Dentine Hypersenstivity, could there be pulpal pathology?
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Dentine Hypersenstivity, could there be pulpal pathology?
IRAS ID
208170
Contact name
Nicola West
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Bristol
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 11 months, 31 days
Research summary
Dentine hypersensitivity is an unpleasant condition in which sufferers experience a short sharp pain in response to stimuli in the mouth such as cold or sweet, and has recently been shown to affect 42% of 18-35 year olds in Europe.
Dentine is found between the pulp cavity which contains the tooth’s nerves and the outer covering of the tooth which is enamel at the crown and cementum on the root. Fluid filled dentine tubules run through the dentine from the pulp to the outer covering. Dentine becomes exposed to the mouth if enamel or cementum are worn away. For dentine hypersensitivity to occur dentine tubules must be exposed and open. It is thought that the pain of dentine hypersensitivity occurs when a trigger of dentine hypersensitivity causes the fluid within the dentine tubules to move and cause a pain response, however the link between fluid movement and pain response in the pulp is not understood.
Dentine tubules are more densely packed and wider in dentine which is hypersensitive, however, the condition of the pulp during dentine hypersensitivity is not known.
We want to examine the pulp of sensitive and non-sensitive teeth. If we can detect changes in the pulp associated with dentine hypersensitivity we will be better able to understand how pain arises and how to best treat the pain/hypersensitive dentine.
Patients aged 16 or over who are due to have a tooth extracted as part of their routine dental treatment will be recruited to donate their extracted teeth to the study. Prior to extraction, the tooth will be tested for sensitivity. Following the test for dentine hypersensitivity, and donation of the tooth the donor will play no further part in the study. Sensitive and non-sensitive teeth will be examined for differences in their pulp using laboratory techniques.REC name
South West - Frenchay Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
16/SW/0176
Date of REC Opinion
22 Jul 2016
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion