What should you do about your sensitive teeth?

If you have sensitive teeth, you know that this is no small issue. Sensitive teeth can affect many aspects of your life. For example, if you have sensitive teeth, you may have to skip that fresh hot coffee in the morning because the temperature of the beverage causes your teeth to sting. It's not just very hot or very cold beverages that will cause your teeth to be in pain. Biting down on anything that is the slightest bit sweet or sour can also cause discomfort, as can the simple act of brushing your teeth.

For all of these reasons, it's important to fight back against sensitive teeth by doing something about it. There are many potential causes of sensitive teeth, and even more reasons to help fix them, but they all start with you making a trip to the dentist.

Is something wrong with your teeth?

When you go to a dentist, he or she will do a full examination of your mouth to see what the possible cause of your tooth sensitivity is. Discovery Health states that the most common cause of tooth sensitivity is exposed dentin. Underneath your tooth enamel is dentin and when you have worn away at enamel and this under layer is exposed, your teeth may become more sensitive to the things they come in contact with.

A dentist can apply some fluoride to the sensitive areas of your teeth in order to help make them stronger.

Other potential causes behind tooth decay are exposed roots and cavities. In these cases, you may need to have a root canal performed or sealants put in place to protect the exposed parts of your tooth from experiencing sensitivity.

You should also consider buying some specialty toothpaste that is designed to help reduce sensitivity. Also, avoid certain foods and drinks that are particular hot, cold, sweet or sour until your sensitivity improves. Sodas and other carbonated beverages, in particular, can lead to sensitive teeth by wearing away at tooth enamel, so you should consider eliminating these drinks from your diet.

Other solutions on the way

A recent study published in the ACS applied materials and interfaces journal shows that researchers are currently developing a solution that is able to repair enamel and dentin simultaneously. Hopefully, that will be available to the public soon to help reduce your tooth sensitivity.