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Are you afraid of taking spoon full of ice cream?
For millions of people sensitive teeth can make life miserable. This condition affects more than 40 million people in United States. annually. Tooth sensitivity can lead to more than just dental problems. The quality of your life may also suffer.
Having sensitive teeth makes enjoying your favorite hot and cold foods close to impossible. It creates a fear of hypersensitivity that may result from touching or brushing teeth, contact with cold, hot, sour and acidic foods and beverages. Thus, individuals develop dietary deficiencies due to the pain experienced during normal eating.
Tooth sensitivity is a common condition of short sharp tooth pain triggered by hot, cold, sweet, sour foods and drinks or exposure to cold air. To understand the cause of tooth sensitivity, we have to look at the structure of the tooth first. The dentine is a sensitive inner tubular tissue in your teeth having nerve endings coming from the central Pulp. In healthy mouths, protective coating of dentine in the crown portion (above gum line) lay near the very hard Enamel and in root portion (below gum line) is near the relatively soft and thin layer of cementum. Once these protective layers (enamel, cementum and/or gums) are worn away, the nerve endings in the exposed dentin react to tactile, chemical and thermal irritants within the oral cavity. It then causes pain and even effects or changes your eating, drinking and breathing habits.
Apart from a cavity or a cracked / missing filling, the most common cause of tooth sensitivity is an exposed dentin. There is no single cause for dentin exposure; various predisposing factors have been suggested.
Are you over conscious of your dental health?
Brushing and flossing too vigorously and improperly. Using a hard bristle brush or applying too much pressure may result in eventual loss of some enamel and/or cementum or gum recession causing dentine to become exposed
2 out of 3 people brush too hard
Only brush with a toothbrush made of mild or medium bristles.
Bruxism-a subconscious behavior
With more stressful lives, there has been an increase in bruxism or grinding or clenching of teeth. Although it can occur during the waking hours, bruxism most frequently occurs while we sleep. During sleep, the biting force (the force at which the jaws clench together) can be up to six times greater than the pressure during waking hours. Consequently, significant damage is much more likely to occur with this nighttime bruxism. As the enamel on biting surfaces of the tooth is worn away, the underlying dentin layer of the tooth is exposed. This causes the tooth to become sensitive to cold, pressure, and other stimuli. For these situations, your dentist can create a custom mouth guard for you to wear while you sleep.
Cracked teeth
-Exposure of tooth enamel to temperature extremes, such as eating hot food and then drinking ice water, and contract or chewing on hard objects or foods such as pencils, ice, nuts or hard candy cause your teeth to expand. With the passage of time, microscopic cracks develop allowing the sensation to seep through to the nerves.
-Depending on the size and location of the crack, treatment may vary from bonding to root canal treatment. Your dentist will determine the best treatment for you.
Dental Products
- Abrasive ingredients in some toothpaste may be too harsh. Certain whitening toothpastes and tartar-control formulations may make the problem of sensitive teeth worse.
- Use Desensitizing toothpastes:
- Desensitizing toothpaste work if used regularly. It usually contain a desensitizing agent(strontium chloride or potassium nitrate) that helps block microscopic pores on the root surface or reduce the ability of nerves to transmit pain..
- Do not expect these toothpastes to work overnight. it will take 4-6 weeks to feel results.
- Using fluoridated dental products: daily use of a fluoridated mouth rinse helps to strengthen the enamel by allowing the damaged tooth to remineralize, thus reducing hypersensitivity.
Exposure of the root surface by gum diseases:
-The most common clinical cause of tooth sensitivity is gum recession. The causes of gum recession include incorrect tooth brushing techniques, normal aging, abnormal tooth position, chronic periodontal disease, periodontal therapy and root preparation.
-The gum tissue acts like a protective blanket to cover the roots of the teeth. As the gums recede the underlying tooth roots are exposed, which are covered by cementum instead of hard enamel. Cementum, being a very thin and soft protective layer, is easily abraded or eroded away and leaves underlying sensitive dentine.
Food you eat:
- If you frequently eat products that are rich in acids such as carbonate beverages and most citrus fruit drinks or soda-pop, they will gradually dissolve enamel and expose dentine.
- Avoid brushing your teeth for at least 60 minutes after consuming erosive food or drinks such as fruits, salads and sports drinks. Instead try rinsing your mouth with water or a fluoride solution.
Following certain dental procedures:
-You may notice transient tooth sensitivity after having your teeth cleaned, root planning, bleaching, crown placement or even having a filling. It will go away in a week or two.
Good oral hygiene:
- Plaque around the teeth and gums harden into tartar. The bacteria that live in plaque cause gum disease and gum recession.
- Continue to practice brushing gently and carefully around the gum line so you do not hurt gum tissue or continue to demineralize the tooth surface. - - Brush all your teeth for 2-3 minutes, not the usual 30- 45 seconds that most people brush. Flossing is crucial in order to reach the 35% of the tooth surfaces where brushing cannot.
Have a Consultation with your dentist
- Don’t try to ignore sensitivity and just chew on the opposite side of the mouth. It’s important to let your dentist know of these symptoms other wise problem may become worse. An accurate diagnosis of tooth sensitivity is essential for effective treatment to eliminate pain. Because pain symptoms can be similar, some people might think that a tooth is sensitive; instead they actually have a cavity or abscess that's not yet visible.
-Your dentist has several options for relief. He/she will evaluate your situation and provide a treatment specific to your dental needs.
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