What To Do When Sensitive Teeth Are Negatively Impacting Your Life

When you eat a bowl of ice cream, do you only eat on one side of your mouth? Or do you shy away completely from this frozen dessert? What about that cup of morning coffee – do you let it cool down a great deal before you enjoy it? If you answered, “yes” to any of these questions because the thought of enjoying them only brings about the feeling of sharp pain – your sensitive teeth are having a negative impact on your life.

If you have a tooth, or multiple teeth, that is highly sensitive to hot and/or cold temperatures, it is time to see your dentist for an evaluation. There are some instances when a highly sensitive tooth can be an indicator of a serious dental issue. However, most of the time sensitive teeth are caused by more common factors that can typically be eased or reversed.

Dental sensitivity is caused by the dentin of the tooth either being exposed or damaged. Receding gums are a major factor in tooth sensitivity. When you brush your teeth too aggressively, the gums can begin to recede away from the enamel of the teeth and expose the top dentin layer. Avoiding hard-bristled toothbrushes and taking care to brush your teeth gently will allow the gum line to heal and begin to lower. Also, using toothpaste that is specifically designed to be used with sensitive teeth will desensitize the teeth. Patients must be aware that it will take at least a month of regular usage before significant improvement will be gained.

There are other simple things that you can do on your own to avoid or ease the pain of sensitive teeth. Avoiding acidic foods such as oranges and orange juice, tomatoes, and carbonated beverages will relieve the symptoms. If you have the habit of crunching on ice, make it a point to stop – now! Crunching on ice causes tiny cracks to develop in the tooth enamel, and extreme temperature changes (going from a hot bit to a cooling drink) will cause these cracks to expand and contract. Overtime these cracks will become overly sensitive to temperature changes.

If you are suffering from a sensitive tooth or multiple teeth, please contact Family & Cosmetic Dental Care in Johns Creek. We are here for you, and we care about the health of your mouth.

Posted by Mitul Patel DDS, Family & Cosmetic Dental Care
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