A cross-sectional study of buccal cervical sensitivity in UK general dental practice and a summary review of prevalence studies

Abstract

Aim: The initial aim of this study was to establish the prevalence of dentine hypersensitivity (DH) in a cross-sectional study of patients visiting general dental practitioners in the UK over a period of one calendar month.

Methods: Eighteen dental practitioners examined 5,477 patients over a period of one calendar month, and patients who were diagnosed with DH were questioned further about their occupation and smoking habits. The amount of buccal gingival recession associated with the sensitive teeth was also recorded, as was the presence of periodontal disease.

Results: One hundred and fifty-two patients were diagnosed as having DH, giving a prevalence figure of 2.8%. The commonest teeth affected were the first molars and premolars, and the commonest initiating factor was cold drinks. A tendency for a greater number of DH teeth was also found for patients with periodontal disease who also smoked. There was also a tendency for the patients with DH teeth to come from higher social groups.

Conclusion: At the time of conducting this study, the European Federation of Periodontology had not recommended that sensitive teeth associated with periodontal disease and treatment be termed root sensitivity (RS). The title of this paper was therefore chosen to reflect this decision, and the data represent teeth both within and between subjects with DH and RS.