27 Feb 2021
Have you ever felt discomfort or pain after eating ice cream or a spoonful of hot soup? If so, you’re not alone. You may be experiencing tooth sensitivity: pain in the teeth due to a stimulus such as hot or cold food. You don’t have to live in constant fear of such pain. The team at Venus Dental Care has compiled some common causes, preventative measures and treatment options for tooth sensitivity.
Why Are My Teeth Sensitive?
Sensitivity can be temporary or a persistent problem. It can affect one tooth or all your teeth. Some common causes of this sensitivity include:
- Aggressive toothbrushing: Often, we think cleaning harder is cleaning better. However, this does not apply to your teeth. Brushing your teeth with too much force, or with a hard-bristle toothbrush, can wear down the outer surface of your teeth, the enamel.
- Teeth grinding: Grinding your teeth can cause the enamel to wear down, exposing the inner surface of your teeth, the dentin.
- Consuming acidic foods and beverages: Excessive consumption of acidic products (even if they are healthy, such as oranges) can wear down your teeth over time.
- Gum disease: When gums become inflamed, they leave sections of the tooth exposed and unprotected, resulting in sensitivity.
- Decayed, broken or chipped teeth and fillings: If any chips and cracks form in your tooth, it exposes the dentin, causing sensitivity.
The common issue is that your dentin becomes exposed. The dentin consists of microscopic tunnels, call tubules, which lead to the nerve. Once dentin is exposed, stimuli such as cold ice cream can easily trigger the nerves, resulting in pain.
How Do I Prevent Teeth Sensitivity?
Tooth sensitivity can be prevented by following these simple steps:
- Brushing correctly with a soft-bristled toothbrush
- Brushing and flossing daily to avoid gum disease and decayed teeth
- Limiting consumption of acidic foods and drinks to avoid eroding your teeth
- Wearing a custom-fitted nightguard if you grind your teeth
- Regularly visiting Venus Dental Care so our dentists can diagnose a problem early, before it begins causing sensitivity and discomfort
How Can I Treat My Tooth Sensitivity?
You should not be living with any pain or discomfort due to your teeth. There are numerous treatment options available to help relieve sensitivity in your teeth. The best treatment for you will depend on the cause of sensitivity. Our trained dentists will thoroughly examine your teeth, along with your medical and dental history, and they will be able to guide you to the most suitable treatment for you. Some common treatments include:
- Fluoride treatment: Fluoride application can strengthen your tooth structure
- Tooth-coloured fillings: If a cavity is causing the sensitivity, our dentists can remove the decay and apply a special resin material to cover the exposed dentin
- Dietary changes: Reducing consumption of acidic foods and drinks
- Oral hygiene habits: Be sure to use a soft-bristled toothbrush, and a toothpaste specialized for sensitive teeth. The toothpaste should contain potassium nitrate as this will help block those ‘tunnels’ to the nerve in the tooth. Our expert team can also teach you brushing techniques so you know how much pressure to use, the motion, etc.
- Gum surgery: If your gums have receded and are the cause of discomfort, a surgical gum graft can alleviate the pain
- Custom-built nightguard: At Venus Dental we make a 3D model of your teeth to fabricate a nightguard on. This guard will limit the tooth wear that occurs with clenching your teeth.
Dentist in Brampton That Treats Tooth Sensitivity and Pain
Don’t suffer while eating the foods you love, schedule an appointment with our gentle, and friendly team at Venus Dental Care so we can work together to alleviate your tooth sensitivity. If you’d like to learn more about how we can help you achieve your dream smile, please don’t hesitate to call our team at 905-451-5999 or email at reception@venusdentalcare.com.
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