1. Regular Maintenance for Sensitive Teeth
Brush your teeth after every meal, using a soft bristle toothbrush. Brush for 2 full minutes using small, circular motions to protect your teeth from further damage. Floss every day to keep your gums healthy. It's important not to brush too much and damage the gums, which causes more problems in the long run than brushing gently but thoroughly. Rinsing after brushing with a fluoride mouthwash helps reduce bacteria in your mouth that can aggravate tooth sensitivity.
2. Switch Toothpaste to Treat Sensitivity
You can purchase desensitizing toothpaste at the drug store to help eliminate tooth sensitivity. Use this toothpaste in place of your regular toothpaste for at least 2 weeks. After that time, you should notice an improvement. Try a different brand if the first one doesn't seem to be working after some time. If the sensitivity persists at that point, visit your dentist for a full exam to determine what measures you can take from this point to decrease tooth sensitivity.
3. Avoid Sensitive Teeth Triggers
Learn what the specific triggers for your tooth sensitivity are. In some cases, the very thing that causes your pain is what is damaging your tooth to begin with. If you have stomach problems like gastric reflux or eating disorders like bulimia, it's important to get medical help in order to reduce the amount of stomach acid that enters your mouth. Highly acidic foods wear down your tooth enamel and aggravate sensitive teeth. Other possibilities are extreme temperatures and sweet foods. Avoid anything especially sticky and sweet that clings and causes prolonged pain.
4. Know When to See a Dentist
Your dentist has options to help care for your sensitive teeth if your home remedies fail. Sometimes your teeth are sensitive because they're damaged and need repair. Your dentist can determine this during a simple exam. Dentists provide fluoride treatments that help desensitize teeth. If you clench or grind your teeth at night, ask your dentist to prescribe a night guard to reduce damage to your teeth. Some of these treatments are preventative and help reduce damage that has already begun.
5. Fix the Bad Teeth
In severe cases of tooth sensitivity, a root canal is the best option for pain relief. This is often the standard treatment for severe tooth sensitivity. Regular fillings repair cracked or chipped teeth, but only as a temporary fix to the sensitivity. A root canal deadens the root of the tooth and eliminates tooth sensitivity permanently.
