Tips For Taking Care Of Your Sensitive Teeth
Posted on: 7 September 2018
If you have sensitive teeth, you may experience extreme discomfort whenever you eat or drink something very hot or cold. Along with avoiding extremes in your food's temperatures, use the following tips while caring for your sensitive teeth to help keep your symptoms from becoming worse.
Change the Way You Brush Your Teeth
When you have sensitive teeth, you need to change the way you brush your teeth. The standard types of brushes and techniques could cause further erosion and thinning of your enamel, which will lead to even more sensitivity than you are currently experiencing.
For one thing, you should replace your toothbrush with one that has softer bristles. Because your enamel is porous, stiff bristles can wear it down even further.
When you are using your soft toothbrush, do not use circular strokes like you may have been taught to use when brushing your teeth. This motion will only grind the bristles into the pores and erode the enamel.
Instead, use up and down strokes using gentle pressure. Pressing down hard will only make your teeth more sensitive.
Wait to Brush Your Teeth after Eating
Another habit you may have been taught is to always brush your teeth after you eat. While this advice is usually good for people without teeth sensitivity, it could actually make your teeth more sensitive.
Right after you eat, acids and sugars from your food and beverages are still coating your teeth. If you brush your teeth as soon as you get up from the dinner table, you risk pushing the acids and sugars into your porous enamel where they can further the breakdown of the surface.
Instead of brushing your teeth right after eating, rinse your mouth with either water or mouthwash. The water or mouthwash will help dissolve and loosen any residue on the surfaces of your teeth.
Then, after about a half-hour to an hour, brush your teeth using the techniques described in the previous section. This amount of time should give your own saliva a chance to flush away any remaining acids or sugars after you rinsed.
Using the above tips when you have sensitive teeth can help minimize the erosion of your enamel that could make your sensitivity worse. Speak with your dentist for personalized guidance on how to deal with your sensitive teeth, as well as ask them about any recommended treatments or products that may help you.
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