Do you suffer from sensitive teeth? Do you hesitate to bite into a cool, tasty treat? Do you know why you might have sensitive teeth or that there are ways you can reduce your sensitivity?
Gum disease and a damaged or chipped tooth are some of the more common causes of sensitive teeth. If you suffer from gum disease, your gums may peel from your teeth and expose your roots. If your tooth is damaged or cracked, your roots will similarly be exposed. This allows bacteria to grow into the roots and causes increased sensitivity. We may recommend a dental bonding or fluoride treatment to cover your exposed roots.
Bruxism—which is often referred to as teeth grinding—can lead to many problems, such as a damaged bite and missing teeth. Bruxism can also lead to sensitive teeth. When you grind your teeth, you are inadvertently exposing your dentin, or the bony tissue under your enamel that your tooth is made from. Dentin is particularly sensitive to cold. To stop the problems related with night guards, we may recommend a custom night guard to help you sleep comfortably by preventing grinding. This will also protect your roots from becoming more exposed. We may also recommend a dentin sealer to protect your smile.
The consumption of some foods and beverages, such as vitamin water, soda, and sports drinks are very acidic. If these acidic foods and drinks are consumed with regularity, the structure of your teeth could begin to break down. To alleviate this problem, we recommend that you not swish and that you wait at least 30 minutes before you brush your teeth.
If you’ve had a crown, filling, or any other type of restoration placed recently, it is common for sensitivity to follow. This sensitivity can last for several days, but if it does not fade, we recommend visiting our office.
If you would like any more information on how to alleviate sensitive teeth, please feel free to contact us.