Why Are My Gums Shrinking?
If your gums are shrinking away from your tooth roots, you have a problem. Fortunately, we can address that problem in its early stages to restore a healthy mouth and prevent tooth loss. Here’s what you need to know.
Reasons Your Teeth Are Suddenly Sensitive
Nothing’s quite so bothersome as teeth that are sensitive to something. It could be heat, cold, air pressure, sweet things, spicy things, or something else, but your mouth hurts and distracts you from anything else you’re trying to do.
At Hometown Family Dental Centers in Fayetteville, Raeford, and Vass, North Carolina, our expert team of dentists feel your pain, which is why they have several remedies for tooth sensitivity, no matter the reason. Here’s what they have to offer.
Reasons your teeth are suddenly sensitive
There can be any number of reasons your teeth become sensitive, including:
Brushing too hard
You may think brushing harder would be better, but the stress of the bristles can damage the enamel.
Cracks or chips
A break in the enamel exposes the sensitive dentin beneath. Air, food, drink, and pathogens can all cause pain flare-ups.
Recent dental procedures
When the dentist needs to fill a cavity or repair a chip, you’ll have an anesthetic so you won’t feel anything during the procedure. However, you may experience temporary sensitivity when the anesthetic wears off.
Tooth whitening
The dentist protects your lips and gums from the peroxide solution during the procedure, but since the teeth are exposed to it full-strength, they can become temporarily sensitive afterward.
Gum recession and/or gum disease
When your gums recede, they expose the tooth roots, which are more sensitive than the crowns. Receding gums also expose more sensitive gum tissue and can damage or kill off some of the tissue, causing sensitivity.
Acidic foods
Acidic foods and drinks may taste great, but they etch away at the enamel coating your teeth, leading to sensitivity.
Plaque build-up
While plaque itself doesn’t cause sensitivity, if it reaches below the gum line, where your brush can’t go, it can irritate the roots and the gum tissue.
Teeth clenching or grindingThe stresses involved in clenching and grinding can irritate the inner tissues of the teeth and the highly sensitive nerves.
A temporomandibular disorder (TMD)
A problem with the jaw muscles or the hinged jaw joints can cause pain to radiate from the source into the teeth.
Neuralgia and/or chronic facial pain
The pain from the affected nerve pain radiates into the teeth.
A tooth may become more sensitive if the nerve is infected or dying, so we need to remove it during a root canal procedure.
Treating sensitive teeth
Which treatment(s) we recommend for your tooth sensitivity depends on the underlying cause and the severity of the condition. Some common treatments include:
- Desensitizing toothpaste
- Dental bonding or sealants: to cover exposed dentin
- Fluoride: helps strengthen tooth enamel
- Mouthguard: reduces the stress of clenching and grinding
- Root canal: removes the damaged nerve tissue, alleviating the sensitivity
Making strategic lifestyle changes is one of the best ways to treat sensitivity. Use a small-head, soft-bristled toothbrush, moving in gentle circles on the surfaces of each tooth, and combine that with a non-abrasive toothpaste containing fluoride. Make sure you brush at least twice a day and rinse your mouth out after meals and snacks to prevent plaque from building up.
Additionally, avoid acidic foods and drinks, stop smoking, and address teeth grinding or clenching with a nightguard and/or therapy to relieve the stress that makes you clench in the first place.
Are you dealing with sensitive teeth but aren’t getting relief? Call Hometown Family Dental Centers to schedule an evaluation, and we’ll help you identify ways to remedy the situation.
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