If you have sensitive teeth, you may experience pain during brushing, when your teeth are exposed to hot and/or cold temperatures, or when you are eating something that is very sweet. The following are some tips to help you care for and protect your sensitive pearly whites:
1. Schedule an appointment with your dentist. He or she may be able to seal the sensitive area on a tooth or teeth with a bonding agent to protect the tooth. Your dentist may also choose to write you a prescription for fluoride gel, which can be massaged into the gums immediately after brushing.
2. Only use toothbrushes with extra-soft bristles. You should also avoid brushing your teeth in a horizontal motion, as this can expose a tooth’s roots.
3. Switch the type of toothpaste that you use to a variety that is made specifically for sensitive teeth.
4. Make an effort to abstain from stimuli that causes pain. Hot or cold food like coffee or ice cream, acidic beverages, like grapefruit juice or wine, and sweet or sour foods, such as candy or lemons. Most of the food and beverages listed here cause significant pain for people with sensitive teeth.
Anyone who has ever experienced any kind of tooth discomfort or pain, usually wants to try their best to keep from experiencing it again. Taking good care of your teeth can sometimes help to limit some of the tenderness and discomfort that can come from poor dental hygiene. Also, frequent use of toothpaste designed for people with sensitive teeth, can aid in the overall sensitivity of your teeth, by calming the nerves inside, as well as blocking some of the open pores in teeth that lead straight to the dentin (the pulp of the tooth). Repeated use of a sensitivity toothpaste helps to build a stronger barrier between the tender dentin and pain-inducing stimulation.
