Nearly one in four Americans have sensitive teeth that cause them pain when they eat or drink certain foods. If you have sensitive teeth, there are some foods and beverages you might want to avoid. Luckily, there are also ways that you can treat your sensitive teeth.
Hot Foods
If you have sensitive teeth, you already know consuming hot beverages can be very painful. While we are not suggesting you give up coffee and tea altogether, you may want to let your morning coffee cool a bit before you sip on it. That is because if you have exposed tooth roots or thin tooth enamel, which are two of the common causes of sensitive teeth, the hotter your food or beverage is, the worse your teeth will feel.
Very Cold Foods
People with sensitive teeth say that ice cream or popsicles are extremely difficult to eat because the excessive cold makes your teeth ache. Like hot foods, you may want to let cold foods warm up for a little while before you try and eat them.
Acidic Foods
Some people with sensitive teeth are sensitive to foods that are really acidic, such as orange juice and tomato sauce. You may want to consume these foods in small doses.
Sensitive Tooth Solutions
Sensitive teeth can cause issues for adults, but there are ways that you can mitigate the pain from your sensitive teeth. First, check your toothbrush. If you are brushing too hard, you will notice the bristles flatten and spread out. You also want to make sure you are using a very soft toothbrush. Both hard brushing and using a hard toothbrush remove enamel from your teeth, which leads to sensitive teeth.
Also, there are oral treatments for sensitive teeth. You can try toothpaste invented for sensitive teeth or toothpaste that helps build tooth enamel. Sensitive toothpaste works to soothe irritated nerves so your teeth do not react so painfully to hot, cold, or acidic foods. Before you eat, you may want to rinse your mouth with salt water as well because it seems to help many people with sensitive teeth.