Dental phobia and care of sensitive teeth

Many people have experienced sensitive teeth, making eating and drinking uncomfortable, to say the least. It is very painful and can affect people’s attitude and general well-being. Sufferers, if left untreated, may develop phobias, but rest assured that it is definitely treatable.

What happens after drinking or eating something cold, breathing cold air in winter causes pain in the affected teeth that can be quite intense. With excruciating pain, the nerve could be exposed and needs to be seen by a dentist.

Many people, by using a hard-bristled toothbrush, gradually wear down the gum around the neck of the teeth, thereby exposing the root surface of the teeth and the dentin layer of the tooth. Being exposed, the roots have no protection and, since the dentin is composed of tubules that are directly related to the nerve, any stimulation will cause extreme pain until the stimulus is removed.

Not everyone with receding gums and exposed dentin will experience pain, but those who do will suffer until they get professional help from their dentist.

The best treatment in all cases is to prevent receding gums in the first place and this is by keeping them healthy without brushing too much. Using less pressure will help, as will using a technique with a soft-bristled toothbrush.

The technique involves angling the toothbrush head at about 45 degrees to the gum line on the lip or cheek side of the tooth so that it begins at the junction of the gum and tooth and lateral movement slow and controlled back and forth will remove the plaque. and food scraps from this vulnerable area. The toothbrush is then brushed along the length of the tooth away from the gum line.

Many patients have not been properly instructed by their dentist and that is one of the reasons why gum recession is commonly caused by excessive brushing and the resulting pain is real for many.

With electric toothbrushes like the Sonicare there is no physical contact with the teeth or gums and this will be significantly easier to use.

Sensitivity can be reduced with toothpastes containing potassium nitrate to reduce pain and discomfort, with Sensodyne being a popular choice for many patients as it stops pain quickly and efficiently by blocking the openings of these tubules.

Using fluoride-containing mouthwashes can also help with tooth sensitivity.

It is advisable to avoid mouthwashes that contain alcohol, as alcohol will dry out the mouth and reduce the flow of saliva, which is crucial in keeping oral tissues moist and helps buffer acidity in the mouth, thereby reducing the formation of dental caries.

If using sensitive toothpastes and mouthwashes does not reduce or eliminate pain, your dentist may need to bond an adhesive filling to cover exposed areas. This is the next step in treatment options.

In extreme cases, root canal treatment in which the nerve of the tooth is completely removed will relieve pain and obviously complex dentistry is required at this stage.

For many people, this level of treatment is to be avoided and this is only done by patients who present early in the first place so that the resulting pain phobias do not develop.