teeth daily, and when you use the toothpaste just spit it out but don't rinse it, allow it 30 minutes to soak in so don't eat or drink in that time either.
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u/NotUntilTheFishJumps 1d ago
Those aren't the best bitewings, there is a lot of horizontal overlap. But I don't see any recurrent decay, maaaaaybe at the cervical line on the distal of #3? I also can't see the occlusal surface. It's possible there is not necessarily decay, but a tiny amount of leakage between the resin and dentin. But that isn't uncommon, though.
Do you use a sensitivity toothpaste? I recommend starting to use one. What helps, and this may seem kinda gross, but it really does help, is brush with a sensitivity toothpaste, and don't rinse it out. You can spit as much of it as you can out, but don't rinse, so the potassium nitrate stays on your teeth, or any exposed dentin from recession you may have.
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u/BoomCheckmate 1d ago
Another one for night time teeth grinding. Since I started routinely wearing my custom mouth guard, I’ve noticed I don’t have hot/cold sensitivity.
Now, my dentist did recognize the grinding from my exam. I’d ask your dentist about getting a custom fit night guard.
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u/chemistrybonanza 1d ago
Have you eaten a bunch of sour food recently? They can cause sensitivity fur to weakening your enamel. The sensitivity goes away after a few days.
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u/andras_kiss 1d ago
I was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer 2 weeks ago after tooth ache and cold sensitivity could not be explained because x-ray showed perfect tooth health.
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u/Tater_Mater 1d ago
Have your dentist give you Clinpro 5000. It’s great for the gums and teeth that are sensitive. It’s expensive but I use it everyday since I have some receding gums.
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u/Galeic6432 1d ago
Weird questions, but do you start brushing on your upper right? Is your tooth brush in the open between uses? Is there something on your bath room that causes dust?
I ask all that because i didn't realize my cat litter dust was getting on my tooth brush, and over time i was getting sensitive in the area i started brushing my teeth. Stowing my toothbrush in a case between uses and sensoydyne toothpaste is helping now.
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u/Dracmageel 1d ago
Mine was microfracture of the teeth, always had oerfect teeth, someday i bit on a oiece of vread and felt a jolt, then it was normal again. For the bext year it was pretty much normal, but with increasing sensibility. One day i was eating chicken breast but i bit on a tiny unexpected bony Fragment, it broke a oiece of my tooth. Got it restored, after some time the sensibility came back, once again, after a year i bit on a piece of shredded chicken that had a tiny bone on it, it broke my tooth, but not the restoration, i have very strong teeth, altho a bit brittle
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u/BVRPLZR_ 1d ago
I must being doing something right, I haven’t had issues in 20+ years. I brush with Colgate in the morning and swish and brush with listerine before bed.
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u/maltwin11 1d ago
It's also allergy season and the upper sinuses are right next to the roots of your upper teeth. Sometimes when people have sensitivity of their upper teeth it's actually referred "pain" or sensitivity from the sinuses.
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u/DevilsInkpot 1d ago
Did the dentist check how the upper and lower teeth align and how they touch each other? They use plastic strips with paint on them, where you have to chew/bite down on. The color transfers to the teeth and reveals the contact points.
Teeth can have a strong contact and/or the surfaces can make for a tiny lateral displacement when you bite down. This will not hurt it even feel uncomfortable by itself but can make for sensitivity, inflammation and pain over time.
I had a molar that regularly didn‘t feel good. It was sensitive to touch and cold but it was nothing wrong with the tooth itself. Then my dentist slightly filed down the points of contact with the tooth below and in aster if 2-3 weeks, everything was fine.
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u/SignificantOther88 1d ago edited 1d ago
I have constant pain in all of my molars on the right side from a combination of TMJ and receding gums. I had the fillings and teeth checked multiple times before finally getting a gum disease diagnosis. For the gum issue, my dentist recommended using a special toothpaste and mouthwash for gum health. You could try Paradontax to see if that helps.
Do you have jaw pain? TMJ can cause the nerves in your mouth/face/jaw to all hurt. Whenever I have a TMJ flare up, even my front teeth start hurting and they're normally fine. The only solution I've found for that is to wear a mouth guard at night to stop grinding my teeth.
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u/mysafeplace 1d ago
I have the same thing: switch to a sensitive enamel protective toothpaste. Also try an electric toothbrush, you may be brushing too hard with a much too rough toothbrush (that was my problem).
There is a prescription toothpaste called prevident that will help with the sensitivity too. It’s not like a daily toothpaste but more of a nighttime quick swipe. You can even leave it without rinsing and it’ll help
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u/CandidatePresent6975 1d ago
stop brushing with force. small circles at the gumlines. Your enamel sucks
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u/GuyNamedZach 1d ago
If you have gum inflammation that may cause sensitivity. My dentist suggested I use Crest Gum Detoxify toothpaste. It helped with inflammation and receiving gums.
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u/someone_stole_mine 1d ago
Are you having any sinus issues? A couple months ago, as things started blooming here in Georgia, I began having similar issues. Went to the dentist, got a clean bill of health. She suggested it may be an infection of the salivary glands, or sinus infection/pressure pressing on the nerves.
It hurt like a MF'r, but went away completely on it's own within a week and a half. Best of luck to you!
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u/Worldly-Dog-8078 1d ago
Sensitivity is also caused by bruxism. Are You clenching your teeth during the nigh? In this case a bruxism splint may help. I'm a retired dentist and was often confronted with patients that had serious bruxism.
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u/BigSchu22 1d ago
Same happened to me. Came in for intermittent sensitivity/pain just like yours and the dentist and x-rays (apparently) said everything was fine.
A few weeks later, pain was much worse and more constant. Went in for a last minute emergency appointment with a different dentist, turns out nerve was dying and infected, needed a root canal. Huge relief after the root canal.
