Too Sensitive For Tooth Cleanings

Hi everyone,

I’m hoping to get some advice or hear from anyone who has dealt with something similar.

I don’t drink, smoke, or use recreational drugs, and as far as I know I don’t have any major medical or dental issues. The problem I run into is that I’m extremely sensitive during dental cleanings. When the hygienist scrapes close to where the teeth meet the gums, I sometimes get a really sharp pain that almost feels like they’re hitting a nerve.

It doesn’t happen on every tooth, but there are a few different ones where it consistently happens. Because of that, getting a cleaning is pretty uncomfortable for me.

They did offer to use a topical numbing gel at my last appointment, but I never tried it. I guess I’m a little skeptical about whether it will actually help, so I told them I’d think about it and haven’t scheduled the cleaning yet.

For context, I’ve had fillings and even root canals done before, and those were manageable. It’s specifically the scraping during cleanings that gives me trouble.

Has anyone experienced this kind of sensitivity during cleanings? Did topical numbing gel help, or are there other things that dentists/hygienists can do to make it easier?

Thanks in advance.