Etiological Factors of Dentine Hypersensitivity among Nigerian Patients

Objectives: To determine the prevalence of different etiological factors of dentine hypersensitivity in patients. Also to provide information on their association with dentine hypersensitivity.

Methods: Twenty nine patients (17 male, 12 female) referred from Oral Diagnosis clinic suffering from pain of dentine hypersensitivity were recruited to participate in the study. Relevant history was taken and dentine hypersensitivity confirmed by using air-blast and tactile stimuli.

Results: All the patients were right-handed. The left side of the mouth showed preponderance of gingival recession, abrasion, abfraction and erosion, ditto attrition on the right side. Gingival recession and attrition were common among the molars, abrasions among the molars and premolars, abfraction among the premolars while erosive lesions were predominantly found among the incisors.

Nine hundred and eleven teeth were examined in 29 patients that presented with dentine hypersensitivity. 117 teeth had gingival recessions, 43 (36.8%) of them associated with dentine hypersensitivity; 99 teeth had attrition, 41 (41.4%) of them associated with hypersensitivity; 67 teeth had abrasion, 40 (59.7%) of them associated with hypersensitivity; 25 teeth had abfraction, 16 (64%) of them associated with hypersensitivity; 32 teeth had erosive lesions and all of them associated with hypersensitivity.

Conclusion: The result of this study was a clinical evidence that showed a tendency to lend credence to the suggestion that dentine hypersensitivity is a tooth wear phenomenon. Gingival recessions followed by attrition were the most commonly found etiological factors while erosive lesions were mostly associated with dentine hypersensitivity. A statistically significant relationship exists between dentine hypersensitivity and tooth wear lesions, also with gingival recession. Therefore, successful preventive and management strategies for sufferers of dentine hypersensitivity must take into consideration causal factors for tooth wear and gingival recession.