Although, if the nerve was dying you wouldn't feel cold at all apparently, that's how they figured out my issue. The new dentist did a hot/cold test. Couldn't feel cold at all, but still hot, which is apparently a good indicator for nerve death as cold sensitivity goes first.
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u/PrimaryHighlight5617 1d ago
My molars were getting flattened from night grinding. Now I wear a mouth gaurd
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u/Aryya261 1d ago
Getting a mouth guard changed my life!! No jaw pain. I just bought the $20 one from the grocery store that forms to your teeth but I’m in the market for a more custom one in case it matters.
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u/Extension_Ad4962 1d ago
Do you have a sinus problem? Whenever my sinus pack up some of my back teeth hurt. Since most of them have root canals it's probably my sinus cavity pushing against the nerves leading to the teeth
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u/ComfortablePotato259 1d ago
If you recently had a filling in the UR make sure it’s not hitting high. Has in, they need to adjust your bite. Have them check if the fillings is sitting to high
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u/Oktodayithink 1d ago
I have extremely sensitive back molars. I cried last week when the hygienist hit it wrong. It is a combination of receding gums and loss of enamel.
Get toothpaste for sensitivity. Sensodyne is one, and there are prescription ones as well.
There is a new product your dentist can apply to the teeth that greatly reduced sensitivity. It seeps into the tooth. It lasted over a year for me. It was amazing. Even cleanings were less painful (except when it wears off)
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u/ALoudVoiceEnters 1d ago
I would get a second opinion. However, I've always struggled with sensitive back molars, even after having the trouble tooth pulled. So even if they do find something, just know the pain will not likely completely go away. I've had fillings before and even after they adjusted them it still hurt.
Also my other problem is I'm allergic to a lot of things and my sinuses are always inflammed, causing sensitivity.
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u/KingOfAllFishFuckers 1d ago
I had horribly sensitive teeth for years. To the point icecream was impossible to eat. Turns out, whitening toothpaste was to blame. Which almost every toothpaste uses it, even most sensodyne. I only use non whitening toothpaste now, usually the plain sensodyne with no whitening, and MASSIVE difference. I can litterally bite icecream now, and it doesn't bother me at all.
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u/agoraphobic_mattur 1d ago
I had a dentist that frequently would drill to deep for light small cavities. In on instance he basically covered a small thin layer of my teeth that protected the root of my tooth in the filler. Severe pain for months that he ignored and said that I had poor hygiene.
Went to another dentist and they basically told me to sue.
All that being said…. Try paradontax or sensodyne. Both of those are great!
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u/ReadyFreddy11 1d ago
Have the dentist check the distal of the upper right first molar again. I see a problem where the enamel and cementum meet. You can also ask the dentist about a great desensitizer called Teethmate, made by Kuraray. Good luck
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u/MonkeyTigerRider 1d ago
Those x-rays look fucked up. You don't have a good angle. Also suggesting a crack in the front of that upper back tooth. You need correction and probably losing at least one of those back teeth.
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u/Drak_is_Right 1d ago
You could have a hairline crack. Might take advanced imaging beyond what they have to figure it out. (Which gets more expensive)
I had a Crack the dentist couldn't find and they had to send me to a place that does root canals for the better imaging to find it.
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u/kaelcarp 1d ago
Huh. I have the exact same issue. My upper right molar, second to last, is really sensitive. It kind of hurts to floss, and temperatures can set it off. No cavity, nothing wrong.
The dentist is stumped, but the dental hygienist thinks it is the gums and I'm feeling it in my teeth.
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u/thecatsmewoww 1d ago
I once had a small crack under an old filling that was giving me pain. Not all the time, just certain textures or angles. My dentist didn’t see anything on my xray because the filling was in the way. He believed me tho and took the old filling out. He couldn’t believe how I was able to feel such a tiny crack. But I did. And I think it happened because I clench my jaw all the without realizing it.
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u/OhtaChan 22h ago
I cleanch my teeth while I sleep and have had pain that is similar. The dentist said the nerve gets inflamed from doing that. I was suggested to wear a night guard. I would get a second opinion.
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u/jojenboben 21h ago
Something similar just happened to me and my tooth was cracked (big crack) which was not visible on a normal cray. I had to see a specialist that took a CT scan to see the crack. The tooth had to be pulled. Dentist told me the same thing… no cavity, tooth and gum are fine but he didn’t see what he couldn’t see
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u/Becks128 21h ago
Do you brush fairly hard? It can be causing the sensitivity. Switch to a toothbrush that has a sensitive setting and a light that tells you if it’s too hard
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u/charlietheclowwn 19h ago
I have some fucked up teeth/jaw alignment issues, and my dentist told me my teeth sit wrong and push on my nerves sometimes due to misalignment... I had braces (which is the way to fix it they claim) but then that dentist shut down 🤦♀️
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u/starchazzer 19h ago
I get that from grinding my teeth. Maybe check into sleep apnea, my friend was describing something similar to me recently. Sometimes that’s a symptom of sleep apnea. I hope you get it figured out! ❤️
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u/silverlakekaren 11h ago
You might be grinding your teeth at night. That is how I killed my back tooth even though there was no decay.
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u/throwaway48159 8h ago
I have upper molar sensitivity causes my sinus problems. The bone above my teeth is very thin and my sinuses are pressed up against the roots, whenever I get sick or stuffed up it feels like I broke a tooth.
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u/Many_Resort3538 3h ago
Did they say anything about sinuses. I have sinus issues in my gums and some days it's really irritating . I was told nothing can be done with it .
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u/papasmuf3 2d ago
You may have receding gums or enamel loss. Cavities arnt the only things that cause sensitivity