Love Sweets, but They Make Your teeth Hurt?
If you have teeth sensitive to sweets, you are not alone. Many people experience sweet tooth pain when eating sweets. While it may have started rather suddenly, there is a sensitive teeth treatment that can help you. You do not need to continue in pain – or avoid all of your sweet treats.
The Root of the Problem
The one thing that protects the nerves in your teeth is the outer layer of enamel. While this substance is hard, it can be slowly eroded away by two things that are always at work in your mouth.
Once there are holes in the enamel of a tooth, or of multiple teeth, the nerve inside the tooth is exposed. Various substances will irritate the nerve as they come in contact with it, such as hot and cold, sweets, cold air, and more.
The Cause of Dental Erosion
The first thing that is always working against the health of your teeth is some of the bacteria in your mouth. There are more than 700 kinds of bacteria in your mouth. Some of them are bad for your teeth, but in a healthy mouth, the bad bacteria are kept in control by the large numbers of good bacteria.
When the bad bacteria come in contact with sugar, it multiplies. As it does so, it also produces an acid that is strong enough to erode your teeth. Constantly eating sweets, or drinking them means that your teeth are constantly exposed to a stream of acid.
Other acidic foods can also help to erode the enamel on your teeth. Two sources of acid that many people frequently consume are soda and fruit juice. Both of them have their own acids, and some of them have an incredible amount of sugar in them – soda has about nine teaspoons in a single can.
Other things that can damage the enamel on your teeth include grinding your teeth, putting too much pressure on your toothbrush when brushing your teeth, gum disease, improper care of your teeth, and cracked teeth.
How to Protect the Enamel on Your Teeth
Protecting the enamel on your teeth is important because you cannot grow more of it. The acids leech out important nutrients which will weaken your teeth. The acid also creates holes and pits in your enamel. The remaining material can be remineralized, but it will not rebuild the enamel.
Keeping the acids off of your teeth is the key to protecting the enamel on them. This means you will need to do several things:
- Brush your teeth at least twice a day. The bacteria start to build up every day on your teeth – called plaque. Brushing your teeth helps remove it.
- Floss once a day – Before you go to bed is the ideal time to floss. The food particles and sugar will accumulate between your teeth with each meal or snack. Brushing is not able to remove it. Sticky foods will expose your tooth’s enamel to the bad bacteria and acid longer.
- Drink water and rinse your mouth out after eating sugary foods or drinks. This will help to remove the sugar and prevent it from harming your enamel.
- Keep hydrated – you need to be sure that you drink enough liquids to stay hydrated so that you can have a good amount of saliva. Saliva aids in controlling the bad bacteria and it also helps to remineralize your teeth.
Treatment for Sensitive Teeth
Several options are available from a dentist to help you get sweet tooth pain relief. They include:
- Get Cavities Filled – oftentimes, a sweet tooth is sensitive simply because it has a cavity. Get it filled and it will often end the pain.
- Fluoride Varnish – this painted on substance provides a coating for the damaged enamel, keeping food and sugar from making direct contact with your nerves.
- Veneers – if the surface of one of your front teeth is damaged, a veneer can stop the pain from sensitivity to sweets and make your teeth look good again.
- Gum Surgery – if the roots of your teeth are exposed due to receding gums, gum repair surgery may help. Gum is grafted over the exposed roots, protecting it from further exposure to sugar.
- Crowns and Implants – a damaged tooth may need to have a new crown put on it, or be replaced with a dental implant.
When you have teeth sensitive to sugar, it could be a temporary thing, or you may need a more permanent solution for sweet tooth pain. After a dental exam, a dentist can make recommendations to help you get the customized solution you need.
If you live in the Carrollton, Dallas, Cedar Hill or Grapevine, TX areas, your sensitive teeth can be treated by Dr. Kumar T. Vadivel, DDS, FDS RCS, MS MBA, a Board-certified Periodontist. He can diagnose the cause and provide you with some sweet tooth pain relief options. For more information about his dental services, or to set up an appointment, you can call his office today at (214) 731-0123
