Sensitive, Tender Teeth? Know the Culprits and the Treatment
Are your teeth tender? From acidic foods to even too much mouthwash - there are many things which are to be blamed
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Tooth sensitivity can be a real pain in the... well, mouth. Sometimes teeth are just touchy but if the very thought of having hot chai or a cold ice cream makes you cringe, you’re not alone.
Chew on this: 1 in 10 Indians might suffer from regular pain brought on by sensitive teeth, and dentists say that women are almost twice as likely to have that condition than men.
You can listen to your story here:
The first sign of any mouth issue is bad breath or a wonky taste. Mumbai-based dentist, Dr Jyoti Pradhan says, bleeding gums can also signal poor dental health.
If you’ve got bad teeth, here’s adding insult to injury - having bad teeth may predispose you to a bad heart and even raise your risk of certain cancers. Yes, there’s a growing body of evidence which proves that oral health holds clues to your overall health.
So scroll below and check out this guide on how to take care of your sensitive teeth.
Biggest Causes of Sensitivity
Any kind of sensitivity is bad but experts say the least alarming is the short-lived, cold sensitivity which comes once in a while but if the pain is persistent and confined to a certain tooth area, that might be a signal of a micro-crack, a degraded filling or a cavity. And God forbid, if your teeth are also sensitive to heat and biting pressure simultaneously, you need a doctor’s attention because there could be some sort of a tooth infection.
What You Should Do
Stop being a mouthwash junkie. If you love the minty fresh breath a bit too much and keep swigging mouthwash throughout the day, you are setting up yourself for a sore mouth. Mouth cleansers have acids that make sensitive teeth only worse.
Use a soft toothbrush and a toothpaste medically designed for sensitive teeth. Now these toothpastes don’t work for everybody but it’s the best place to start.
Change the way you brush: You don’t have to vigorously scrub your teeth, that will wear off the enamel even faster. Go soft and easy on your pearly whites, after all, they need to serve you for a lifetime.
Stop grinding your teeth. You don’t realise but grinding your teeth can wear down the enamel and expose the dentin, which contains the hollow tubes that lead to your nerves, causing sensitivity. If grinding is a medical issue, then discuss with your doctor about finding a custom fit mouth guard that can stop you from grinding.
Ditch all acidic food and drinks: So no red wine, sodas, citrus fruits or sugary delights but if you really need to have a drink or two to feel alive, use a straw to minimise the exposure to acids.
Swish with warm water 20 minutes after eating food.
And if nothing helps, keep calm and call a dentist.
Related Read: Bet You Won’t Forget to Brush Tonight After This
Tooth sensitivity can be a real pain in the... well, mouth. Sometimes teeth are just touchy but if the very thought of having hot chai or a cold ice cream makes you cringe, you’re not alone.
Chew on this: 1 in 10 Indians might suffer from regular pain brought on by sensitive teeth, and dentists say that women are almost twice as likely to have that condition than men.
The first sign of any mouth issue is bad breath or a wonky taste. Mumbai-based dentist, Dr Jyoti Pradhan says, bleeding gums can also signal poor dental health.
You can listen to your story here:
If you’ve got bad teeth, here’s adding insult to injury - having bad teeth may predispose you to a bad heart and even raise your risk of certain cancers. Yes, there’s a growing body of evidence which proves that oral health holds clues to your overall health.
So scroll below and check out this guide on how to take care of your sensitive teeth.
Biggest Causes of Sensitivity
Any kind of sensitivity is bad but experts say the least alarming is the short-lived, cold sensitivity which comes once in a while but if the pain is persistent and confined to a certain tooth area, that might be a signal of a micro-crack, a degraded filling or a cavity. And God forbid, if your teeth are also sensitive to heat and biting pressure simultaneously, you need a doctor’s attention because there could be some sort of a tooth infection.
What You Should Do
Stop being a mouthwash junkie. If you love the minty fresh breath a bit too much and keep swigging mouthwash throughout the day, you are setting up yourself for a sore mouth. Mouth cleansers have acids that make sensitive teeth only worse.
Use a soft toothbrush and a toothpaste medically designed for sensitive teeth. Now these toothpastes don’t work for everybody but it’s the best place to start.
Change the way you brush: You don’t have to vigorously scrub your teeth, that will wear off the enamel even faster. Go soft and easy on your pearly whites, after all, they need to serve you for a lifetime.
Stop grinding your teeth. You don’t realise but grinding your teeth can wear down the enamel and expose the dentin, which contains the hollow tubes that lead to your nerves, causing sensitivity. If grinding is a medical issue, then discuss with your doctor about finding a custom fit mouth guard that can stop you from grinding.
Ditch all acidic food and drinks: So no red wine, sodas, citrus fruits or sugary delights but if you really need to have a drink or two to feel alive, use a straw to minimise the exposure to acids.
Swish with warm water 20 minutes after eating food.
And if nothing helps, keep calm and call a dentist.
Related Read: Bet You Won’t Forget to Brush Tonight After This
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Published: 22 Jan 2016,05:55 PM IST