Having sensitive teeth is never fun. Sensitive teeth can result from such dental health problems as gum disease, tooth decay, fractured teeth, and gum recession, which can expose sensitive nerves. Many of these problems can be avoided by getting regular checkups with your dentist, who can ensure that your teeth and gums are healthy to prevent sensitivity.
When you already suffer from sensitive teeth, however, there are certain foods that it can be helpful to avoid. Here are the top foods to avoid if you have sensitive teeth!
Hot Foods
Extreme temperatures aren’t good for our bodies or our mouths. Hot foods can cause pain in people who suffer from sensitive teeth. These include foods that have high temperatures such as hot soup, tea, coffee, or very hot meals. It’s easy to avoid these foods—simply wait until it cools down a little! There’s no need to drink piping-hot drinks or eat very hot foods. They can even burn your mouth, tongue, or esophagus!
Cold Foods
Many people find that cold foods are one of the biggest aggravators of sensitive teeth. These include foods such as frozen treats like ice cream, popsicles, and frozen yogurt. If you have very sensitive teeth, even drinks with ice in them could cause your teeth to hurt. Request for your drinks to be served without ice, and opt for less extreme versions of these treats such as cold yogurt rather than frozen!
Acidic Foods
Acidic foods can actually erode enamel as well as cause further pain to those with sensitive teeth. Often sensitive teeth are the result of enamel that’s been worn away. Acidic foods include citrus fruits, tomatoes, and beverages like coffee, alcohol, and soda. Dairy and meat products also tend to be acidic, but typically only people with highly sensitive teeth may have a problem with these foods.
Sugary Foods
Sugary foods are also very acidic and can not only contribute to enamel erosion, but can be very painful to people with sensitive teeth. These include drinks such as soda and sports drinks, foods like candy,baked goods, and sugary cereals or other processed foods. Cutting down on your consumption of sugary foods will not only help with tooth sensitivity, but will help contribute to a healthier smile!
Spicy Foods
Not everyone with sensitive teeth will be sensitive to spicy foods—in fact, some aspects of spicy foods, such as the high vitamin C and water content in peppers, can help teeth. However, sometimes spicy foods can cause acid reflux, which can cause damaging and extremely acidic stomach acids to get into your mouth through your esophagus. If you suffer from sensitive teeth and acid reflux, avoid spicy foods!
Sensitive teeth have a cause, and you can treat your sensitive teeth and relieve the pain by scheduling an appointment with your dentist. You can also prevent tooth sensitivity and stop it from getting worse by ensuring your teeth are healthy, not brushing too hard, and limiting sugary foods. Avoid these top foods if you have sensitive teeth!
