Gum recession
When gums pull back, the root surface is exposed. Roots have no enamel, so they are often the most sensitive spot in the mouth.
Tooth sensitivity
Sensitive Teeth Treatment in Dubai
A short, sharp twinge from cold, sweet or a toothbrush usually means exposed dentine. It is common and treatable, once the cause behind it has been found and dealt with.
- Decay and cracks ruled out first
- Gum care and GBT cleaning
- Custom night guards for grinding
Bring the name of the toothpaste you use and any whitening products you have tried.
Quick answer
How are sensitive teeth treated?
Most sensitive teeth are treated conservatively: a desensitising toothpaste used twice daily, fluoride varnish applied in the clinic, and changes to brushing and acidic food and drink. Exposed root surfaces can be sealed with bonding, and grinding is managed with a night guard. At Creative Arts in Dubai, decay, cracks and gum disease are ruled out first, because they need different treatment.
27 yearsIn-house dental laboratory in the same building
Written planItemised treatment plan before you commit
Open daily10:00–20:00, seven days a week
Jumeirah 3614 Jumeira St, Umm Suqeim 1, Dubai
What it is
Why do teeth become sensitive?
Under the enamel and the gum lies dentine, a layer filled with microscopic fluid-filled tubes that run towards the nerve. While enamel or gum covers it, you feel nothing. Once dentine is exposed, cold, sweet or acidic food, air and even a toothbrush move the fluid in those tubes, and the nerve registers a short, sharp pain.
The typical pattern is a twinge that starts the moment the trigger touches the tooth and fades within seconds once it is removed. It often affects several teeth, especially near the gum line. That pattern matters, because pain that lingers, throbs or comes on by itself is not ordinary sensitivity — it usually points to an inflamed nerve and belongs on our toothache page.
Causes
What exposes the dentine?
Sensitivity comes back unless the cause is addressed, so finding it is part of the treatment.
Acid erosion
Frequent soft drinks, citrus, sports and energy drinks, vinegar dressings or acid reflux soften enamel and thin it over time.
Hard brushing
A hard brush and a sawing action wear notches at the gum line and push gums back, particularly if you brush straight after something acidic.
Grinding and clenching
Grinding wears biting surfaces flat and can flex enamel away at the neck of the tooth, exposing dentine from both directions.
After whitening or new fillings
Whitening often causes temporary sensitivity, and a new or deep filling can leave a tooth reactive for a few weeks while it settles.
Sensitivity or something more?
When is sensitivity a sign of a bigger problem?
Several conditions feel like sensitivity at first. The examination rules them out before desensitising treatment starts.
Typical of ordinary sensitivity
- Sharp twinge with cold, sweet or air that is gone within seconds
- Several teeth affected, often near the gum line
- Started after whitening, a scale-and-polish or a new filling, and is easing
- Visible gum recession or worn notches at the necks of the teeth
Needs an examination soon
- Pain that lingers after the cold has gone, throbs or wakes you at night — see toothache
- Sharp pain when biting or releasing on one tooth — a cracked tooth is likely
- One tooth only, with a dark spot, hole or food packing — possibly decay
- Bleeding or swollen gums alongside the sensitivity
- Swelling of the face or gum — contact us; with difficulty breathing or swallowing, go to a hospital emergency department
Treatment options
Sensitive teeth treatment, simplest first
Most people need only the first two or three steps. More involved options are kept for sensitivity that does not respond or has a structural cause.
| Option | When it fits | What to expect |
|---|---|---|
| Desensitising toothpaste | First step for almost everyone with mild to moderate sensitivity | Works gradually over two to four weeks of twice-daily use and stops working if you stop using it |
| Fluoride varnish and desensitising agents | Sensitive areas that toothpaste alone has not settled | Painted on in the clinic in minutes; often repeated, as the effect wears off over weeks to months |
| Diet and brushing changes | Erosion or brushing wear is part of the cause | Soft brush, gentle technique, and waiting before brushing after acidic food; protects every other treatment |
| Bonding or a filling over exposed areas | Notches at the gum line, exposed roots or eroded areas that stay sensitive | Seals the dentine physically with tooth-coloured composite; may need repair over the years |
| Gum treatment | Recession linked to gum disease or plaque build-up | Stabilises the gums so recession does not progress; regular maintenance cleaning is needed |
| Night guard | Grinding or clenching is wearing the teeth | A custom guard worn at night protects the teeth from further wear; it does not stop the habit itself |
| Root canal treatment | Rarely: severe sensitivity in one tooth that does not respond to anything else, or a nerve that has become inflamed | A last resort for sensitivity alone; the examination confirms whether the nerve is genuinely the problem |
Sensitivity across many worn teeth may be part of a wider wear problem — see worn teeth.
