I have a very sensitive tooth?!

I have a very sensitive tooth?

but it is the side of the tooth that is sensitive, just where the gum stops and the tooth starts. it is so painful. can you get fillings in the side of the tooth? does anyone else have sensitive teeth on the side of the tooth? how can i treat it?
Thanks x

It sounds to me like you have root exposure. Yes you can get a filling there but that is almost a last resort b/c it is expensive, evasive and there are things you can try first. For starters you probably are brushing too hard and your gums are receding. Change to a soft toothbrush if you don't already have one. You can also buy sensodine toothpaste... the box recommends to brush with it (and that is fine) but I am going to go one step further and tell you to put a small amount (half the size of a pea) on your index finger tip and massage it into the areas that are sensitive. This may be uncomfortable at first. Continue to do this on a regular basis. Over time you will notice less sensitivity. This works b/c your tooth structure is like honeycomb and very porous, your enamel protest you from most of the factors that cause sensitivity (i.e. cold/ hot, pressure, touch) the part of your tooth that is exposed is the root and is not protected by your enamel. Dentin is tooth structure that has nerve fiber in it... unfortunately your tooth's nerves can only respond to stimulation with pain (meaning you can't tickle your tooth or cause any other sensation but pain) If you understand that your teeth are porous, and you rub the toothpaste into your tooth, what you are doing is essentially clogging the pores and blocking out the stimulation from your nerves. Its kind of like priming dry wall before you paint it... the dry wall soaks up the paint, but if you prime it first, by the time you paint the primer has soaked in, and the paint will be more effective. So essentially you are priming your tooth with toothpaste so the outside triggers stay out.
You can also go to your dentist and get this stuff called gel-cam... I am not sure if that is the correct spelling. It might be gel-kam. Either way this does the same thing but it’s stronger. I once saw it at Rite-aid, but you may need a Rx for it. Fluoride treatments also help with sensitivity. I would try all these things before I would get a filling. Definitely discuss it with your dentist first... but the toothpaste thing does work!