When Should You See A Dentist About Sensitive Teeth?

Around 1 in 8 people suffer from sensitive teeth, but most people never mention it to their dentist. If you feel a lot of pain and discomfort when eating cold, hot, spicy, or sweet foods, you might just decide to avoid those foods altogether. There are a lot of products on the market for people with sensitive teeth too, so people tend to just deal with the problem on their own. 

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In some cases, that’s fine, but you may not realize that sensitive teeth could also be a sign of a bigger underlying problem. There are a lot of potential causes of sensitive teeth and some need to be treated by a professional. The problem is, how do you know when you should book an appointment? 

Causes Of Sensitive Teeth 

Knowing what causes sensitive teeth in the first place will help you decide whether you need to seek professional treatment or not. 

In many cases, your teeth are sensitive because the protective enamel has worn down. It’s important that you keep up with a good dental health routine to stop this from happening. Specialist toothpaste for sensitive teeth is designed to help rebuild enamel and prevent pain and discomfort. You may find that this works well and you don’t need any further treatment. 

However, sensitive teeth can be caused by more serious oral health problems. For example, if your gums are receding, the teeth underneath are exposed and this can lead to more sensitivity. This is often a symptom of gum disease, so it’s important that you get checked out by a dentist if you think this may be a problem. If you have gum disease, you will also notice bad breath and bleeding when you brush. 

Sensitivity can also be caused by cracks and chips in the teeth. If you have recently damaged your teeth and you suddenly notice a lot more sensitivity, it’s likely that this is the cause. This also needs to be looked at by a professional because small cracks in the tooth can gather bacteria and lead to tooth decay. 

When Should You See A Dentist? 

If you have had a mild case of sensitive teeth for a while, you should try using specialist products first to see if that makes a difference. Often, the problem will correct itself and you don’t need to see a dentist about it. 

However, if you have not had sensitive teeth in the past, it suddenly becomes a problem, it’s likely that there is another cause. If you ignore it, you will end up with serious oral health problems, so you should see a dentist right away. You should also book an appointment if your teeth are becoming more sensitive than they used to be. 

Sensitive teeth is one of these problems that people ignore and learn to live with by avoiding certain foods. However, this is not a good idea because, in many cases, it is a symptom of a much bigger problem. So, if in doubt, see a dentist right away. 

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