Question: Hello, about a week ago I started with unexplained tooth hot and cold sensitivity in #4, so upper right. It started gradually and has not improved or gotten worse. I did a little ice cube test and there is no sensitivity in the back, sides or biting surface, its only near the gumline but more upwards, towards the root.

Thankfully, no pain when eating or biting or anything else, maybe just a little lingering ache sensation that comes and goes but it may just be my brain playing games or me just paying a lot of attention to the area.

Additionally, I don’t know if its related, but I had some cold sensitivity and lingering ache in my bottom 2nd molar, this is only sometimes and smaller when compared to the main issue. Also, NO pain when brushing or eating. This started about 3 days after the upper tooth started. I did have my wisdom teeth removed in august last year, so I know bone might be reshaping the area so I’m not extremely worried about that but just to give some extra info. It is a bit difficult to locate the actual site, but it is between the second molar and the extraction site.

I did visit the dentist and I had Xrays performed. Both top and bottom look good and no additional comments. My dentist did apply some desensitizing layer to the tooth because he said a tiny bit of root was showing but that did not fix the problem. He even got the opinion of an endodontist to double check, and he didn’t disagree.

Regarding the sensitivity: I rate it about a 5 or 6 (out of 10). It happens when the area comes in contact with the different temperature, the pain starts almost immediately. This only happens at the beginning, so if I keep drinking the cold liquid the temperature equalizes and the pain lessens. If I just put some ice to test the area, the pain starts and disappears about 3-4 seconds after the ice is removed.

2 additional pieces of info: Might not be related, but symptoms started a day after I came back to my retainer after not wearing it for 5 days, so I know teeth can be temporarily “bruised”?
Also, I had a small 2 day “cold” with headache and general discomfort in the nose and sinus area (same right side). Stuffed nose and running. I don’t know if this is also related?

The course of action from the dentist was to just wait out, use fluoride and desensitizing paste and mouth wash and see how it progresses, but I just want to know if according to you there is anything else, I should be on the lookout for: possible infection, maybe related to the cold, need for antibiotic? Or other possible root or gum disease that might not be showing on Xrays or visual exam but should be accounted for?

Again, the pain is NOT killing me so I can wait out and see if it disappears on its own, but it is present and annoying when drinking or eating different temperature foods or even with the cold weather. I am aware that It is good to catch possible conditions early and not let them progress into something worse, so I want to make sure I’m covering all the bases and not endangering my teeth health.

Thank you!

Cold mentioned happened about a day or 2 before the symptoms