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Sensitive teeth can greatly impact your daily life, affecting your ability to enjoy certain foods and drinks. In Essex, we at Crofts Dental Practice understand that many residents suffer from this dental issue. Sensitive teeth are not just an inconvenience, they can be indicative of more serious dental concerns. They can also affect your confidence, making you hesitant to eat in public or avoid certain foods altogether. At Crofts Dental Practice, we specialise in treating sensitive teeth Essex, offering expert advice and effective treatments to help combat this issue. We understand that every patient is unique, and we tailor our approach accordingly, providing services that not only treat the symptoms but also address the root cause of sensitivity. Don’t let sensitive teeth affect your life – take the first step towards a healthier, happier smile with us.

Understanding Sensitive Teeth: A Common Dental Concern

Sensitive teeth refer to a condition where you experience discomfort or pain in your teeth when exposed to certain stimuli such as cold, heat, sweet, or acidic foods and drinks. This sensitivity occurs when the tooth’s enamel, which acts as a protective layer, wears down exposing the underlying softer dentine. Dentinal hypersensitivity, as it’s technically known, can also be caused by gum recession, tooth grinding, or aggressive brushing. Understanding the root cause of tooth sensitivity is crucial in developing a successful treatment plan. At Crofts Dental Practice, our team of highly skilled dentists conduct thorough examinations to identify the root cause of your tooth sensitivity, providing a basis for a truly effective treatment plan.

The Prevalence of Sensitive Teeth in Essex

In Essex, sensitive teeth are a common issue. Many of our patients at Crofts Dental Practice come to us seeking relief from this dental problem. Our experience in dealing with such cases reveals that the prevalence of sensitive teeth varies among different age groups. It’s more common in people between the ages of 20 to 40, but it can affect people of all ages, including children. Factors such as diet, lifestyle, and dental hygiene practices influence the occurrence of this condition. Our dedicated team is committed to providing outstanding dental care and robust solutions for sensitive teeth Essex, ensuring our patients can live their lives without the discomfort of tooth sensitivity.

Solutions for Sensitive Teeth at Crofts Dental Practice

At Crofts Dental Practice, we offer comprehensive solutions for sensitive teeth. Our treatments range from topical desensitising agents, which can provide instant relief, to more long-term solutions like dental bonding or crowns to protect the exposed dentine. In some cases, we may recommend root canal treatments if the sensitivity is caused by deep decay or a damaged tooth. Always prioritising patient comfort, our team will discuss all available options and recommend the most suitable treatment for your sensitive teeth Essex. Rest assured, we employ the latest dental technologies and evidence-based approaches to ensure that our treatments are effective and minimally invasive. We don’t just treat the symptoms; we aim to address the underlying cause to provide long-lasting relief from sensitivity.

Preventing Sensitive Teeth: Tips from the Experts

Prevention is always better than cure, and this holds true for sensitive teeth. At Crofts Dental Practice, we encourage our patients to maintain good oral hygiene, which is the first line of defence against tooth sensitivity. Regular brushing with a soft-bristled toothbrush and fluoride toothpaste, coupled with flossing, can help keep your teeth healthy. Avoiding overly acidic foods and drinks can also protect your enamel from wearing down. For those prone to grinding their teeth, we may recommend a mouth guard to protect your teeth while you sleep. Regular check-ups at our practice allow us to monitor your oral health and catch early signs of sensitivity. Following these tips from Crofts Dental Practice can help you prevent sensitive teeth Essex and maintain a healthy, pain-free smile.

If you are one of a large number of adults in the UK who experience severe shooting pain in their teeth when drinking hot coffee or biting into ice cream, then you need to know that you do not have to live with this experience as help is available to help you at your local dental practice.

Let’s make it clear from the start that having sensitive teeth is not necessarily a sign that you are not looking after your teeth correctly or that you are living with poor oral hygiene standards. Dental sensitivity is a condition that affects many adults who brush their teeth twice a day as recommended by their dentists. You need to be aware that there are many reasons you could be suffering from this uncomfortable condition, and the best way forward is to allow a trained dental professional to examine your teeth and gums. This should help you identify the root cause of any discomfort that you may be living with.

