WHAT TO DO ABOUT SENSITIVE TEETH
Sensitive teeth can cause a great deal of pain and discomfort. The discomfort is usually felt in the form of a sharp and sudden pain after eating foods that are sweet, sour, cold, or hot or even contact with cold air. If you are a victim of sensitive teeth, there are tips that can help to reduce the pain and discomfort so that you can live comfortably and eat the foods you enjoy.
Dental Hygiene
One of the best ways to battle tooth sensitivity is to practice good oral hygiene. This includes brushing your teeth regularly for approximately two minutes. Also, make sure that you floss frequently to help clean all sections of your teeth and mouth.
Be conscious of the foods you consume
Avoiding foods that are highly acidic can help to reduce your discomfort. Acidic foods can harm your teeth by damaging your enamel. Also, you may want to limit the amount and cold and hot foods that you consume. If you know that biting into an ice cream bar causes pain in your tooth/teeth, then decreasing the amount of cold treats you consume can help.
Change your toothpaste
There are a couple of toothpaste products that have been created for sensitive teeth. These dental hygiene products are very beneficial for individuals with sensitive teeth because some of them include ingredients that can help to numb the sensitivity.
Change your toothbrush
Brushing with a medium to hard bristle toothbrush can be the culprit of your sensitive teeth discomfort. Medium to hard bristle toothbrushes can actually cause your enamel to wear away thus exposing dentin. Also, if you are a forceful tooth brusher then you may want to change how you brush your teeth. Brushing your teeth vigorously could also lead to your enamel wearing away resulting in pain or discomfort of your sensitive teeth.
Get your teeth painted
This may sound strange, put getting your teeth painted by your dentist can actually help to relieve the pain and/or discomfort of sensitive teeth. Your dentist may be able to paint on desensitizing agents that can act as barriers. These barriers can be a fluoride varnish or plastic resins. These substances are painted on sensitive areas of your teeth and can help provide relief for several months or even years.
Use a mouth guard
If you are a tooth grinder, then this could be contributing to the pain and discomfort caused by your sensitive teeth. Grinding your teeth can wear down the enamel of you tooth over time. Since most of a person’s teeth grinding is done at night, using a mouth guard can help to protect your teeth’s enamel, thus eliminating the pains and discomfort experienced.
Switch up your mouthwash
The mouthwash that you are currently using can be causing the pain and discomfort of your sensitive teeth to increase. Some mouthwashes are made with alcohol or other ingredients that can cause your teeth to become more sensitive. Limiting or skipping the mouth rinse section in your dental hygiene regime can help to deal with this. But if you insist on consistent mouth rinses, use neutral fluoride rinses instead of those that contain alcohol.
Are you suffering from sensitive teeth? Call Dr. O’Donnell if you are looking for a dentist in Centreville VA to help restore your smile!
