If your child winces with a sip of cold water on Portage Avenue in February or a bite of ice cream near St. Vital Centre, you are not alone. Sensitive teeth in children can appear for many reasons, and the appropriate treatment our doctors choose depends on the underlying cause.
Our pediatric dentists, Dr. Adriana Salles and Dr. Saffana, and orthodontist Dr. Alvaro Salles help Winnipeg families identify the cause of sensitivity and map out fixes at our St. Anne’s Road and Portage Avenue offices.
Fast Checklist: Does This Sound Like Your Child?
- Pain to cold that fades within seconds, likely surface enamel wear or early demineralization
- Pain that lingers more than 30 seconds, possible cavity or crack
- Sensitivity on one specific tooth when chewing, possible crack, new cavity, or bite issue
- Several back molars look chalky or yellow-brown, possibly due to enamel hypomineralization
- Front teeth feel zingy during braces adjustments, normal short-term orthodontic sensitivity
Top Causes Of Sensitive Teeth In Kids
Dealing with sensitivity can be incredibly painful for your child. Knowing some of the culprits can help prevent future sensitivity.
1. Enamel under attack
Acids soften enamel. Juice pouches, sports drinks, soda, sour candies, and constant snacking keep the mouth acidic. Winnipeg winters also mean many kids sip citrus teas and flavored waters all day. Softened enamel exposes tiny pores that transmit temperature changes.
What helps: cut acidic drinks to mealtimes only, switch to plain water between meals, wait 30 minutes after acids before brushing, use a soft brush and fluoride toothpaste.
2. Early cavities
White chalky edges or light brown spots near the gumline mean minerals are leaving the tooth. Cold sensitivity is often the first sign. Caught early, this can be reversed.
What helps: professional exam, fluoride varnish, prescription-strength fluoride or calcium-phosphate paste, and improved brushing with parental help.
3. Enamel hypomineralization
Some children have molars and incisors that formed with weaker enamel. Teeth may look patchy, and cold or brushing can sting.
What helps: desensitizers, fluoride varnish, sealants, and, for deeper defects, bonded fillings or stainless steel crowns to protect the tooth.
4. Gum inflammation
Puffy gums from plaque trap cold liquids around the tooth. Kids with crowding or braces can struggle to clean around brackets and between teeth.
What helps: gentle technique, interdental brushes, flossers, and regular cleanings. Our team demonstrates simple routines that work for busy school nights.
5. Bite stress and grinding
Tight bites, crowding, and nighttime grinding create micro-cracks that zing with cold. This is where pediatric dentistry and orthodontics overlap.
What helps: bite assessment with Dr. Alvaro Salles, selective polishing or small orthodontic adjustments, and a custom nightguard for teens when appropriate.
6. Dental work or braces
New fillings, a recent cleaning, or adjustment days can cause short-lived sensitivity. This should settle within a few days.
What helps: mild discomfort support, lukewarm water instead of very cold drinks, and a desensitizing toothpaste.
7. Other contributors
Seasonal allergies and mouth breathing dry the teeth, reflux increases acid exposure, and whitening products used by teens can irritate enamel.
What helps: address allergies with your pediatrician, time brushing after reflux episodes, and pause whitening until evaluated.
How To Help At Home Today
Switch toothpaste: Use a children’s fluoride paste twice daily. For kids six and up, consider a desensitizing paste with potassium nitrate. Use it for at least 2 to 4 weeks.
Brush smarter: Use a soft brush with light pressure, making small circles at the gumline for two minutes total. Warm water can feel better than cold water.
Rinse right: After acidic foods or sports drinks, rinse with water, then wait 30 minutes before brushing.
Snack strategy: Keep sweets and acids with meals. Offer cheese, nuts, yogurt, veggies, and tap water between meals.
Night routine: Brush, then apply a rice-grain smear of fluoride paste to sensitive spots and spit, no rinsing.
Track triggers: note which foods, temperatures, or times of day cause symptoms. Bring this list to your appointment.
When Sensitive Teeth In Kids Need A Visit
Call our St. Anne’s Road or Portage Avenue office promptly if you notice any of the following:
- Pain wakes your child at night or lasts more than 30 seconds after a cold
- A visible hole, chip, or dark spot
- Sensitivity after a fall or sports contact
- Swelling, a pimple on the gums, or a bad taste
- One tooth hurts to bite on, especially in the back molars
What To Expect At Topsmiles
Sensitive teeth in kids deserve a clear plan, not guesswork. Our pediatric dentists, Dr. Adriana Salles and Dr. Saffana, and orthodontist Dr. Alvaro Salles pinpoint the cause, explain options in plain language, and start comfortable, effective care. Here is what a visit typically includes, from diagnostics to treatment and practical at-home support.
Gentle diagnostic steps
- Low-radiation cavity check if needed, bite and crowding assessment, and enamel quality screening
- Plaque-revealing rinse to show exactly where cleaning needs attention, helpful for kids and parents
Comfort-first treatments
- Fluoride varnish or prescription pastes for remineralization
- Sealing deep grooves, desensitizing agents for fast relief
- Tooth-colored fillings for small cavities, stainless steel crowns for weak molars
- Custom mouthguards for sports and grinding
- Orthodontic solutions when the bite is part of the problem, including timing guidance for braces or aligners
Local, practical support
Our team shares kid-friendly routines families actually use, whether you are heading to hockey near Assiniboine Park, catching a show at The Forks, or hustling between picking your kids up at St. James or another nearby school.
Help Your Child Feel Comfortable Again
Book an evaluation for sensitive teeth in kids at Topsmiles Pediatric Dentistry and Orthodontics. Meet with pediatric dentists Dr. Adriana Salles and Dr. Saffana or orthodontist Dr. Alvaro Salles. Choose our St. Anne’s Road or Portage Avenue location.
Call or request an appointment online, and bring a short list of your child’s triggers so we can tailor care on the spot.