Today, many of our patients complain of tooth hypersensitivity. Some feel discomfort only upon contact with cold or hot liquids or food. Others may suffer from pain while brushing their teeth or eating. In time this problem can only worsen. At the slightest discomfort, it is worth discussing treatment with your dentist.
Why do teeth become sensitive?
Healthy teeth should not react to the temperature of drinks or food, or increased acidity of foods, or the sugar content. Discomfort appears only when the protective tooth enamel becomes thinner or damaged. As a result, all the irritants begin to affect dentine directly. Dentine is the internal tissue of the tooth, which contains a lot of nerve endings. It is widely understood that irritation of the nerves causes pain.
- • Improperly chosen means for cleaning the teeth. This category includes both hard toothbrushes and pastes with abrasive particles. If an aggressive cleaning technique is added to such aggressive agents, then over time, the enamel becomes thinner and sensitive dentine is exposed.
- • Diseased states of the gums, in which we can see recessions - receding gums and exposed areas of the tooth roots that are not protected by enamel.
- • Problems caused by an improper bite or unreasonable prosthetics. Incorrect dental occlusion is also very often responsible for crown chips, various cracks and thinning of the enamel.
- • An overabundance of acidic foods and drinks in the diet. These include citruses, sour apples, wine, sour juices, and carbonated drinks. Over time, an excessive use of acidic products also erodes enamel.
- • A diet rich in sugars with a high level of simple carbohydrates combined with poor oral hygiene. If we do not clean our teeth and do not use dental rinse after consuming sugars, we leave a lot of food for bacteria. These later form plaque and initiate tooth decay. This also accelerates erosion of tooth enamel.
What could damage insensitive enamel?
The reasons for the appearance of hypersensitivity include the following:
How to get rid of tooth sensitivity?
If among the listed reasons you have found something relating to you, you should consult a qualified dentist to get a correct treatment. At the appointment, the dentist will get a complete picture of the details, asking you about your habits and diet. He or she will examine the oral cavity and carry out all the necessary diagnostics. Only after that, the dentist will be able to recommend your personal way to deal with sensitivity. This could be either a trivial correction of the diet, the selection of oral hygiene products, or a more specific treatment in the form of remineralization, cavities treatment or orthodontic therapy.
If the hypersensitivity was caused by a disease of the gums, then the doctor may prescribe you a set of procedures that will help eliminate inflammation. In some cases, it could be surgical intervention. Nevertheless, it is definitely not worth winding yourself up without prior consultation. Meet a professional dentist, and follow his advice.
As a conclusion: in order to avoid serious and expensive treatment, come for a consultation if you feel the slightest discomfort. In such a way, you will avoid unnecessary stress and will soon enjoy your favorite hot coffee or tea again.
