Why Do I Have Sensitive Teeth? Causes, Remedies, and When to Visit the Dentist

Tooth sensitivity can make many activities like brushing, eating, and drinking challenging by causing sharp and temporary pain in your teeth. The discomfort can make you wonder what is wrong with your dental health and whether a visit to a dentist is in order.

Tooth sensitivity generally results from exposed tooth roots or enamel erosion. However, you may experience discomfort from other factors like cavities, cracked or chipped teeth, worn feelings, and gum disease.

What to Do with Sensitive Teeth?

When you have sensitive teeth, you have a couple of options before you overcome the discomfort. You can endure the pain in silence until the pain reaches unmanageable levels, or consider visiting the dentist in Scottsdale to understand what’s wrong with your teeth. A dentist with thorough knowledge of dentistry can identify or rule out underlying causes of discomfort.

Depending on your specific situation, your dentist will recommend a treatment plan explicitly created for you to overcome the sensitivity in your teeth and helps protect them as best as possible.

Causes of Tooth Sensitivity

As mentioned earlier, sensitivity in your teeth can result from enamel erosion due to habits like bruxism, causing you to grind and clench your teeth when sleeping. Tooth roots exposed due to gum recession can also result in pain. In addition, cracked or chipped teeth comfortable for mouth bacteria to penetrate the tooth are also reasons for tooth pain besides untreated cavities or dental infections affecting you.

Remedies for Tooth Sensitivity

When you visit the Scottsdale dentist for a remedy, they will likely examine your teeth to determine whether you have any underlying issues causing the discomfort. While recommending treatment for any existing problems, the dentist suggests the following remedies to overcome the pain you experience. They include the following:

• Desensitizers Toothpaste: Desensitizing toothpaste helps block pain associated with sensitive teeth after several applications. You can purchase various brands available over-the-counter for relief from the pain. However, it helps if you ask your dentist which product best suits your needs.
• Fluoride Therapy: expect to receive in-office fluoride therapy from the dentist over the painful areas of your teeth to fortify tooth enamel and alleviate pain. Dentists also suggest using a prescription fluoride at home applied using a customized tray.
• Bonding and Desensitizing: Sometimes, exposed tooth roots are treated by dentists by applying composite resin to the sensitive root surfaces. In such cases, you might need local anesthesia when receiving the bonding treatment.
• Surgical Gum Grafts: If gum tissue loss has exposed your tooth root, the dentist suggests gum grafts by taking some tissue from other parts of your mouth to attach to the affected area. The surgery helps protect the exposed roots and reduce sensitivity.
• Root Canals: If sensitive teeth are causing severe pain even after receiving other treatments, the Scottsdale dentist will recommend a root canal, a therapy to remove the infected dental pulp inside your tooth to eliminate the pain and sensitivity, besides helping you preserve your natural tooth.

After receiving suggestions for the above treatments, you must make efforts to prevent sensitivity from affecting you or recurring by maintaining excellent dental hygiene and seeing your dentist twice yearly to ensure your teeth and gums receive attention from a professional to remain in perfect shape.

You can prevent tooth sensitivity from recurring by using a soft-bristled toothbrush to clean your teeth twice daily with fluoride toothpaste and including flossing in your dental hygiene regimen to remove trapped food and dental plaque on and between your teeth. In addition, consider using nonabrasive toothpaste and use gentle strokes when brushing instead of aggressive brushing. If you are affected by bruxism, causing you to grind and clench your teeth discuss the problem with the Scottsdale dentist, requesting a custom-created night guard to overcome the problem. Bruxism can fracture your teeth besides eroding tooth enamel to leave you with sensitivity.

You must also watch out for the foods and beverages you consume, ensuring that you avoid acidic foods and drinks and carbonated beverages, which are responsible for eroding tooth enamel. If you cannot eliminate all the food and beverages mentioned, consider using straws for drinking water soon after having food for balancing the acid levels in your mouth.

Whenever you experience tooth sensitivity, you should visit Mercado Dental Care to ascertain the cause of the pain and receive the treatment they suggested for the best results. If you haven’t done so, kindly arrange an appointment with them today to eliminate the pain you experience in your teeth.