Do your teeth start hurting whenever you take a sip of your morning coffee, or when you bite into the first spoonful of ice cream? You may be starting to notice more sensitivity in your teeth with the harshly cold temperatures outside. Sensitive teeth are quite common, but that doesn’t mean you have to deal with it every day! Here are a few ways you can get diminish the pain.
Limit foods and drinks with high acidity. Soft drinks, fruit juices and certain candies have high levels of acid. This acid erodes the enamel on the surface of your teeth, making them more vulnerable to the things they come into contact with. Try to limit — or better yet, eliminate! — consuming these types of foods and drinks.
Sip through a straw. If you can’t kick the soda or energy drink habit, drink them through a straw so they don’t come into as much contact with teeth surfaces and don’t wear enamel.
Change up your brushing technique. It’s great to be enthusiastic about brushing teeth, but you could be actually brushing too hard! Forceful brushing can cause the gums to recede, exposing sensitive areas of the teeth. Use a brush with soft bristles, and brush gently in a circular motion.
Change up your toothpaste. If you use a whitening toothpaste, check the usage instructions. These toothpastes can be harsher and more abrasive, so you may only want to use them once or twice a week. If sensitivity continues, try to find a toothpaste specifically for sensitive teeth.
See your dentist. If you can’t get rid of sensitivity with these methods or it becomes worse, don’t continue living with the pain. Schedule an appointment with us; we can determine if the sensitivity is the result of a larger problem, and can suggest treatment options. Call us to schedule your appointment at 312-664-2100.
Courtesy of Martin and Sheng Dental