Sensitive teeth can have a major impact on your life. You might start to avoid certain foods and develop poor oral habits in an effort to avoid this oral pain. Tooth pain of any kind is not normal and should be looked at by a dentist.
Your dentist can treat tooth sensitivity, but there are ways that you can avoid this symptom in the first place. A dentist can provide you with preventative oral health care and advice when you attend a check-up. But you can also find three tips from your dentist that can keep your teeth healthy and free from sensitivity pain when you read on.
Practice Proper Oral Hygiene
Tooth sensitivity happens when the enamel, the outer shell of the tooth, thins or weakens, exposing nerves in the tooth’s interior. If food or another stimulus touches these nerves, you can feel a sharp pain. To avoid this scenario, you will want to keep your enamel strong and healthy.
The best way to accomplish this is to practice good oral hygiene to maintain a clean smile. Brush your teeth twice a day and floss every day in order to remove plaque and other harmful residues from your smile in a timely fashion.
Lingering plaque will encourage bacteria to eat away at your teeth, which can cause enamel erosion that may lead to tooth sensitivity. Adhere to a consistent schedule with proper techniques in order to maximize oral hygiene benefits.
Pay Attention to Your Diet
Although your teeth are strong enough to withstand wear and tear as you eat, certain foods and beverages can contribute to enamel erosion. For instance, acidic food items, like citrus fruits and juices, may eat away at your teeth and weaken them to the point they become sensitive.
Sugar becomes acidic when it meets saliva. So you should also beware of high sugar content in your diet, or you could face dental damage. Pay attention to your diet so that you can be on the lookout for these potentially harmful foods. Consider alternatives, especially when it comes to sweeteners, so that you can preserve your smile.
Seek Regular Dental Care
Maintaining optimal oral health will entail visiting your dentist for routine dental care. Though you may take care of your teeth with at-home oral hygiene, you may miss some spots while cleaning. You will need a professional to remove stubborn plaque and tartar during a dental check-up.
Without this preventive dental care, you might make your smile prone to dental issues, like cavities, that might also put you in danger of tooth sensitivity and other discomforts. You should also treat cavities promptly before the decay can worsen and make symptoms like sensitivity more intense.
Tooth breakage, gum disease, and other dental concerns can also heighten your risk of sensitive teeth. Reduce your risk of these problems with proper preventative dentistry and with urgent dental attention when needed.