Don’t avoid enjoying your favorite hot and cold food/drinks just because you have sensitive teeth. By following some of the quick and easy tips below, you will get to enjoy that icy cold dessert or piping hot bowl of soup without the pain.
Spoon it. Don’t bite it.
The simplest rule.
Remember that you taste with your tongue and not your teeth. So instead of tearing into an ice cream or cold piece of soft fruit with your teeth and letting cold stimuli run all over your teeth and into your exposed tooth nerves……
Use a spoon instead. Then take smaller portions and place them on your tongue and slowly mash, then swallow. Not only will you not feel sensitivity but because more of the food is on your tongue, you will get maximum taste as well!
But if you must bite into cold food, then make sure to prepare yourself by ensuring you use a sensitive toothpaste that contains potassium salts that help block cold/hot stimuli from reaching your tooth nerves and causing that stinging sensation.
Sip/Straw it. Don’t Gulp it.
You will feel a big difference if you use a straw to consume a really cold/hot drink rather than take big gulps out of a glass. As per the “Spoon it” tip earlier, the key is that you are ensuring cold/hot stimuli do not come into contact with all your sensitive tooth surfaces at the same time.
Experiment by directing the input of your straw into different areas of the mouth. It is unlikely that all your teeth enamel is “equally eroded” and that you experience sensitivity similarly on all areas of your teeth. So direct the cold/hot liquid to the less sensitive areas.
And most importantly, make sure the areas of your teeth that are not sensitive currently, do not turn so in the future. One way to avoid damaging teeth further is to use a soft or sensitive toothbrush. Not a hard one.
Rinse It Away. Don’t Let It Stay.
Yes, we love our fruits (or juices) like oranges, grapefruit, pineapples and strawberries. And who can resist the taste of some freshly squeezed lemon or lime onto barbecued meat, fish and salads. But these are all acidic and can worsen and already bad sensitive teeth condition by further eroding your tooth enamel and exposing your tooth nerves to hot/cold stimuli.
So make it a point after consuming the above, to immediately, give your mouth a good rinsing with water. Even better if for every mouthful or sip of the above citrus fruits, you then take a sip of water and gargle then swallow.
The less you leave and the shorter amount of time you leave; remnants of these acidic foods on your teeth; the better.
Having said that if you feel you already have severely sensitive teeth and the above is just going to stop but not make it better, why not try to repair your tooth enamel with a remineralization toothpaste.