Teeth hypersensitivity is an extremely troublesome ailment, especially in summer, when we like to reach for ice cream and cold fizzy drinks. How to deal with tooth sensitivity? Which home remedies are the most effective in this case?
Tooth sensitivitycan be a consequence of a build-up of tartar that presses under the teeth, exposing the necks and increasing pain sensitivity. The gums also regress with age, due to the use of too hard brushes and abrasive toothpastes. Caries and bruxism (teeth grinding) are also responsible forhypersensitivity . Unprotected teeth react with piercing pain to sudden temperature changes caused by eating ice cream and drinking hot and cold drinks. Pain may last for several days.
Another cause of tooth sensitivity is weak enamel. The tooth is made of dentin with richly innervated pulp inside. From the pulp, through the dentin, towards the enamel, run thousands of tubules filled with tissue fluid and containing nerve fibers. If the enamel is weak or damaged, the tubules are open and conduct pain, and the exposed tooth necks are particularly exposed to pain - they are devoid of gingival protection and covered with a slightly mineralized layer of enamel.
Home remedies for oversensitive teeth
- Brush your teeth after each meal, at least in the morning and before going to bed. Remember that brushing in the horizontal direction damages the gums and helps to expose the necks of the teeth. Therefore, brush them with sweeping movements in the direction from the gum to the tooth crown. Do not brush your teeth immediately after eating citrus fruits or drinking carbonated drinks or sour juices, because they are then devoid of the protective layer and brushing may wear away the enamel - so wait about an hour or first rinse your mouth with water or a fluoride rinse.
- drink cold drinks through a straw;
- avoid hot and cold dishes;
- remove from the menu products that increase the acidity of saliva and demineralise the enamel - citrus, meat, pickles, carbonated drinks, sweets;
- use a toothpaste with a low abrasion level - approx. 30 RDA (abrasion index), which prevents excessive abrasion of the dentine during brushing. IfThere is no indicator given on the package, just rub some paste between your fingers. When you feel particles in it, change it to a milder one. However, it is best to choose a toothpaste designed specifically for hypersensitive teeth - it can also be a whitening toothpaste - because then you can be sure that it contains fluorine compounds that strengthen and seal the enamel, seal microscopic tooth tubules, significantly reducing dentin hypersensitivity.
- use mouthwashes to protect your tooth enamel from acids. They are all the more effective because they reach every corner. When used regularly, they ensure fresh breath;
- change the toothbrush to a soft one and use it gently - do not press too hard on the surface of the teeth, because you can injure the gums and damage the enamel. Also use floss to thoroughly clean all the spaces between the teeth and finally use a mouthwash to reduce sensitivity.
Important!The removal of tartar at the dentist's office will help reduce symptoms associated with oversensitive teeth. A specialist may also coat the exposed parts of the root with a fluid containing fluoride and sealing substances, which strengthens the teeth and closes the tubules, protecting them from pain.
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