Hypersensitivity, also known as hypersensitivity reactions or intolerance, refers to a range of undesirable reactions initiated by the normal immune system, encompassing allergies and autoimmunity. These reactions are often described as an exaggerated response of the immune system, and they can result in damage, discomfort, or, in rare cases, fatality. It's important to note that hypersensitivity reactions require a pre-sensitized (immune) state of the host and are categorized into four groups based on the framework proposed by P. G. H. Gell and Robin Coombs in 1963.
In the context of dental care, hypersensitivity typically pertains to tooth pain that is triggered very easily, even by stimuli that would normally not evoke any discomfort.