Definition

Dentin hypersensitivity has been defined as short or transient sharp pain of a rapid onset that arises from exposed dentin. It usually occurs in response to stimuli—typically thermal, evaporative, tactile, osmotic, or chemical—and cannot be ascribed to any other dental defects or pathology.3 This definition, with only minor variations, is found in recent literature on the topic, and was accepted by participants in an international workshop on dentin hypersensitivity.7 It can also be described as a response from a non-noxious stimulus and characterized as a chronic condition with acute episodes.8 This differs from dentinal. pain which is a response from a noxious stimulus and often an acute condition. For example, tactile (i.e., instrumentation) and thermal (i.e., hot or cold water) stimuli are nonnoxious, and are not generally expected to generate a pain response, except as seen in hypersensitivity. An example of a noxious stimulus would be the toxins of bacteria within a carious lesion leading to dentinal pain.