At Crofts Dental Practice, we have a wide variety of experiences when it comes to helping patients with sensitive teeth Essex, and we are confident that we will be able to help you.

Understanding the cause

Understanding the main causes of sensitive teeth Essex can often help you to avoid doing anything to make your discomfort any worse. This understanding may lead you to carry out activities that improve the health of your teeth and gums and effectively reduce any sensitivity that you may experience.

One of the biggest causes of sensitivity in your teeth could be the enamel that forms the outer layer of your teeth is eroded or damaged in some other way; this could be that you have chipped a tooth without knowing. The main cause of tooth erosion is foods that are heavy in sugar or acid content, as these sugars or acids may start to attack the outer layer of your teeth and start to create small holes or cracks in your tooth’s protective shell that may leave the nerve of your tooth slightly exposed.

While we are aware that there are a number of toothpaste brands that are available via supermarkets and chemists across the United Kingdom that can help to decrease sensitivity in your teeth, we would argue that they should not be used in isolation if you want the best results. For this reason, we would urge you to seek out professional help and advice if you wish to find a long-term solution to any issue you are experiencing with your teeth.

Starting to change

There is absolutely no need for you to go through life with sensitive teeth Essex when there are treatments available at your local dentist that could reduce or alleviate any sensitivity you may be feeling in your teeth. To start to make a change, you should contact our dental clinic to find out how we can help you.

The Crofts Dental Practice is a modern, professional and friendly dentist in Epping.

There is nothing worse than tensing up because you know that when you drink something hot or cold you are going to experience a sharp pain due to sensitive teeth Essex. At Crofts Dental Practice we know how debilitating this problem can be and you are not alone. The causes are numerous and we will quickly identify the cause, but you will need to visit us at our dental surgery. You may simply be brushing your teeth too vigorously or you may be using a brush that is too hard for your teeth. Eating foods which have a high acidic content such as tomato sauce, oranges, lemons, kiwis and grapefruit will all cause your teeth to ache. It may be that you are doing your own teeth whitening at home using over-the-counter whitening products. Prolonged use of the chemicals and alcohol in mouthwash can also lead to damage to the enamel of your teeth. Teeth grinding is a common cause which over time exposes the dentine, resulting in exposure of the tubes which lead to the roots of your teeth. These are all things that we will quickly identify and help you to correct.

 

More complicated conditions

Sensitive teeth Essex can, however, be related to more complicated conditions which may require dental treatment. You may have excessive plaque which builds up after eating and the correct regular brushing and flossing will help keep the amount of buildup to a minimum. It will still be necessary to have your teeth cleaned at least every six months by our dental hygienist to ensure that your teeth are properly maintained. Gum disease, caused by improper dental care or from receding gums which can be a result of ageing, can also result in sensitive teeth Essex. You may not realise that you have a chipped or cracked tooth or teeth. There may be some decay from fillings that have weakened resulting in bacteria in the small crevices.

We can bring you lasting relief

All of these causes can be treated and there is no need for you to suffer excruciating pain when we are here to offer you lasting relief. Prevention is really the key and by introducing you to a proper regular oral hygiene regime we can help you to ensure that you enjoy the foods and drinks that you love.

Conditions caused by modern technology

One of the most common causes of tooth sensitivity is as a result of social media technology. Many of us use social media regularly and this increase in the use of our mobile phone camera has resulted in a desire to have perfectly white teeth. The use of over-the-counter tooth whitening solutions has also resulted in an increase in tooth and gum problems. We can help you by doing your teeth whitening in our surgery. We will carefully examine your teeth and gums and identify any conditions that may be developing. We will also choose the correct treatment solution that is best suited to your particular teeth, rather than an off-the-shelf solution. We also use special gum shield protection to avoid any damage to your gums. This could be one of the problems that is causing your teeth to be sensitive and we believe that it is best to let your dentist attend to your teeth and gums as they are precious and we know best how to take care of them for you.

It is not uncommon to have sensitive teeth; we’ve found sensitive teeth Essex are more common for 20 to 40 year-olds, but we’ve seen teens to 70 year-olds reporting sensitive teeth for the first time, with a bias towards women. If you’ve tried treating your sensitivity at home for 2 or more weeks without improvement is time to book an appointment with us. If not let’s go through some at-home treatments and probable causes.

