Your Tooth Sensitivity Diet Guide: Foods to Watch Out For

Sensitive teeth can be one of the most unpleasant dental experiences you'll ever have. Besides the discomforting tingly sensation that you feel when you have sensitive teeth, eating your favourite foods and drinks may become quite frustrating. Several issues can cause your teeth to develop sensitivity. Teeth grinding, brushing your teeth too hard using hard-bristled brushes, excessive use of mouthwash, and dental conditions especially gum diseases are some of the common causes of tooth sensitivity.

While remedies such as use of desensitising toothpaste usually work, your choice of foods is equally significant. Therefore, here are major types of foods you want to avoid or reduce consumption when managing tooth sensitivity.

Extremely Hot or Cold Foods

If hot coffee or tea and cold drinks or ice creams are part of your daily routine, you may want to reconsider that if you have sensitive teeth. Tooth sensitivity usually occurs when the enamel, the part of your teeth that protects them, erodes, exposing the inner sections of the teeth. When this happens, the nerves inside your teeth become more easily triggered by stimuli such as extreme temperatures. Therefore, consider taking foods in moderate temperatures to manage your tooth sensitivity.

Acidic Foods

Acidic foods are the second group of foods to watch out for if you're suffering from tooth sensitivity. Some highly acidic foods include most citrus fruits such as lemons, pineapples and grapefruits, lemonade, alcoholic beverages, and even tomatoes.

Acidic foods and drinks act by wearing down the enamel even further. This means that continued intake of lots of acidic foods and drinks can worsen your tooth sensitivity problem. Therefore, avoid such foods or reduce your intake. If you cannot avoid acidic foods and drinks in your meals, consider brushing with desensitising toothpaste afterwards. For drinks, you can use straws to limit the contact of the drink with your teeth.

Sugary Foods

High levels of sugar content can catalyse your enamel erosion, further stimulating your tooth sensitivity. Therefore, avoid or eat your favourite sugary foods, especially sweets, more sparingly. Like acidic foods, consider brushing your teeth with desensitising toothpaste or rinsing your mouth with enough water afterwards. Doing this will help to minimise the impact of the sugars.

Tooth sensitivity can be extremely discomforting. However, in most cases, the sensitivity should subside once you take careful consideration of what you eat. Nevertheless, you should contact or visit a dentist immediately for severe cases of tooth sensitivity. General dentistry can help you.

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