Dental Health Sensitive Teeth? They Don't Have to Be Painful Can Tooth Decay Be Reversed?

April 2019

Dental Health

Sensitive teeth? They don’t have to be painful Can tooth decay be reversed? When a hot drink or a mouthful of ice cream brings a sharp pain, your teeth are sending you an important message. When the hard enamel coating covering your teeth starts to break down, tooth Teeth can become decay begins. While this can lead to sensitive when their hard the formation of a cavity, that’s not the enamel covering wears inevitable result. down. Receding gums, which leave a tooth’s Everyone’s mouth contains hundreds of roots exposed, can also types of bacteria. Certain types form a be the cause, as can sticky film of plaque from the sugars in bleaching your teeth, a food and drinks we consume. cavity, gum disease, or a Plaque coats our teeth, and the bacteria cracked tooth. produce acids that attack the tooth enamel. Your first impulse may be Our body fights back, using minerals in to avoid the food or drink saliva and fluoride from toothpaste or that makes you wince, water to replace the minerals that are lost. but a better option is to This goes on all day, and if the acids start check with your dentist to to win, white spots form on the tooth’s find the culprit. surface. Treatment may be In this early simpler than you think. stage, tooth A special toothpaste, decay can fluoride gel, or rinse be stopped might be suggested. If tooth enamel is being worn away because you grind or reversed. your teeth, a mouth guard may help. Fluoride and If the pain is caused by gum disease, treatment could involve a gum graft minerals from which covers the exposed roots with tissue taken from another place in your saliva can help mouth. the enamel repair itself. Depending on the cause of the sensitivity, a filling, 3 ways to prevent sensitive teeth When decay persists, however, the enamel weakens and is destroyed. A cavity forms root canal, or extraction To protect your gums and tooth enamel: could also be the best way and this permanent damage needs to be to fix the problem. Don’t brush too hard. Use a soft repaired with a filling. brush and be careful around the In addition to brushing twice a day with a Because sensitive teeth gum line. can be a symptom of fluoride toothpaste, you can reduce your a variety of oral health Avoid soft drinks. They contain chances of getting a cavity by: concerns, that sharp pain acids that harm enamel. • using a mouth rinse with fluoride, isn’t something to endure Get regular checkups. Your • avoiding foods that get stuck in the or ignore. Check with your dentist can check for signs of gum grooves of your teeth, and dentist to find the cause disease or decay, and you can and a solution that will discuss any concerns you have. • drinking tap water that contains bring relief. fluoride.

Copyright 2019 J. J. Keller & Associates, Inc. • (800) 327-6868 • JJKeller.com Gum health may impact brain health What causes gum disease? Taking care of your gums can help prevent infection and tooth loss, and researchers have found another great reason to Gum disease, an infection of tissues that keep your care for them. Gum problems have been linked to Alzheimer’s teeth in place, can occur when plaque isn’t removed disease, which destroys memory and thinking skills. from teeth. A recent study found a key bacteria responsible for gum Plaque can harden into disease in the brains of 96 percent of patients with Alzheimer’s tartar along the gum disease. The study, published in the journal Science Advances, line. The tartar can’t also found that blocking the bacteria in the brains of mice had a be cleaned with simple positive effect. brushing, and allows bacteria to collect and Another study found that people who had both Alzheimer’s irritate the gums. disease and chronic periodontitis (a serious gum infection) declined more quickly The early stages of gum disease, called gingivitis, can than those without gum usually be reversed with a professional cleaning and disease. Signs of gum disease regular brushing and flossing. If it’s not taken care of, • Tender, swollen, or puffy however, it can progress to periodontitis. It is still unclear whether gums the bacterial infection This form of gum disease can lead to the gums pulling is a cause or result of • Gums that bleed easily away from the teeth, the loss of bone, or loose or lost Alzheimer’s disease. More when you brush or floss teeth. When the condition reaches this stage, a dentist can provide information about treatment options. research is being done to • Gums that have pulled see if treatment targeting away from teeth Terms to know the bacteria will help fight • Bad breath • Periodontal disease: Gum disease Alzheimer’s as well as gum disease. • Plaque: A sticky film covering your teeth In the meantime, it’s never a • Gingivitis: A mild form of gum disease bad idea to take steps to keep • Periodontitis: A serious form of gum disease, your gums healthy: which may lead to tooth loss daily h twice 1 brus ay every d By the numbers 2 floss e Don’t forget to floss! don’t smok 3 Floss daily. Up to 35 percent of the tooth’s surface ntist regularly isn’t cleaned if you don’t floss. visit the de 4 Using about 12 inches of floss, wrap it around the middle finger of each Brush up on oral hygiene hand. Use your first finger to guide the floss between teeth and make a Choose a toothbrush that lets you easily reach all areas of “C” shape. your mouth. Place fluoride toothpaste on the brush. Floss both sides of each tooth.

Hold your toothbrush at a 45-degree angle to the gums. Use short, gentle strokes to brush back and forth. (Hold the brush vertically and use up-and-down strokes to clean the inside of the front teeth.) Next month: Fitness Brush for two minutes. Be sure to clean outer, inner, and chewing surfaces.

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