Common causes

The outer layer of the teeth is the enamel, its whitish and almost opaque; it’s the hard shell defending the softer porous dentine beneath. If and when the dentine is exposed, the tooth can become sensitive. This usually starts at the base of the tooth where it meets the gum line where it is the thinnest. But how could the enamel have been damaged or why is the dentine exposure resulting in sensitive teeth Essex?

• Tooth whitening; the two methods used in tooth whitening are abrasive, which could remove layers of enamel if poorly performed and bleaching can chemically alter the enamel and make it porous.
• A cracked tooth or filling; if the sensitivity has come on suddenly and is very severe this is probably the cause.
• Tooth grinding; this where the enamel on the top of the teeth is gradually eroded; if the tips of your teeth are sensitive this could be why.
• Gum recession; the root of the teeth have no enamel and as the gum recedes with age they can become exposed. If your dentist discovers it at the base of most of your teeth and you are beyond middle-age this is likely to be the culprit.
• Brushing too hard; too much of a good thing, brush erosion results in the loss of enamel due to overly enthusiastic brushing causing the enamel to thin.
• Dental erosion; the calcium-based enamel is vulnerable to acid damage which can come from acidic foods or acid reflux. If you have regular heartburn or drink soda often this could be the source of the problem.

Home treatment

Prevention is always better than cure, but if you are past that point, look for a high fluoride toothpaste; at least 1350ppm. There are several brands targeted at treating tooth sensitivity and make all the lifestyle changes you can to stop it from getting worse.

If you have your teeth whitened talk to your provider about your sensitivity. If you have been whitening your teeth at home, consider stopping.

If you also wake in the morning with jaw stiffness, you could be grinding your teeth as you sleep. For night time grinding a mouthguard can be helpful to protect your teeth.

Brush twice a day with a soft to medium-soft toothbrush using small circular movements. Don’t brush your teeth immediately after eating, as acidic food softens enamel which could be easily eroded off by brushing. Dab the toothpaste on the affected areas and let it sit; do not rinse it off and once again, if there is not an improvement in 2 weeks come to see us about your sensitive teeth Essex.

Do you avoid hot and cold food and drink for fear of how they might react with your teeth? Just like you, many adults and children suffer from having sensitive teeth in Essex, a dental issue that is caused by many contributing factors but most prominently from enamel erosion.

If you are tired of living this way and restricting your diet due to your tender pearly whites, book an appointment with one of our trained and experienced dentists at Crofts Dental Practice.

What is enamel erosion?

The surface of every natural tooth you possess is called the enamel. The enamel is the tough outer layer that protects your dentine (the extremely sensitive tissue that is found underneath) against germs, chemicals and fluids.

From the food you consume daily to the fluids your body secretes, this enamel is constantly exposed to, and damaged by, potentially harmful substances, which does lead to its eventual wear and tear if you do not take adequate care of your teeth. Enamel erosion, the primary cause of sensitive teeth in Essex, occurs when the outer layer is damaged beyond repair and leaves the dentin vulnerable and exposed to the elements. People with sensitive teeth in Essex will experience pain or discomfort that worsens without medical treatment.

What generally causes erosion?

Germs contained in plaque use the sugars, found in the food and drink you consume, to create acid. This acid attacks and can destroy your enamel if you do not remove the plaque by cleaning your teeth regularly.

Your saliva can neutralise acid attacks. However, a diet high in sugar and carbohydrates results in a more significant build-up of acid that your body’s natural defences cannot fend off by itself – which is why brushing your teeth regularly with fluoridated toothpaste is so crucial.

What should I eliminate from my diet to improve my oral health?

Watch what you eat by curbing your intake of sugary, acidic and starchy foods, such as white bread. If you do consume acidic drinks, such as orange juice, use a straw to minimise your teeth’s contact with the beverage.

Are there other medical conditions that cause this issue?

If you are in the habit of grinding your teeth, then know that it can negatively impact the structure of your teeth. Correct this issue by enquiring with us about using a retainer at night.

Xerostomia is a condition that results in a reduction of saliva and is often a symptom of serious illnesses, such as Diabetes. Less acid is neutralised without the necessary saliva.

