If you’ve tried to drink a cold beverage or eat hot soup with dental sensitivity, you know how painful it can be! Many people experience this same issue— 57% of the population, in fact! Luckily, there are a number of things you can do to help resolve the issue and relieve your painful symptoms. To manage your teeth sensitivity, try following these six steps.
1. Try brushing less rigorously.
Did you know that there is such a thing as over-brushing? When you brush too often or too rigorously, you could be wearing down your dental enamel and causing your gums to recede. This can ultimately cause pain and sensitivity. Remember: plaque is a soft substance and can be easily wiped away! Therefore, be sure to buy a soft-bristled toothbrush and brush lightly twice a day.
2. Add a fluoride rinse to your routine.
Fluoride rinse can benefit your teeth in a number of ways, including reinforcing your dental enamel, fighting cavities, and eliminating sensitivity. However, you should be careful to avoid rinses that contain acids, as those can worsen your dental sensitivity and damage the dentin layer of your teeth.
3. Switch your toothpaste.
If you’re trying to manage dental sensitivity, there are many toothpastes made specifically to help! Desensitizing toothpastes are made with a special compound that serves to block nerve signals that travel from the crown of your tooth to the nerve. This makes it much easier for you to eat your favorite foods without experiencing pain and sensitivity. Simply look for a toothpaste that has the ADA’s Seal of Acceptance on the label.
4. Modify your diet.
While you may not realize it, your diet could be corroding your dental enamel and contributing to your dental sensitivity. For example, if you eat a lot of citrus fruits, you could be exposing your teeth to acids that harm your teeth. Therefore, you might consider cutting down on citrus fruits, tomato sauce, soy sauce, coffee, and other highly acidic foods and beverages.
5. Stop using at-home teeth whitening products.
There a number of at-home whitening products that contain hydrogen peroxide, which can often lead to dental sensitivity in the early stages of your bleaching treatment. Therefore, if you frequently use teeth bleaching solutions and have been experiencing tooth sensitivity, you might want to consider eliminating this element of your routine until you can find a better solution.
6. Schedule your next dental appointment.
In many cases, tooth sensitivity is a warning sign of underlying oral health issues. For example, you may have a cracked filling, broken tooth, or tooth decay. You may also have sensitivity as a result of a receding gum line caused by periodontal disease. To ensure that there are no hidden problems that need to be addressed, have your dentist examine your teeth to give you a more definitive solution.
To relieve your painful symptoms and dental sensitivity, contact Dental Roots in Naperville to schedule your next check-up!