Contemporary Approaches to Managing Dental Hypersensitivity: An Innovative Approaches for Treatment and Future Directions

Abstract

DH is a very common condition presenting as a short, sharp pain arising from exposed dentin that results from external stimuli in the form of thermal, tactile, or chemical triggers. It has a wide range of people affected, predominantly in the age group between 20 and 40 years and is challenging in terms of diagnosis and management. The condition not only compromises the oral health but also profoundly decreases the quality of life, often along with avoidance behaviors and anxieties towards dental care. This paper is going to discuss etiology, clinical presentation, and modern management strategies for DH. Common causes include enamel erosion, gingival recession, and dentin abrasion, all of which expose dentinal tubules and activate nociceptive pathways. Most patients are treated with traditional methods such as fluoride varnishes, potassium nitrate, and dentin bonding agents. However, they provide only temporary relief. Laser treatments and bioactive materials, such as bioactive glasses and calcium phosphates, have emerged as new approaches and have promising results in occluding the dentinal tubules and promoting remineralization. The review also focuses on the psychological impact of DH, by looking at the interrelation between pain perception, anxiety, and oral hygiene practices. The most common vicious cycle among the patients with DH is how fear of pain leads to poor oral hygiene, therefore worsening the dental problems. New approaches, such as probiotics and photobiomodulation, are emerging in efforts to complement the existing therapies to modulate the oral microbiome and enhance healing. Despite such advances, long-term relief and individual variability in the treatment efficacy must be further achieved. It focuses on the personalization of treatment plans according to specific etiology and lifestyle factors for each patient. Future studies should be able to confirm the long-term effectiveness of these novel therapies and how they may be incorporated into the routine care practices. Its multifactorial nature is addressed via improvement in patient outcomes, as well as the dental provider's overall well-being.