Why are my teeth sensitive?
Often, the layer under your enamel is showing. A sensitive toothpaste, used every day, often helps. But pain in just one tooth can mean something else, and that needs a dentist.
On this page
Why are my teeth sensitive?
Your tooth has a hard outer coat, the enamel. Under it is a softer layer called dentine. When enamel wears away or your gums shrink back, the dentine is left exposed.
Then hot, cold, sweet or sour food can cause a quick, sharp pain or a longer ache. The Oral Health Foundation, a UK dental charity, says it should not be ignored, as it can sometimes be a sign of a dental problem.
| Cause | What to change |
|---|---|
| Brushing too hard, or a hard brush | Use a soft brush and small, gentle circles. |
| Acid from fizzy drinks, juice, citrus fruit or stomach acid | Cut down on acidic and sugary drinks. |
| Brushing straight after acidic food or drink | Wait at least 1 hour before you brush. |
| Gums shrinking back, or gum disease | Ask your dentist to check your gums. |
| Grinding or clenching your teeth | Ask your dentist about grinding. |
| Tooth whitening | The sensitivity usually only lasts a short while. |
Source: Oral Health Foundation
It gets more common with age, because gums naturally shrink back over time. Studies put it at about a third of people, though the counts vary a lot.
Pick the line in the table that sounds like you. That’s the habit to change first.
Why are my teeth sensitive to cold?
Dentine is full of tiny channels that lead to the nerve. Enamel and gum normally cover them.
Think of the channels as straws running down to the nerve. With the lid off, a sip of cold water goes straight down them.
How cold reaches the nerve
- 1
Cover wears
Enamel wears away or the gums shrink back.
- 2
Channels open
The dentine and its tiny channels are exposed.
- 3
Cold gets in
Cold, heat or sweetness reaches the nerve.
- 4
Sharp pain
A quick jab, or sometimes a longer ache.
Source: Oral Health Foundation
A sensitive toothpaste works by blocking those channels. It puts a lid back on the straws. You need to keep using it for the effect to last.
Only sore after whitening? The NHS says professional whitening can make teeth sensitive to cold or sweet food and drink. Our teeth whitening guide covers what to ask first.
What is the best remedy for sensitive teeth?
A sensitive toothpaste, used every day. The charity says you can often manage it at home.
Six things to try at home
- Pick a toothpaste with potassium nitrate, potassium citrate or stannous fluoride on the label.
- After brushing, spit out the toothpaste but don’t rinse with water.
- At night, rub a little sensitive toothpaste on the sore spot and leave it on.
- Use a soft brush, and brush gently in small circles.
- Wait at least 1 hour after acidic food or drink before you brush.
- Cut down on acidic and sugary drinks.
Sources: Oral Health Foundation; NHS
The toothpaste has the evidence behind it. A 2018 review of 53 trials with 4,796 people found pastes with potassium or stannous fluoride eased sensitivity. It said better studies are still needed.
A bigger 2020 review of 125 trials found most sensitive pastes did better than plain fluoride toothpaste or a dummy paste. So buy on the active ingredient, not the brand.
Check it still has fluoride. The NHS says adults should use a toothpaste with at least 1,350ppm fluoride (ppm means parts per million; it’s on the label). For cleaning between teeth too, see flossing or interdental brushes.
Does mouthwash help sensitive teeth?
It may help, on top of brushing. It doesn’t replace the toothpaste.
| Review | What it found |
|---|---|
| 2023, 9 trials | Daily potassium mouthwash eased sensitivity over 2 to 8 weeks, on top of brushing at least twice a day. |
| 2017, 7 trials (5 with potassium) | People said they had less pain at 8 weeks. Tests with a probe or cold air showed no clear change. |
Sources: da Silva 2023; Molina 2017
Timing matters. The NHS says don’t use mouthwash straight after brushing, as it washes off the toothpaste left on your teeth. Use it at another time, such as after lunch.
If it has fluoride, don’t eat or drink for 30 minutes after. If you try one, pick a mouthwash with potassium on the label, as most of the trials used.
Is it sensitivity or something else?
Sensitivity often flares with hot, cold, sweet or sour food and drink. Pain in just one tooth is the clue to watch.
| Sign | What to do |
|---|---|
| Short jab from cold, hot or sweet food | Try the home steps. |
| Only one tooth hurts | See a dentist. It could be decay, a crack, gum trouble or infection. |
| Pain came on suddenly, or it’s severe | See a dentist. |
| Still sensitive after a few weeks | See a dentist. |
Source: Oral Health Foundation
That’s the one-tooth clue from the top of this page. A single sore tooth can be a sign of tooth decay, a cracked tooth, gum problems or infection.
A dentist may paint a treatment on the tooth that dulls the sensitivity or suggest a high-fluoride toothpaste. They may fill worn spots near the gum, or treat gum disease.
Gums bleed when you brush? Read what to do about bleeding gums.
Wake with a sore jaw? See teeth grinding.
When to speak to a GP
For teeth, see a dentist. The NHS says a GP can’t give dental treatment. Book a dentist if:
- The pain is severe, comes on suddenly, is in only one tooth, or lasts more than a few weeks.
- You have toothache that lasts more than 2 days or doesn’t go with painkillers, or comes with a high temperature, pain when you bite, red gums, a bad taste, or a swollen cheek or jaw.
No dentist, or no emergency slot? Call 111 or go to 111.nhs.uk.
Go to A&E if you have toothache and:
- The area around your eye or your neck is swollen, or swelling in your mouth or neck makes it hard to breathe, swallow or speak. Don’t drive yourself. Ask someone to take you or call 999.
See a GP if you think stomach acid plays a part and:
- You have heartburn most days, or changes and pharmacy medicines aren’t helping, or you also have food getting stuck, are often sick or lose weight for no reason. See the NHS heartburn page.
Never stop or change a prescribed medicine without your prescriber.