There seems to be a little gap between my gums and a tooth and I get a zinging pain if I press on it, cavity?

I get that zinging pain if I press my nail in between the gum and the tooth. I can also feel a little space or something where the gum meets the tooth. Its on the outside (lip side). It doesn't bother me unless I push on it. No problems drinking hot/cold, etc. I would like some opinions as to whether this could just be a cavity that needs a filling or something worse. Someone told me it could be something called a "ridge" where your gums have receded and the nerve is exposed. I have been told by two dentists that I have some recession on my gums, but neither made it sound like I have an urgent problem. I take good care of my teeth and don't have any other problems. I would say I brushed my teeth too hard in the past, but always have used a soft bristled brush and have tried to go easier in recent time. If this is a cavity, should a simple filling work? If has to do with my gums, can they still just put a filling in this one area?

There seems to be a little gap between my gums and a tooth and I get a zinging pain if I press on it, cavity?
It could be a cavity--but not necessarily. You are almost certainly feeling the dentino-enamel junction--the point at which the enamel ends and the root surface begins. Sometimes you will feel a little step or crevice at this point--and people who brush with a hard horizontal stroke often will wear a notch into the tooth right here. The root surface is much softer than the enamel, so wear can proceed more rapidly here than on the enamel. Sometimes (but not always) these worn areas will be intensely sensitive to touch, hot and cold.


My suggestion is to get your teeth checked if it's time; if you've been checked recently try using a desensitizing toothpaste (Sensodyne, Denquel, Aquafresh Sensitive), and make sure you are using a soft nylon bristle brush and dont use a hard, horizontal stroke. The tips of the bristles of the brush should be angled in at the gumline, and use a short back-and-forth stroke. You should see improvement within a few weeks. If it's not improved in a month, see your dentist even if you're not due.





Steve Bornfeld, DDS
Reply:I agree wholeheartedly with Steven, the dentist. One other thing that happened to me is I had a popcorn husk caught between the gum and tooth and it felt that way too, thought for sure I had a cavity there but it wasn't. Worth checking out anyway.