Sensitive Teeth Causes
If you have sensitive teeth, it can ruin your enjoyment of all of your favorite foods and drinks. You might be about to enjoy an ice cream or a coffee, and then after one mouthful you’re met with a sharp, sudden, and uncomfortable pain in your mouth.
Sensitivity to hot, cold, spicy, and sweet food and drink is very common. In fact, it’s one of the most common forms of toothache. But it’s not one that you should just put up with and accept.
If you’ve got sensitive teeth, it means that there are things about your teeth that need to be addressed. To do this, you’ll need to make an appointment with your dentist.
But what causes sensitive teeth, and what can you do to minimize the sensitivity to the foods that trigger pain?
In this article, we’ll discuss sensitive teeth. We’ll about the causes and what you can do if you have sensitive teeth.
What does it feel like to have sensitive teeth?
Sensitive teeth won’t hurt most of the time. The times when they do hurt will be when you are eating very hot or very cold food. It will also be triggered by spicy or sweet foods. When the pain comes on, it will be very sharp. It might feel as though you are being stabbed by a pin in your gums or teeth.
You may also experience pain when pressure is applied to your sensitive teeth.
What are the causes of sensitive teeth?
As previously mentioned, sensitive teeth are one of the most common forms of toothache, but you should by no means have to live with it. There are ways that your sensitive teeth can be treated.
When you have teeth with a sharp shooting pain rather than a dull ache, this is usually brought on when the layer of your tooth under the enamel (known as the dentin) or the layer covering the root (known as cementum) is exposed at the gum line. This can often happen when your gums start to recede.
These factors might contribute to the breakdown in enamel or sensitive teeth:
- Grinding your teeth
- Brushing too hard
- using a toothbrush that is too hard
- Gum disease
- Certain dental cleanings
- Whitening treatments
It is always important to get your sensitive teeth addressed at the earliest possible opportunity.
What can you do if you have sensitive teeth?
If you have sensitive teeth, the most important thing that you should do is go to visit your dentist. Get in touch as soon as you can and make an appointment.
While your teeth may just be a little bit sensitive at the moment, if the problem is allowed to grow, you’ll develop further problems with your teeth which could be far worse and need more in-depth treatment.
In your appointment, your dentist may offer you a range of treatments. One of the most common treatments for sensitive teeth is to have a sealant applied to the teeth in question.
A sealant is designed to stop the food and drink that is causing the sensitivity to not get in into your teeth.
The purpose of the sealant is to stop your teeth from developing tooth decay. This is a very real possibility if you leave your sensitive teeth untreated.
Managing the pain
While you are waiting to visit your dentist, you can manage the pain using ibuprofen, aspirin, or Acetaminophen. If you have an allergy to any of these, don’t take them and speak with your doctor to find out what you can take.
In addition to this, you should make sure that you brush your teeth as often as you can. Be careful not to brush too vigorously though, as this might further damage any remaining enamel that you have on your teeth.
Using painkillers to manage the pain is not a substitute for visiting your dentist though. It is essential that you get your sensitive teeth addressed as soon as you can to ensure that it does not lead to tooth decay or infection.
Book your appointment today
If you’re experiencing any pain or discomfort in your teeth due to sensitive teeth, then it is essential that you get this addressed.
Our expert dentist is on hand to help you with your sensitive teeth. With a range of treatment options including sealants available, we’ll have you enjoying your favorite foods again in no-time.
Get in touch today to make an appointment with our friendly dentist today. Call Patient Empowered Dentistry at 586-771-6340.
