See someone urgently if
- Pain that lingers thirty seconds or more after the cold is removed
- Sensitivity to heat rather than cold, which is a more concerning sign
- A sharp pain on releasing a bite, which suggests a cracked tooth
- One tooth suddenly far more sensitive than its neighbours
- Sensitivity with visible swelling or a discharging spot on the gum
Otherwise, book in the normal way. Call +91 83036 12717.
What causes it
Gum recession
The commonest cause in adults. The root surface has no enamel covering it at all, only a thin layer of cementum that wears away quickly, leaving dentine directly exposed. Recession follows gum disease, over-vigorous brushing, or simply age.
Acid erosion
Citrus, soft drinks, sports drinks, wine and acid reflux all dissolve enamel chemically. Erosion tends to affect many teeth at once rather than one, which is a useful clue that the cause is dietary or medical rather than local.
Abrasion from brushing
A hard brush used with heavy pressure carves notches at the gum line over years. Horizontal scrubbing does far more damage than small circular motions, and the notches it creates are a permanent exposure of dentine.
Grinding
Bruxism wears the biting surfaces flat and eventually through the enamel into the dentine beneath. It usually happens during sleep, so most people are unaware of it until the wear is pointed out.
Recent treatment
Sensitivity for a few weeks after a filling, a crown preparation or a scaling is common and settles. After a scaling in particular, root surfaces that were covered by calculus are newly exposed, which is why the cleaning gets blamed for a problem the deposits were causing.
Decay or a crack
The causes that are not simple sensitivity. Both produce pain that behaves differently, lingering after the stimulus or provoked by biting rather than by temperature, and both need examination rather than desensitising toothpaste.
What helps before you are seen
Use desensitising toothpaste correctly
Potassium nitrate or stannous fluoride formulations work, but they take two to four weeks of consistent twice-daily use. Rub a small amount directly onto the sensitive area with a fingertip and do not rinse it away afterwards. Stopping after three days is why most people conclude it does not work.
Change how you brush
A soft brush, light pressure, small circular motions at the gum line. If you can hear yourself brushing from across the room, you are pressing too hard. An electric brush with a pressure sensor removes the guesswork.
Wait after anything acidic
Enamel is temporarily softened for about thirty minutes after acidic food or drink, and brushing during that window removes it. Rinse with water and wait.
Rinse rather than swish
Holding acidic drinks in the mouth or sipping them slowly through the day maximises exposure. Drinking through a straw and finishing rather than grazing reduces it substantially.
How it is treated
Fluoride varnish and desensitising agents
Applied in the chair in minutes, these give faster and stronger relief than toothpaste and are usually the first step. Often repeated over two or three visits.
Bonded fillings over worn notches
Where brushing abrasion has carved a groove at the gum line, covering it with a bonded composite filling seals the exposed dentine permanently. This costs roughly ₹500 to ₹3,000 per tooth in Lucknow and is a definitive fix rather than a management measure.
Treating the underlying gum disease
Where recession is driven by periodontal disease, the disease is the actual problem. Scaling and root planing stops the progression, though gum that has already receded does not grow back.
A night guard for grinding
Protects what remains and stops further wear. Guards cost around ₹4,000 to ₹12,000 in Lucknow, and they also protect any crowns or veneers you may have.
Root canal where the pulp is involved
Where the pain lingers, is provoked by heat, or wakes you at night, the pulp is inflamed and desensitising treatment will not help. That needs a root canal.
Sensitive teeth: common questions
Does tooth sensitivity mean I have a cavity?
Not necessarily. Most cold sensitivity comes from exposed dentine due to gum recession or enamel wear rather than decay. The distinguishing sign is duration: sensitivity that stops as soon as the cold is removed is usually not a cavity, while pain lingering thirty seconds or more suggests pulp inflammation and needs examination.
How long does sensitive toothpaste take to work?
Two to four weeks of consistent twice-daily use. It works by gradually blocking the dentine tubules, which is not immediate. Rubbing a small amount directly onto the sensitive area with a fingertip and not rinsing afterwards makes it work better and faster.
Can sensitive teeth be cured permanently?
Often, if the cause is addressed. A bonded filling over a worn notch, treatment of the gum disease causing recession, or a night guard for grinding all fix the underlying problem rather than masking it. Generalised sensitivity from acid erosion is managed rather than cured, by removing the acid source and strengthening enamel with fluoride.
Why are my teeth sensitive after a cleaning?
Because calculus that was covering exposed root surfaces has been removed, and the gums are settling as inflammation resolves. It typically lasts a few days to two weeks. The deposits were the problem, not the cleaning that removed them.
Is sensitivity to heat worse than sensitivity to cold?
Yes, as a diagnostic sign. Cold sensitivity is common and usually reflects exposed dentine. Heat sensitivity, particularly when the pain lingers, generally indicates significant pulp inflammation and more often ends in a root canal. It is worth reporting specifically.
Medically reviewed
Reviewed by Dr. Dhanya Saxena, BDS, MHA, FMC, FAOI, oro-dental surgeon and aesthetic physician at Redefine Dental and Facial Aesthetic, Indira Nagar, Lucknow. Dental Council registration 20935. Last reviewed 30 August 2026.
This page is general information, not a diagnosis. Prices are prevailing Lucknow market ranges, not a quotation. If you have facial swelling, difficulty swallowing or difficulty breathing, seek emergency medical care rather than a routine appointment.