Have you ever taken a bite of ice cream and had a sudden jolt of pain?  Most likely it’s just a short-lived reaction to a very cold substance in your mouth.  As noted in this article on sensitive teeth, however, sometimes a sensitive tooth suggests a more serious dental problem such as a cracked tooth or decay.  If you have problems in a specific tooth or area of the mouth that persist over time, this is something to have our office take a look at.  If you have a problem that goes away fairly quickly, it is still something to bring up with Dr. Albers and his hygiene team the next time you come in for a routine visit.