What is an exposed tooth neck?
Normally, the tooth is perfectly protected by the resistant enamel that extends to the gumline. However, if the gum recedes, it exposes the sensitive tooth necks. Even the root of the tooth is sometimes exposed.
The dentin beneath the enamel is crisscrossed by thousands of tiny canals at the necks of the teeth, which extend from the surface into the pulp. Chemical and thermal stimuli reach the nerve via the sensitive dentinal tubules and trigger the hypersensitivity or the tooth neck pain.
What to do about an exposed tooth neck?
Exposed tooth necks: What to do? The symptoms (pain or excessive sensitivity) can be alleviated by sealing and using special toothpastes. Some people use home remedies against exposed necks of teeth. In some cases, however, only surgical intervention can help.
Is the neck of the tooth exposed and causing pain? Then the dentist can seal it with a strengthening fluoride varnish. Or he can apply a thin-flowing plastic that seals the dentinal tubules. Both procedures help against sensitive tooth necks.
The right toothpaste
There are special toothpastes for home care of sensitive necks of teeth, whose ingredients strengthen the tooth substance. Ask your dentist about this. As a rule, the necks of the teeth become less sensitive over time – biting into chocolate candy is then no longer quite so unpleasant.
Sensitive necks of teeth: home remedies
One home remedy for strengthening the gums is ratanhia root. It contains anti-inflammatory plant tannins and is included in some mouthwashes.
Clove oil and myrrh tincture are also said to help with sensitive tooth necks. They have an analgesic effect and strengthen the remaining gums.
Home remedies have their limits. If the symptoms do not improve or worsen, you should consult your dentist.
Open tooth necks: surgical intervention
For some people, the previous damage is so severe that only dental neck fillings or protective dental crowns provide lasting relief.
For some patients, periodontal surgical methods are also suitable. This allows exposed tooth necks to be virtually reversed: The adjacent gum is moved and placed over the open neck of the tooth.
What are the symptoms of an exposed tooth neck?
Exposed, open tooth necks can occur on the lower jaw as well as on the upper jaw. They are excessively sensitive to pain. They react to cold, hot, sweet or sour things with a painful pulling sensation. This is because if the neck of the tooth is no longer covered by the gums or the protective enamel layer is insufficient, stimuli can penetrate unhindered to the nerves.
What are the causes of an exposed tooth neck?
The main cause of exposed tooth necks is a disease of the periodontium (periodontitis). In the course of this chronic inflammation, the gums retract further and further.
The wrong toothbrushing technique or too much pressure from the toothbrush when brushing can also have a negative effect: If you scrub back and forth too hard, you can injure the gums so that they pull back from the tooth. This not only looks unsightly – the tooth necks then increasingly lack their protective layer.
Functional disorders such as nighttime teeth grinding and clenching (bruxism) also seem to be involved in the development of exposed tooth necks.
