What Is Tooth Sensitivity?
If you get a short, sharp, painful feeling in your teeth, when you sip a cold drink or hot soup, you probably have a sensitive tooth. Tooth sensitivity is an exaggerated response to stimuli such as hot, cold, sweet, or sour foods and beverages, exposure to cold air and even brushing teeth. It can be a temporary or a chronic problem affecting one or multiple teeth.
What Do Sensitive Teeth Feel Like?
Signs of sensitive teeth can range from mild tremors to severe discomfort. The pain can come and go and on some occasions, it can be worse than others. Depending on the cause of your sensitivity, you may not feel any pain in every tooth.
What Causes Sensitive Teeth?
Some people naturally have more sensitive teeth than others because of the thin enamel – the outer layer of the tooth that protects it. In most cases, tooth enamel can be damaged by:
- Brushing your teeth too hard
- Grinding your teeth
- Regularly eating or drinking acidic foods and beverages
Other conditions such as Gastroesophageal reflux (GERD) or bulimia which cause frequent vomiting may wear down the teeth over time.
How is tooth sensitivity treated?
If your tooth sensitivity is mild, you can use over-the-counter dental drugs to treat the problem. You can choose toothpaste specifically made for sensitive teeth. These kinds of toothpaste don’t have irritating ingredients and may contain desensitizing ingredients that can block discomfort from traveling to the tooth’s nerve. You should use softer toothbrushes and ensure you brush gently. Typically, it takes several applications for these remedies to work but you should see an improvement within a week.
If home remedies don’t work, you should talk to a dentist. They may apply desensitizing agents to strengthen the enamel and protect your teeth.Â
Our Nairobi Dental Clinic can assess and treat your tooth sensitivity. Schedule an appointment with our dentists.Â