Sensitivity after teeth whitening
Whitening gel opens the enamel's pores for a time, and sensitivity during or just after treatment is common and usually temporary, settling within a few days of stopping. Using a desensitising toothpaste for two weeks beforehand, spacing out home-whitening sessions and avoiding very cold drinks helps. Whitening is not started on teeth with untreated decay, cracks or exposed roots. Read more about teeth whitening.
At home
Habits that calm sensitive teeth
These make professional treatment last longer, and on their own often settle mild sensitivity.
Brush softly
Use a soft or sensitive brush with small circular movements, and let an electric brush do the work without pressing.
Spit, don't rinse
After brushing with desensitising toothpaste, spit out the excess but do not rinse, so the active ingredient stays on the teeth.
Time your acid
Keep acidic drinks to mealtimes, use a straw for fizzy drinks, and wait about an hour before brushing after anything acidic.
Keep up cleaning visits
Professional teeth cleaning removes the plaque that inflames gums and drives recession.
Who treats you
Dentists who treat sensitive teeth
Dr. Duaa Ameen focuses on conservative and gum care; Dr. Julia and Dr. Marina Antoniuk examine individual teeth under the dental microscope when a crack or nerve problem needs ruling out.
Patient questions
Frequently asked questions
Why are my teeth suddenly sensitive?
Common triggers are a recent whitening treatment, a new filling, switching to a harder brush or whitening toothpaste, more acidic drinks, or a period of grinding under stress. Sudden sensitivity in one tooth only is different: it can signal decay, a crack or a leaking filling, so it is worth having that tooth examined.
Will tooth sensitivity go away on its own?
Sensitivity after whitening or a new filling usually settles within days to weeks. Sensitivity from gum recession, erosion or brushing wear tends to persist or worsen unless the cause changes, although desensitising toothpaste and in-clinic varnish usually control it well.
Is sensitivity a sign of a cavity?
It can be. Decay that reaches the dentine causes sensitivity to sweet and cold, usually in one tooth. Generalised sensitivity across several teeth near the gums is more often exposed dentine. An examination and X-rays tell the two apart.
Which toothpaste is good for sensitive teeth?
Toothpastes labelled for sensitive teeth contain ingredients that either block the dentine tubes or calm the nerve's response. Most work after two to four weeks of twice-daily use. Avoid highly abrasive whitening pastes if your teeth are sensitive, and do not rinse straight after brushing.
Can sensitive teeth be fixed permanently?
Often the sensitivity can be controlled long term rather than cured outright. Sealing exposed areas with bonding, treating the gums and managing grinding and acid give lasting results, but if the cause continues, sensitivity can return and the treatment may need repeating.
Can I whiten my teeth if they are sensitive?
Usually yes, once the cause has been checked and any decay or exposed roots have been treated. Your dentist may suggest a desensitising toothpaste beforehand, a gentler home-whitening routine and breaks between sessions. Whitening sensitivity is usually temporary.
Keep exploring
Related treatments
ConditionToothacheWhen pain lingers, throbs or wakes you at night.ConditionCracked toothSharp pain when biting or letting go on one tooth.WhiteningTeeth whiteningIn-clinic and home whitening, and how sensitivity is managed.HygieneTeeth cleaningGuided Biofilm Therapy to keep gums healthy and stable.ConditionWorn teethGrinding, erosion and how worn teeth are rebuilt.RestorationDental fillingsTooth-coloured composite for decay and exposed areas.ConditionReceding gumsExposed roots are a common cause of sensitivity.
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Tell us what you would like to change. The clinic replies within working hours with an appointment time.
- Address614 Jumeira St, Jumeirah 3, Umm Suqeim 1, Dubai
- Opening hoursClinic open daily, 10:00–20:00
- Phone+971 4 342 4444 · WhatsApp +971 56 677 7537
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