Why do you have tooth sensitivity?

What is tooth sensitivity?

Ever experienced a sharp shooting pain when having your favorite ice-cream or cold drink? Does eating something sour, brushing or flossing make you wince? If the answer to the above questions is Yes! Then you have tooth sensitivity. Tooth sensitivity is a feeling of sharp shooting pain for a very short period of time, which can be aggravated by sweet and sour foods or even cold air. It is important to find out what might be behind these tooth twinges. Once you’ve the cause, a solution can be hammered out.

Possible causes of tooth sensitivity include:

What can you do to avoid tooth sensitivity?

Brush with the correct strokes and force: Do you clean your teeth with lots of gusto? You might be taking off more than just the plaque. Side-to-side brushing makes your enamel worn out. Use a medium-bristled brush and work at an angle of 45-degree to your gum line to keep the enamel clean and strong. Know the correct way of brushing. Avoid acidic foods and drinks: Soda, sticky candy, foods rich in sugar -- all of these foods damage the enamel. Instead, shift you diet to more healthy foods like fiber rich foods and vegetables and milk and milk products. These foods will moisten your mouth and decrease the acid level in your mouth as well as fight the bad bacteria that can eat away at your teeth. If you do eat something acidic, don’t brush immediately. Wait an hour or so to strengthen the teeth back before you scrub. Beware of grinding your teeth: Intentionally or unintentionally grinding teeth wears away the enamel. Stress is a major reason behind tooth clenching. A splint or a mouth guard can help with reducing the wearing off of the tooth due to grinding. Know more about the damages of grinding your teeth. Don’t get bleaching done too often: Sensitivity from bleaching is usually temporary. But bleaching should not be done too often. Know if you need to discontinue bleaching and other alternative ways for white teeth.

Already have sensitivity? What could be the reason?

A broken tooth or filling: When you break a tooth, due to a fall or some injury the crack may go deeper than the enamel. You might notice pain when eating something cold. How the crack is fixed depends on how deep is the crack. Shrinking gums due to ageing: Over the age of 40, gums might show signs of wear and tear and pull away from your teeth uncovering the tooth roots. As roots don’t have an enamel layer to protect them, they become sensitive. Gum disease: Plaque and tartar buildup on teeth can cause the gums to recede. Long term build-up over time destroys the bony support of the tooth. Smoking also leads to a higher chance of gum disease.

Treatment of sensitivity

Sensitivity has many treatments depending on its intensity. The treatment could range from using a Desensitizing toothpaste to a Surgical gum graft or a Root canal. If you have got sensitivity know what’s the best treatment for you (it could avoid a trip to the dentist).

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