Question:
I went to the dentist a few days ago. X-rays didn't show anything obvious. He
said it could be any number of things. It could be a rotting nerve (which
would eventually require a root canal). It could be normal (but extreme)
sensitivity. It could be me grinding my teeth in my sleep. I'm using some
special toothpaste (Gel-Kam) to try to decrease the sensitivity, but I don't
notice any improvement.
The symptons are weird... started out as an ill-defined ache and cold
sensitivity. Then I had an ache that extended up into my cheek bone. Then it
felt okay for a while. Now one tooth hurts like heck when I put any pressure
on it. And yesterday, I drank some *room temperature* water thinking that
would not hurt -- WRONG. It felt like someone stabbed me in the tooth.
Could I be grinding my teeth and stressing a tooth? Anybody experience
anything similar?
Answer:
I grind my teeth while sleeping quite a bit and while I can't say for
sure that that is your problem, I *can* say that grinding *could* be the
problem, or at least part of the problem.
In April-May I started having severe toothaches. I went to the
dentist, and in her opinion the cause for the aches was teeth grinding
and general muscular tension. The ache was really bad, and strange. It
would transfer from one tooth to another, it would go away for a while
and then come back. It got better on its own. If it hadn't, I would
have needed a mouth piece.
I did. I wish I could remember the technical term but my
dentist said I was grinding and opening up "pores" in the tooth surface
which let
things touch the nerve. I had the same symptoms as you. He painted
something on the tooth which helped for a week or 2, but not permanently.
I've had to use a night mouthguard to stop the grinding.
It is called bruxism. i have done it all my life and have worn the s**t out
of my teeth.
