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Practical Measures For Preventing Teeth Hypersensitivity

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Also known as dentin hypersensitivity, teeth sensitivity is a condition in which your teeth's sensory nerves are irritated by stimulants that do not cause any reaction in normal teeth.  With teeth sensitivity, different stimulants such as cold, hot, sweet, and acidic substances (such as drinks or air) irritate your teeth and may even induce pain. Here's how you can prevent this:

Don't Brush Too Hard

Brushing too hard (or too frequently) especially with a hard bristled toothbrush, can cause teeth sensitivity. This happens because over brushing causes gum recession that exposes the sensitive roots of your teeth. Apart from that, over brushing may also contribute to enamel erosion that may cause notches on your teeth's surfaces and lead to hypersensitivity. Therefore, it is advisable to use a medium or soft-bristled toothbrush, brush gently, and only as frequently as advised by the dentist.

Be Careful With Acidic Food

Apart from over brushing, taking acidic food or drinks can also erode your teeth's enamel and expose its sensitive tissues. Examples include vinegar salad dressings and fruit juices. Therefore, you should also keep your intake of such foods minimal. It also helps to follow each acidic food with a drink of water to wash away the acids. 

Avoid Teeth Grinding

Teeth grinding, which has the dental term of bruxism if it is chronic, can also cause teeth sensitivity. Bruxism can occur without your knowledge if it only happens at night. Telltale signs include aching teeth, chipped teeth enamel and constant headaches. This is a manageable condition, so you should contact your dentist if you suspect that you have it.

Go Easy On Bleaching Products

Although everybody loves bright smiles, over bleaching your teeth (or using the wrong bleaching products) may also cause hypersensitivity. The bleaching chemicals may open up pores on your teeth enamel and open up pores on your dentin.  This is what causes hypersensitivity because it makes it easy for irritants, such as very cold drinks, to reach your teeth nerves. The solution is to use the right bleaching products and use them only as frequently as advised by the dentist.

Apart from all these specific causes of teeth sensitivity, you should also know that anything that damages your teeth may also cause them to be hypersensitive. Therefore, if you have periodontal disease or dental carries, then you will soon be dealing with sensitive teeth too. Therefore, maintaining a high level of dental hygiene and watching out for your oral health will also prevent teeth sensitivity. For more information, contact a business such as Dental Associates PC.


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