Tips for Helping Those Sensitive Teeth

If many patients coming into your practice complain that they have recently been experiencing sensitive teeth, there is plenty of advice that you can give them for overcoming the pain. You can also supply them with useful products that, when used regularly and routinely, can help to keep that sensitivity at bay.

What causes sensitive teeth?

Getting to the bottom of what leads to sensitive teeth can help both you and your patients in banishing this nuisance. Truthfully, there are various things which can cause sensitive teeth – including excessively rough brushing, over-consumption of acidic foods such as tea, tomatoes or citrus fruits, or gum disease.

All of these things can lead to the exposure of the underlying layer of teeth known as dentin. In the roots of dentin are microscopic holes, which are properly called tubules and lead to pulp that contains nerves. Tubules could become exposed as a result of gum tissues receding or the enamel on teeth wearing out.

Reconsider what toothbrush and toothpaste should be used

There are a number of toothpastes on the market which pledge to tackle the problem of sensitive teeth. Typically, they work by desensitising the teeth while recovering the lost enamel in order to cover back up the tubules. Not every brand of toothpaste could be equally as effective for every patient, so experimenting with various brands may be needed.

However, at BF Mulholland, we stock a good choice of suitable toothpastes – including GSK Sensodyne Daily Care Toothpaste. GSK Sensodyne Precision Medium Toothbrushes have been similarly specially made for people suffering sensitive teeth. The silky bristles are kind to achy teeth, as overly hard bristles can cause enamel to wear away.

What has the patient been eating?

Particular foods can heavily influence the onset of sensitive teeth, for the simple reason that they can lead to more serious wearing of enamel. Highly acidic foods are among the culprits. Also potentially problematic are foods containing lots of starch and sugar; these two ingredients, left in the mouth after eating, can react with plaque and so produce even more acidity capable of posing a hazard to teeth enamel.

Therefore, you should ask your patient whether they have been consuming high amounts of these foods. If they indeed have, advise them to turn to foods that are more nutritionally rich. Signing up to the free online calorie counter and diet plan MyFitnessPal could significantly help them; there’s even a free MyFitnessPal app for mobile devices.

Could the patient benefit from a mouth guard?

Through inspecting the patient’s teeth in the usual manner, you might be able to discern signs of regular teeth grinding – in which case, that could also be a factor behind their sensitive teeth. If you are an experienced dentist, you likely have a history of handing out mouth guards – and another one of these can, of course, protect the patient’s teeth from damage should they often inadvertently grind them when they sleep. All-in-all, good oral hygiene in general can help with sensitive teeth.