What is tooth sensitivity?
Sensitive teeth hurt with a short, sharp pain when something cold, hot, sweet or sour touches them. Dentists call the most common kind dentin hypersensitivity. Under the hard enamel and the gum line is a softer layer called dentin. When dentin is exposed, triggers reach the nerve more easily.
A 2020 review by Liu and colleagues describes the triggers in five groups. The quiz uses the everyday words:
| Trigger type | What it means |
|---|---|
| Thermal | Hot or cold food and drinks |
| Evaporative | Cold air or breathing in |
| Tactile | Brushing, flossing, a fingernail |
| Osmotic | Sweet things |
| Chemical | Sour or acidic things |
The same review says how common it is varies hugely between studies, from 1% to 98%, depending on who was studied and how.
Sensitivity, or something a dentist should check?
The key is how the pain behaves. Simple sensitivity should stop as soon as the trigger is gone, and it rarely if ever comes on by itself (Liu 2020). Other problems can feel similar at first.
| Commonly linked with dentin hypersensitivity | Points to something else: see a dentist |
|---|---|
| Short, sharp pain | Pain that lingers after the trigger is gone |
| Stops when the trigger is gone | Pain that comes on by itself or aches constantly |
| Several teeth or a whole area | Only one tooth |
| Cold, air, sweet, sour or brushing | Pain when you bite or chew |
| No visible damage | A chip, crack, hole or broken filling |
The review links lingering pain with inflammation inside the tooth (the pulp), and pain on biting with a cracked tooth or a faulty filling. The Oral Health Foundation adds three more reasons to see a dentist: severe pain, pain that came on suddenly, and sensitivity that lasts more than a few weeks.
If the pain feels more like a toothache, the Toothache Cause Finder walks through the common causes.
What causes sensitive teeth?
These are the contributors named by Cleveland Clinic, the Oral Health Foundation, the ADA and the 2020 review:
- Receding gums. When gums pull back, the root surface shows. Liu and colleagues call gum recession a major predisposing factor.
- Brushing too hard. Too much pressure or a hard brush can wear enamel and make gums pull back (Cleveland Clinic).
- Acid wear. Citrus, fizzy drinks, fruit juice and pickles can wear the outer layer of teeth. So can stomach acid from reflux or vomiting (Oral Health Foundation, Cleveland Clinic).
- Grinding and clenching. The NHS says grinding can wear teeth down, which can increase sensitivity.
- Whitening. Sensitivity and gum irritation are its most common side effects (ADA).
- Recent dental work. Fillings, cleanings and other treatments can cause short-term sensitivity (Cleveland Clinic).
- Gum disease. Swollen or infected gums can expose roots.
- Damage. Cavities, cracked teeth and worn fillings are on the ADA's list too, and they need a dentist.
What helps sensitive teeth
1. A desensitizing toothpaste, twice a day. The ADA cites a 2023 review that recommends toothpastes with stannous fluoride, potassium (with or without stannous) or arginine. The Oral Health Foundation names potassium nitrate, potassium citrate and stannous fluoride. Sources don't fully agree on potassium: the 2020 review says well-designed trials haven't shown it works. If one paste doesn't help after a fair try, ask your dentist about another.
The Oral Health Foundation suggests two tips: keep using it to keep the effect, and at night rub a little onto the sore spot and leave it there.
2. A soft brush and a gentle touch. The ADA advises a soft-bristled brush and short, gentle strokes. The Two-Minute Brushing Timer gives technique cues as you go.
3. Better timing for acidic food and drinks. Have them with meals, and wait at least 1 hour before brushing afterwards (Oral Health Foundation). The Sugar Acid-Attack Calculator maps how often your teeth face acid in a typical day.
4. A gentler toothpaste if your roots show. The 2020 review advises a soft brush and a non-abrasive toothpaste when dentin is exposed. Whitening toothpastes mainly rely on abrasives (ADA). Look up your paste in the Toothpaste RDA Chart, and ask your dentist what suits you.
5. Treatment at the dentist. Options include fluoride varnish or gel, bonding or a sealant over exposed roots, a gum graft, and in severe, lasting cases a root canal (ADA, Cleveland Clinic).
Sensitivity after whitening
The ADA says mild to moderate sensitivity can affect up to two-thirds of people early in whitening. It's usually short-lived, and it's more likely with stronger products. If it bothers you, pause, use a desensitizing toothpaste and ask your dentist. The Teeth Stain Risk Quiz compares whitening options.
How this tool works
The quiz has two parts that work separately.
1. The pattern and the warning signs. Your answers to questions 1 to 4, plus the red-flag box, decide the result at the top:
- See a dentist today: swelling, intense pain or a high temperature.
- Book a dentist visit soon: pain that lingers or comes on by itself; pain on biting; only one tooth; more than a few weeks; a chip, crack, hole or broken filling; severe or sudden pain; or bleeding gums.
- Fits the pattern commonly linked with dentin hypersensitivity: only typical triggers (cold, hot, sweet, sour, air, brushing), short pain that stops, and none of the signs above.
- Anything else gets "start with the steps below".
Warning signs always override the rest.
2. The contributor score. Each item in question 5 adds points. The points are our own simple weights, not a validated clinical score:
| Points | Contributor |
|---|---|
| 3 | Receding gums or exposed roots |
| 2 | Hard brushing, acidic diet, reflux, grinding, recent whitening, recent dental work, bleeding gums |
| 1 | Whitening, charcoal or high-RDA toothpaste |
Contributors are ranked by points. The score is their total: a higher score means more things to work on, not more pain. You can save it with today's date to My Smile and compare later.
Limits: the quiz can't examine your teeth. It shows contributors commonly linked with your answers, not a diagnosis. Only a dentist can rule out a crack, a cavity or a problem inside the tooth.
Frequently asked questions
Why are my teeth suddenly sensitive?
What is the best toothpaste for sensitive teeth?
Is it normal to have sensitive teeth after whitening?
When is tooth sensitivity a sign of something more serious?
Can brushing too hard cause sensitive teeth?
Should I wait to brush after acidic food or drinks?
Sources
- American Dental Association (MouthHealthy). Sensitive Teeth - Heat and Cold Sensitivity. Accessed October 26, 2026.
- Cleveland Clinic. Sensitive Teeth: Causes, Treatment & Prevention. updated July 3, 2025. Accessed October 26, 2026.
- Oral Health Foundation. Sensitive teeth. Accessed October 26, 2026.
- Liu X-X, Tenenbaum HC, Wilder RS, Quock R, Hewlett ER, Ren Y-F. BMC Oral Health 2020;20:220. Pathogenesis, diagnosis and management of dentin hypersensitivity: an evidence-based overview for dental practitioners. 2020. Defines dentin hypersensitivity as short, sharp pain that stops when the trigger is removed; lingering or spontaneous pain points to the pulp. Full text read through Europe PMC. Accessed October 26, 2026.
- American Dental Association. Toothpastes (Oral Health Topics). updated February 11, 2026. Accessed October 26, 2026.
- American Dental Association. Whitening (Oral Health Topics). updated August 16, 2022. Accessed October 26, 2026.
- NHS. Teeth grinding (bruxism). reviewed April 8, 2026. Accessed October 26, 2026.
- American Dental Association (MouthHealthy). Brushing Your Teeth. Accessed October 26, 2026.
- NHS. Dental abscess. reviewed March 18, 2026. Accessed October 26, 2026.
Last reviewed by the Dental Health Time editorial team, against the sources above. How we review.