Have you ever found yourself skipping or even cringing at the thought of having hot and cold foods? Or even by having sweet and/or sour foods makes your teeth throb? Tooth sensitivity is actually more common than it is believed to be, with a little bit more than a half the population suffering from it.
Here in Los Algodones, Mexico we know how awful and painful it can be, and as such we want to keep you informed so you have a clear idea what is the whole deal about.
What is tooth sensitivity
Before we jump into talking about what causes it specifically and what to do in order to ease the pain, we will briefly explain it first:
Tooth sensitivity (also called dentin hypersensitivity) is that sharp, tingling sense on your teeth when they come in contact with hot and cold food. When one suffers from tooth sensitivity, it is mostly due the tooth enamel being thin and worn down. How thin it is effect on how quickly the change of temperature gets to the dentin.
To further explain this, the enamel is the protective outer layer, while the dentin is spongy. When there is no protective barrier, it goes through the dentin and lands right on the nerves of the tooth, causing you pain.
What causes someone to develop tooth sensitivity
Now to give a general idea of what might cause tooth sensitive, well, that is a little bit different. There are a variety of reasons why someone might suffer from tooth sensitivity:
You might be harming your tooth enamel with your toothbrush. Dentists in Los Algodones recommend using a soft-bristled toothbrush in case you fancy a hard-bristled one. Use a softer technique if you see you are being too harsh on your pearly whites.
You might be grinding your teeth. Remember how only a diamond can scratch another diamond? Tooth enamel is the hardest substance in our bodies, so by grinding your teeth you are wearing it down. We suggest to look for mouth guards as teeth grinding is more likely to happen as you sleep.
Bleaching your teeth usually causes you to have sensitive teeth temporary. If the symptom persists for long after whitening or bleaching your teeth, let your dentist know immediately.
We want to totally avoid having any issues, and tooth sensitivity might be just the tip of the ice berg! We highly suggest that you get a check-up with a dentist (you can get a free quote with us!) for the following:
- Receding gum lines. This is totally normal to happen as we age. To put it in simple words, the gum line pulls back and exposes the root, which have no enamel protection.
- Gum disease, which is known for destroying the bony support below your pearly whites. We highly recommend quitting the use of tobacco and cigarettes as they are very harmful. And as always, let your dentist know to take action. We cannot stress that enough.
- A chipped, cracked tooth or filling. If you see decay, fractures or cracks, it might be leading to the root.
Once the root of the problem has been found, then you can take the correct approach to solve the issue. Things such like toothpaste especially made for sensitive teeth, as well as a whole lot of products containing fluoride such as gels, toothpastes, mouthwash and more will aid lowering the level of sensitiveness by aiding your tooth enamel. Sealants, fillings and desensitizing pastes also do the job.
If you are interested in cheap prices paired with the best results, you can contact us to get in touch with the best dentists in Los Algodones.