Depending on the diagnosis, your dentist/hygienist may recommend one or more of the following treatments to relieve the symptoms of sensitive teeth:
• Eliminate the cause, that is if you're grinding, get and WEAR a night guard or bruxing appliance. Most of us will grind at night but some people grind or clench during the day, when they're driving, studying, or at the gym. If the cause for you is acid foods that have lead to erosion, be sure and rinse with water before brushing, that way you're not brushing the acids into your teeth and aggravating the problem. Stop using your teeth as tools.
• A fluoride rinse or gel for sensitive teeth can be helpful. These will generally be behind the pharmacy counter as the flouride level is too high for daily use by young children who are more inclinded to swallow tooth paste. Some of the over-the-counter products inlcude Oral B daily fluoride rinse or Prevident 5000 toothpaste .
• MI(minimally invasive) Paste also works really well and can be ordered for you by your hygienist. Ask us for more recommendations.
• Look for products with argin, or ACP which will desensitize and close off the nerve tubules greatly reducing sensitivity. Products like potassium nitrates help desensitize the exposed nerve endings. A desensitizing toothpaste, like Crest® Sensitivity Protection toothpaste, Colgates new ProRelief toothpaste or Sensodyne toothpaste. For enamel erosion ProEnamel is a good choice.
• Some situations may call for a clear resin sealer to be placed over the exposed root surface to help protect it, as the root surface lacks the enamel and gum protection of your normally exposed tooth.
•When broken, chipped, cracked or decayed teeth are to blame you'll want to be sure to visit your dentist and have the tooth repaired.
When your teeth are sensitive it is always wise to consult your hygienist/dentist to ensure something more serious isn't going on. Sensitive toothpaste or an fluoride rinse won't make a cavity go away and ignoring a more serious problem can make things worse. We'll gladly have a look and let you know what is happening in your mouth to create the discomfort and recommend solutions suited to the problem