Do you feel discomfort or even pain in your teeth when eating or drinking? Tooth sensitivity can be incredibly frustrating, so you might be wondering about some of the condition’s common culprits. While tooth decay is a typical cause, here are some other factors you need to consider:
Brushing Too Hard
Brushing aggressively or with a hard-bristle brush can scratch away at your teeth, eroding your enamel and causing gum recession. When this happens, tooth sensitivity becomes much more common.
Solution: opt for a soft-bristle brush instead.
Bruxism
Grinding and clenching can wear down your upper and lower teeth, wearing out your enamel and exposing your teeth to increased sensitivity.Â
Solution: visit your dentist to find a suitable treatment, such as the use of a night guard.
Broken Tooth
A chip in your tooth reduces nerve protection; in fact, even just a small crack on the enamel can cause sensitivity.Â
Solution: if you have a cracked tooth, don’t delay in visiting the dentist. Leaving your tooth unfixed can not only lead to sensitivity, but also cause a host of other oral health issues.
Fillings
While cavities cause sensitivity, so too can the fillings that treat them. Fillings can cause mild aggravation to nerve endings deep inside the tooth, an issue that typically resolves itself as the nerve heals.Â
Solution: sensitivity after a tooth filling is normal and temporary. If discomfort and pain persist with little to no improvement, contact your dentist.
Whitening
Teeth whitening treatments are known to cause temporary sensitivity, which is a completely normal experience that typically disappears on its own.
Solution: as is the case with fillings, sensitivity after a whitening treatment is normal and temporary. If discomfort and pain persist with little to no improvement, contact your dentist.
While some sensitivity-causing factors can be mitigated by adjusting your oral habits, others require professional care. Are you worried that your tooth sensitivity is a sign of a larger issue? Don’t hesitate to visit the dental clinic!
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