My Sensitive Teeth ~ Building Smiles

Good Oral Care for Adults with Sensitive Teeth

I have been thinking about my teeth a lot lately. They seem to be more sensitive to cold and, let’s just say; I understand the term ‘long in the tooth’ much more intimately now. I am on the on a mission to find out the cause of this, make some diet and lifestyle adjustments if necessary and find a toothpaste to help.

I am a longtime and loyal Colgate^® user. So naturally I will begin my mission with research at Colgate.com. They have some great articles on the subject like: What is Tooth Sensitivity? and Does Aspirin Cause Tooth Erosion?

According to Colgate: Dentin hypersensitivity affects up to 57% of dental patients. No matter what your age, you may have occasional sensitivity to hot, cold or sweet beverages and food. Others suffer from constant pain. Regardless of the frequency of your pain, let your dentist or hygienist know. They can recommend proper treatment for tooth sensitivity.

A video about sensitive teeth: Understanding Teeth Sensitivity: Video – Sensitive Teeth Causes, Tooth Sensitivity Treatment | Colgate

From Colgate.com:
Why are my teeth so sensitive?

• Your gums may have receded, or some tooth enamel may have worn away. When this happens, the root surfaces of your teeth become exposed.
• Exposed roots are porous, like a sponge. They contain thousands of tiny channels that lead straight to the nerves of your teeth.
• When hot or cold foods and liquids come in contact with the root surfaces, they may stimulate the nerves, causing you to feel pain.

What can I do?

• Use Colgate® Sensitive toothpaste for clinically proven sensitivity relief.
• Brush the sensitive areas gently twice each day with a soft-bristled toothbrush. Colgate’s 360® Sensitive brush is specifically designed for this purpose.

So you think you eat right

What you believe is a healthy diet, full of fruits and fruit juices, may be the main cause for tooth sensitivity-dental erosion. Dental erosion can occur if you have a high intake of foods or drinks such as:

• Citrus fruits
• Green apples
• Pickles
• Wine
• Fruit juice
• Sports drinks
• Carbonated beverages (including sweetened and diet soda and carbonated water)

Sensitivity can also be caused by low salivary flow and insufficient water intake.

Even if you have healthy eating habits and brush frequently, you can still be at risk of dental erosion. When your teeth have prolonged exposure to an acidic environment, the enamel can simply dissolve or eat away. YIKES!!!

I found it very interesting that this can occur when you sip acidic drinks throughout the day. The same drinks, when consumed with a meal, do not seem to harm the teeth. Over they years, prolonged exposure to acids means tooth wear occurs faster than normal. Erosion can result in the soft inner part of the tooth being exposed, which can cause the sensitivity.

Do you brush after every meal?

Despite what your parents told you, brushing your teeth right after a meal might not be the good habit you think it is. According to research, acidic food and drinks you consume during the meal softens the enamel of your teeth. Brushing your teeth immediately after consuming acidic foods and drinks increases the chance of enamel erosion. Who knew?

Therefore, to help prevent dental erosion, it is recommended you avoid brushing for at least 60 minutes after eating or drinking acidic foods or drinks.

Colgate has three toothpastes for sensitive teeth:

Sensitive Multi Protection fights tartar, removes plaque, promotes healthy gums and whitens teeth for a healthier smile with regular brushing.
Sensitive Enamel Protect™ helps protect tooth enamel from acid attacks.
Sensitive Whitening helps restore the natural whiteness of your teeth.

When your mouth is healthy, you can easily eat the foods you need for good nutrition. Smiling, talking and laughing with others also are easier when your mouth is healthy.

Here you’ll find answers to questions on sensitive teeth, enamel erosion and the Colgate® Sensitive toothpaste lineup.

Sensitivity Questions
Enamel Erosion Questions
Colgate Product Questions

I am going to be using Colgate Sensitive Multi Protection to do my own research over the next two months. I promise to share with you my experience. Next time I will write about What Causes Tooth Sensitivity and what you can do about it.

Colgate has an entire section devoted to Adult Tooth Care and Senior Tooth Care as well as sections for Infants and Children and Teenagers.

Colgate also has great programs called Building Smiles and  Colgate Smile where you can share your smile and spread some smiles with fun activities that you can post to FaceBook and Twitter and your blog with your beautiful smile.

#BuildingSmiles

More Information

National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR)

American Dental Association (ADA)

For more information about health and aging call or write:
National Institute on Aging

This post has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias. All opinions are my own and are not provided by Colgate