Occasionally, you might find yourself eating an ice cream, drinking a cup of hot tea or a soft drink when suddenly it appears; that short, sharp pain in your teeth is back to annoy you. If you suffer from sensitive teeth, you can take some solace in the fact that it affects as many as 35% of the population, but your best bet is to heed our advice and prevent the problem.
Brushing your teeth is possibly one of the most important oral care measures. The friction caused by some toothbrushes can be quite abrasive, and it can damage your enamel and your gums. Therefore, using a toothbrush with soft bristles might prove beneficial as far as looking after your sensitive teeth is concerned.
Moreover, non-abrasive toothpaste, gels and mouthwashes with active ingredients to combat dentin sensitivity will not only help you to alleviate dentin sensitivity, but they will also provide you with everything you need for your daily oral care.
AVOID VERY COLD OR VERY HOT FOOD OR DRINKS
We understand how much you love ice cream. Taking care of your sensitive teeth means that you should make sure there are no sudden changes to the temperature of your mouth, and you should completely refrain from consuming such foods.
However, we do have some good news: you can start eating those foods again after you have taken care of your dentin sensitivity problems and once you have overcome them. Ice cream and soft drinks with ice will be back to stay!
IF YOU CONSUME ACIDIC FOODS, WAIT A WHILE
Do not brush your teeth immediately. If you wait for five minutes between the time that the acids come into contact with your mouth and the moment you start brushing, this will allow your saliva to neutralize the acid pH in a completely natural way.
Why is this important? This is important because acid softens the enamel, and you could erode it even further while brushing your teeth.
However, if you are prone to suffering from sensitive teeth you should start by reducing the amount of acidic foods in your diet, because the acid has a corrosive effect that will gradually eat away at the enamel, thereby weakening your teeth.
DAIRY PRODUCTS AFTER EATING ACIDIC FOODS
Perhaps you were not aware of the fact that dairy products, apart from having a place in your diet, can also offset the erosive effect of acidic foods. This does not mean that you should gorge on cheese every time you squeeze some lemon onto your paella, but a few sips of milk after a meal could alleviate, to a certain degree, the harmful effect that the acid has on the enamel.
If you cannot take dairy products, drinking some water will help to dilute the acid in your mouth, thereby reducing the harmful effect that it can have on the enamel.
Use a night guard
If more than one person has told you that you grind your teeth and you are not aware of this, they might be right; you could be suffering from bruxism.
This illness can happen during the day or at night, although it is more frequent during sleeping hours due to accumulated stress, anxiety and mental exhaustion.
This is an involuntary action that affects between 10% and 20% of the population and it causes tension in the jaw and wears down the enamel on your teeth, which in turn can result in an increase in tooth sensitivity.
It is most likely that you need a night guard. It will help to protect your teeth from the pressure that you are involuntarily putting them under.
But do not forget to visit your dentist to prevent tooth sensitivity from appearing and producing more serious diseases.
AVOID TOOTHPICKS
Under no circumstances should you use toothpicks if you are suffering from the symptoms of dentin sensitivity. Looking after the enamel should be your main priority, and for this reason you should use interproximal hygiene products instead of toothpicks. Apart from looking after your gums, they will eliminate those annoying pieces of food debris and tartar.
Using dental floss will help you to reach the interdental spaces that a toothbrush cannot get to and they will eliminate any food that is trapped there.
I consent that I have only used personal data about myself when completing this form, and that those are true and up to date.
LACER, S.A. is responsible for the handling of my personal data to manage the newsletter service, requested through this form. So as, to follow the reception of these through tracking engines. In the privacy notice I am told how can I exercise my access, rectification, supression, limitation, portability and opposition rights.
I have read and accept the Legal Notice and the Privacy Notice. And I consent the use of tracking engines in the newsletter reception.
