Discount Dental Options - 5 Home Remedies for Sensitive Teeth

By Susan Braden
Published Jul 19 2010

Tender pearly whites may interrupt your everyday life in a very painful way. They may even lead to cavities or gum disease if too delicate to brush or floss. Rather than enduring the pain until something even worse occurs, you can implement these five home remedies for a quick and easy discount dental fix.

Sensitivity often results from several factors. Brushing too hard often erodes the enamel, and the freshly exposed dentine may be delicate. Consuming acidic foods and beverages or consistent grinding can also wear away your enamel. If your gums recede, they may expose part of a tooth root, without an enamel covering to protect it. Plaque and tartar buildup can gather in pockets around the tooth, possibly inflaming the gums to cause sensitivity. This gum disease can also eat away at your jawbone, exposing more tender bone and tissues underneath. Sometimes a tooth may have a tiny, unnoticeable crack that causes pain. Bleaching can also cause temporary tenderness.

Remedies

These five remedies may help alleviate the pain for those on a discount budget or for those who do not have immediate access to a dentist.

1. Buy a soft-bristle toothbrush. Hard bristles can wear away enamel and irritate the gums, possibly causing your sensitivity problem to begin with. Use lighter pressure when brushing as well, because it actually allows the bristles to spread out and do a better job. Hard brushing erodes the tooth’s surface.


2. Practice good oral hygiene. Buildup under the gums produces acid, which is an irritant to the teeth, especially ones that are already tender. Floss daily, brush at least twice a day and see a dentist with a discount dental plan to maintain those pearly whites.


3. Swish with a fluoride rinse. Use it once a day, especially if you are prone to excess plaque accumulation. In more severe cases, a regular fluoride rinse may not be sufficient, so your dentist may prescribe a stronger fluoride gel.


4. Invest in toothpaste made specifically for delicate teeth. Several ingredients can fill channels in your dentine, reducing sensitivity. For faster results than through a dentist, you can also dab some of the paste on sensitive spots and spit (don't rinse) before going to bed.


5. Avoid chewing tobacco. Chewing tobacco can be a major sensitivity culprit. It causes your gums to recede, which can expose the sensitive part of your tooth. Eliminating a tobacco habit could help reduce tenderness in your mouth.

Prevention

Maintaining proper oral health habits will greatly reduce your risk of experiencing the problem of tooth sensitivity. Whether a few teeth are a little tender or if every tooth in your mouth is incredibly painful, these five remedies could be your discount dental solution for chronic tooth sensitivity.