Management of dentine hypersensitivity: an update

Dentine hypersensitivity (DH)) has previously been defined as ‘pain derived from exposed dentine in response to chemical, thermal tactile or osmotic stimuli which cannot be explained as arising from any other dental defect or disease’ (Addy 2000, Canadian Advisory Board on Dentin Hypersensitivity, 2003). Although DH has been historically linked to individuals with relatively clean mouths, more recently, the term root sensitivity or root dentine sensitivity (RDS) or root dentine hypersensitivity has been used to describe tooth sensitivity arising from periodontal disease and its treatment (Troil et al, 2002; Gillam and Orchardson, 2006). According to Gillam (2013) clinicians should therefore be made aware not only of the importance of identifying patients with DH but also of the relevance of a correct diagnosis that may exclude any confounding factors from other orofacial pain conditions prior to the successful management of the condition. Several investigators, however, have reported on the difficulties that clinicians have when treating the condition and it is clear that there is a need to recommend practical guidelines that may be implemented into a busy clinical practice by dental care professionals (DCPs) (Cunha-Cruz et al, 2013; Gillam, 2013). The aim of this article, therefore, is to update DCPs in the management of DH, based on the recent guidelines of a UK Expert Forum on DH (Gillam et al, 2013).