Yesterday was National Ice Cream Day! 🍦 Did you partake in the holiday? We sure did here at Webster Dental! The doctors were nice enough to treat the staff with some ice cream sundaes today! Yum!!
We all love biting into a nice cool ice cream treat on a hot summer day, HOWEVER, what we don’t like is that shooting pain that goes through your teeth, up your gums, and into your brain. OUCH!!
So if you’re asking yourself, “Why is this happening to me?” Have you ever considered that you might have some tooth sensitivity?
Before you jump into conclusion, you must know that the pain you’re feeling is not necessarily a result of tooth decay. If you ONLY experience pain when you eat or drink cold food or beverages, then you’re probably suffering from cold sensitive teeth. This condition happens when tiny nerve endings in your teeth are exposed. When cold liquids or foods touch these exposed nerve endings, that’s when you experience the sharp pain.
Our teeth are made up of multiple layers. They become sensitive once the most outer layer (enamel) is stripped away, exposing the layer of dentin. The dentin layer surrounds the root of the tooth and is made up of small, individual tubes, which the tubes lead straight to the root. This is where the ice cream, cold sensitivity comes from, causing the sharp pain.
Tooth sensitivity can be brought on by many different factors.
Worn tooth enamel from aggressive brushing, or using a hard toothbrush
Tooth erosion from high acidic food and beverages
Tooth decay, worn leaky fillings, and broken teeth that expose the dentin of your tooth
Gum recession that leaves the surface of your root exposed
Grinding your teeth at night
So how can we treat this sensitivity?
Depending on the severity of your sensitivity, our dentist may suggest a variety of different ways to treat your symptoms. One way might be suggesting a desensitizing toothpaste. These types of toothpaste contain ingredients that help block pain signals from reaching the surface of your tooth to the nerve inside. The effectiveness of the toothpaste will take a few days, possibly weeks to start to work effectively after the constant and routine use of the toothpaste.
Other ways that our dentist might recommend to help with the sensitivity could be a filling, crown or root canal, HOWEVER, sensitive teeth can be avoided through proper at-home oral hygiene and regular visits to Webster Dental for teeth cleanings and checkups!
Call us today at (920) 435-1998 to schedule your appointment!