Certain medications, like antihistamines and aspirin, can weaken your enamel’s defences against foreign substances.

The way you brush your teeth can impose upon your enamel. People often correlate healthy teeth to hard brushing – which is not at all true. Brush gently and use a soft-bristled toothbrush.

How can we fight off enamel erosion?

Unfortunately, enamel does not grow back, but we can prevent the decay from getting worse. One technique we often recommend is bonding, especially if you have experienced tooth discolouration as a result of enamel erosion. The treatment involves applying resin, a tooth-coloured resin, to the front of your tooth. The resin is both functional and aesthetically-pleasing because it protects the tooth while reversing discolouration, stains and marks.

Visit us for an appointment before your sensitive teeth get in the way of everyday life!

Even though our teeth feel like they are inert pieces of rock cut to bite and chew, inside each of them are quite a few nerves, and they don’t hold back in letting us know when they are being activated. Toothache can take over your whole head, but there are other forms of transient pain that, in the moment, will get all your attention.

You might get a sudden pain when you bite into something cold like an ice cream, or sip an extra hot cup of tea.

Here at Crofts Dental Practice in Essex, we refer to these pains as having sensitive teeth. There can be several causes of sensitive teeth and it’s important to find out which one is behind your transient pains so that something can be done about them.

Loss of tooth enamel

When your tooth enamel is being eroded, the nerves beneath it in the layer of softer dentin and in the soft pulp are that much nearer the surface of your tooth, and therefore more likely to be affected by extremes in temperature from sudden cold and hot substances.

Enamel can be eroded by a high sugar diet feeding plaque that gives off acids that cause erosion. It can also be eroded by brushing with too hard a brush, and also by some eating disorders.

Receding gums

When your gums start to recede, as can happen as we age or through gum disease, the tooth root under the gum can become exposed. The root has no protective enamel on it and is therefore much more sensitive.

Damaged teeth

You may have cracked a tooth or damaged the enamel in some other way, exposing a nerve.

Teeth whitening

Whitening the teeth can open the pores in your tooth enamel and this can lead to sensitivity. There are toothpastes to remineralise the enamel and make it less prone to sensation.

Whether yours is a fleeting pain or one that can go on for hours, it’s important to get it checked out. It may be symptomatic of something more serious that we can catch early and treat easily.

It could come as a surprise to hear, but as many as one in eight adults suffer with sensitive teeth at some point. When you suffer with sensitive teeth, daily activities such as brushing, flossing, drinking and even eating can cause jolts of extreme pain. Crofts Dental Practice can help.

Tooth sensitivity often results from worn down enamel. Enamel is the outermost layer of the tooth, designed to protect the root. When enamel is removed, the underlying dentin is exposed. These nerve endings can be stimulated by heat and cold or acidic or sticky foods, causing the quick jolt of pain that our patients in Essex with sensitive teeth will experience.

Is it something to worry about?

In some cases, tooth sensitivity can be indicative of a more serious problem. Cracked or chipped teeth, cavities, pressure from tooth grinding or dental procedures, such as whitening can all be causes of overly-sensitive teeth for many of our patients.

What can I do about it?

If you are concerned about sensitive teeth, you should have a chat with one of our dentists here at Crofts Dental Practice immediately. Our experienced dental team can alleviate the pain associated with sensitive teeth, as well as prevent further discomfort.

We can quickly and accurately identify, or rule out, the cause of your sensitive teeth and develop a treatment plan based on your individual needs. Currently, several options are available, based on the severity and frequency of the sensitivity you are suffering with.

Can I prevent sensitive teeth?

Prevention is always a much better option than treatment of an existing tooth sensitivity issue. Brushing twice a day with a soft-bristle toothbrush and toothpaste, as well as daily flossing, are the most important steps in achieving and maintaining proper oral hygiene. Avoiding tooth grinding, hard brushing and abrasive toothpaste are also important steps in the prevention of tooth sensitivity.

Our dentists may also choose to prescribe a mouth guard for patients who grind their teeth at night, as this can also help to prevent tooth sensitivity. Please call our practice for an appointment, as it’s never too late to start improving your oral health.