Festive Feasting: Foods that can make you go ouch!

Ouch! Tooth sensitivity can really put a damper on your entire day, including your appetite. There’s nothing worse than taking a bite out of a delicious meal, only to experience striking pain that makes your lips curl in agony. Fortunately, eliminating the discomfort you experience from tooth sensitivity is completely within your control. It all starts by avoiding certain types of food and drinks that are known for causing a spike in tooth sensitivity pain.

Freezing cold and piping hot food and beverages hurt

Forget about using foods and drinks to cool you down in the dead heat of the summer, or to warm you up in the winter. Most people who suffer from sensitive teeth experience extreme pain from items that are on either side of the temperature spectrum.  From ice cold drinks, warm soups, hot coffees and iced treats, the drastic temperature change can send a shock of tooth sensitivity.

The good news is you don’t have to rid these food items and delicious drinks from your diet. Instead, try take smaller bites of such items, or enjoy them through a straw to decrease the amount of contact with your teeth. 

Acidic foods can make your lips pucker from pain

If there’s one thing dental hygienists have said time and time again, it’s that acidic foods and beverages are bad for your teeth. They can wear away tooth enamel and cause tooth sensitivity.

When the nerves of your teeth are exposed, the acid elements of foods such as lemons, oranges, pickles and kiwis, and drinks such as soda, wine and fruit juices can make your lips pucker from the pain. Unfortunately, since acidic foods chip away at your tooth enamel, continuing to eat them will only cause your tooth sensitivity to worsen.

If acid foods and drinks are your favorite and you simply can’t avoid them, there are some things you can do.  Start by swapping out your regular toothpaste for either a sensitive toothpaste with potassium salts or a remineralization toothpaste that contains hydroxyapatite. The minerals help repair your tooth enamel, making your tooth sensitivity less noticeable. 

Foods with hard exteriors can worsen the pain of sensitive teeth

Biting down on foods that have a hard exterior can contribute and worsen tooth sensitivity. Since your nerves are exposed, things such as nuts, hard candy, caramel and ice chunks can rub directly on the nerve causing excruciating pain. Hard foods can also cause your teeth to crack, causing the pain from your sensitive teeth to heighten. 

However, even though you’re avoiding those hard candies doesn’t mean that the softer ones are any better. Things such as jelly beans and gummy bears tend to stick to your teeth, which will wear down your tooth enamel, increasing the amount of tooth sensitivity you experience.

Make sure that you don’t aggravate this situation by using a hard toothbrush when you brush your teeth. Rather choose soft toothbrushes instead.

Sugary foods and beverages cause a spike in tooth sensitivity pain

Speaking of candy, sugar is inarguably the root of all evil when it comes to oral hygiene. Sugary foods and beverages can cause everything from cavities to tooth decay, plaque build-up, sensitive teeth and so much more.  So, it’s important to avoid sodas, candies, baked goods and other treats that are high in sugar.

However, most people are surprised to hear that healthy sugars can be just as harmful to your oral health. Items such as dried fruits, crackers (high in refined sugars) and fresh fruits can contribute to sensitive teeth. Since these are healthier items, you don’t want to eliminate them from your diet altogether. Simply remember to brush after you consume them with an anti-cavity fluoride toothpaste and it won’t hurt to remember to floss as well.

Continue to eat the foods you love by taking a pro-active approach to optimal oral health. A simple switch in the oral health products you use, and you can take big gulps out of hot drinks and massive bites out of cold fruits with ease. It’s also important to note that tooth sensitivity can be caused by other things, such as the way you brush, the toothbrush you use, recent dental procedures and much more. So, don’t always blame it on the foods and be cautious of the harmful elements you subject your teeth to on a regular basis.