Dentine Hypersensitivity Remains Undertreated Despite Its Impact on Diet, Mental Well-Being: Study Finds

A new study published in the Journal of Dentistry showed that patients and physicians alike consistently underestimate the persistent, complicated impact of dentine hypersensitivity (DH).

With an estimated 33.5% incidence worldwide, DH is a prevalent chronic dental illness marked by short, acute pain from exposed dentine in response to diverse stimuli. Its increasing load may be caused by increased erosive tooth wear, acidic beverage intake, tooth whitening, and prolonged natural tooth retention. DH is often underdiagnosed and undertreated, despite evidence-based management recommendations recommending severity evaluation, patient education, desensitizing medications, and professional therapies.

Qualitative research shows that while patients may normalize symptoms and put off seeking treatment, DH can significantly impact food, social connections, mental well-being, and oral health-related quality of life. Regarding its effects on finances, society, psychology, and healthcare, there are still significant gaps. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate how DH is experienced, interpreted, and managed by Australian adults as well as to identify factors that influence self-management, care-seeking, and unmet requirements.

A single qualified qualitative oral health researcher (N.T.) conducted individual semi-structured interviews via Zoom with eighteen Australian persons, ages 26 to 67, who had clinically diagnosed DH. The results were analyzed using Thematic Framework Analysis. Cohen's kappa = 0.83 was obtained via independent dual coding of a 22% subsample. 

DH feeling, dietary modification, emotional reactions, self-management techniques, financial load, and interactions with the dental system were among the six themes that were found.

9 of the 18 individuals concurrently indicated that DH had no daily influence, despite the fact that 17 of them reported dietary or behavioral changes. This discrepancy suggests that participants had progressively adapted to long-standing limits and were no longer aware of them as limitations.

89% of participants self-initiated the use of desensitizing toothpaste; three independently discovered evidence-based leave-on applications without clinical education; and no participant underwent proactive DH screening. Due to cost-driven extractions, a curable problem was transformed into irreparable tooth loss due to financial constraints.

Overall, DH is more than just a surface-level issue. For the first time in the Australian setting, a complex terrain of food limitations, social adjustments, emotional vigilance, financial obligations, and therapeutic neglect is revealed underneath its seemingly small clinical appearance. Patients who have changed their behavior and doctors who do not check for it consistently underestimate this burden, which is made worse by a dental funding system that prevents people who require expert care from receiving it.

Reference:

Torwane, N., Schuch, H. S., Dhanapriyanka, M., Do, L., & Ha, D. (2026). Why does dentine hypersensitivity remain undertreated despite being common and manageable? A qualitative study of patient experience and system-level barriers in Australia. Journal of Dentistry, 106989,. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jdent.2026.106989