Are you experiencing sharp sensations in your mouth while having hot or cold foods? It’s a tooth sensitivity problem. Tooth sensitivity is a dental issue known for turning our most enjoyable moments into vulnerable ones by forbidding us from having our favourite foods and beverages.
But you need not worry; there are several ways through which you can reduce this issue and enjoy your favourite cuisine like before.
Of course, there are various home remedies available for dealing with sensitivity issues, like clove oil and saltwater rinse; they will just give you temporary relief from pain. However, by following some oral care measures, you can gradually reduce the number of dental issues.
This blog will take you through the simple habits to reduce tooth sensitivity problems. You will also explore the core causes of tooth sensitivity in this blog.
The Most Common Reasons Behind Tooth Sensitivity
We often hear that any problem can be solved easily by knowing its root cause. The same thing holds true for tooth sensitivity. Once we start experiencing gum and tooth sensitivity, we immediately run to find a solution for it.
But what if you are running in the wrong direction? While opting for a pleasing tooth sensitivity treatment becomes essential, it’s worthless until you know the root cause. By identifying the cause, your dentist will suggest sensitivity treatment accordingly.
Tooth sensitivity majorly occurs when our tooth enamel is down entirely, which is the outer protective layer of your teeth. Enamel erosion exposes the sensitive parts of your teeth, which are commonly known as dentin. However, tooth enamel eradication can be due to several dental problems. Here’s the list of prominent causes.
- Being too hard on your Teeth While Brushing: When you rigorously brush your teeth, and that too with a hard-bristled brush, your tooth enamel wears down with time.
- Too much consumption of Acidic foods and Beverages: When your diet involves too much intake of acidic foods like citrus fruits and coldrinks, your enamel is sure to erode.
- Receding Gums: Severe gum disease weakens the bone support system of your teeth, which opens up the most sensitive root areas. This ultimately leads to sensitivity problems.
- Tooth Cavities: The bacteria present in the cavities start weakening the tooth enamel slowly and ultimately erode it altogether, resulting in tooth sensitivity.
- Broken Teeth: When your tooth cracks due to sudden injury, it exposes the nerves, which are the sensitive parts that ultimately lead to sensitivity problems.
Teeth Grinding or Bruxism: Continuous teeth grinding applies constant pressure and friction to the enamel, ultimately resulting in erosion.
Simple Ways to Reduce Tooth Sensitivity Problems
Tooth sensitivity is definitely the most annoying dental issue as it restricts you from having your favourite foods. However, nothing is permanent in this world, and so is the issue of sensitivity. All you need to do is follow some basic tactics of oral healthcare, and your sensitivity will fade away in no time.
Gentle Brushing with a Soft-Bristled Brush
Although brushing is required to maintain good oral health, rigorous brushing with a hard-bristled brush will definitely damage your tooth enamel.
Hard bristled brushes are too abrasive, which causes the enamel to wear down gradually. That’s why you should always use a soft-bristled brush for brushing. Besides, you should always brush gently rather than being hard on your teeth. This will allow you to maintain the enamel for years.
Opting for a Desensitizing Toothpaste
It would be hard to believe, but dentists always say your toothpaste has a lot to do with maintaining enamel health. You should always use a desensitizing toothpaste like Sensodyne for teeth and gum health. Such toothpaste contains stannous fluoride and potassium nitrite, which help strengthen the enamel and maintain its integrity.
Always Keep Your Mouth Hydrated
Saliva is the most underrated in the case of tooth sensitivity issues. However, an adequate amount of saliva production is necessary to keep your enamel in good health by washing away food particles and neutralizing acids.
Insufficient saliva production causes a dry mouth, which opens up room for several bacteria buildup in your mouth. This ultimately creates bacteria, which contributes to weakening the enamel. That’s why you should always drink 7-8 glasses of water every day to keep saliva production intact.
Don’t Brush Immediately After Eating
Most people have the habit of brushing just after eating or drinking acidic food components. If you are also one of them, you need to stop right away. When you consume acidic foods, your enamel gets temporarily softened during that time.
So, when you brush immediately after consuming acidic foods, it will easily scrub away the softened enamel, which leads to enamel erosion. That’s why it is highly recommended to brush for approximately 1 hour, as during this phase, the softened enamel will retain its original form.
Use a Mouthguard for Safety in Case You Grind Your Teeth
If you have the habit of grinding your teeth during the daytime or nighttime, you are unknowingly damaging your tooth enamel.
Regular teeth grinding weakens the enamel, which ultimately leads to erosion. You can prevent such scenarios by having a mouthguard, which acts as a protective shield for your enamel while grinding teeth.
Cultivate Good Oral Hygiene
Having good oral hygiene not only helps you resolve tooth sensitivity issues but also helps prevent them. And prevention is always better than cure.
All you need to do is follow a strict oral routine like brushing your teeth twice a day, flossing daily with a fluoride mouthwash, and rinsing your mouth thoroughly after eating with an alcohol-free mouthwash. These simple ways will always maintain your tooth enamel, which will eventually prevent sensitivity issues.
Final Say
Tooth sensitivity problems sometimes frustrate you, and they are majorly caused by the erosion of tooth enamel. So, if you are looking for ways to solve tooth sensitivity problems, you need to maintain the good health of your tooth enamel.
And you can achieve this by implementing common oral habits like brushing with a soft-bristled brush, following a good oral routine, using a mouthguard during teeth grinding, drinking plenty of water, and using a desensitizing toothpaste. Although these methods look small, their implementation can bring big results for your tooth sensitivity issues.
If you are looking for tooth sensitivity treatment in Berwick, Woodleigh Waters Dental Surgery becomes your perfect partner. We use cutting-edge dental technologies and tools to deliver optimum resolution to tooth sensitivity in Berwick.
Contact us now to get precise dental care and treatment in Berwick.