Have you ever experienced pain while eating a sugary treat? You’re not alone. In a French study, nearly half of respondents indicated that they had suffered from sensitive teeth in the past year, with sugar being one of the leading causes.
No one wants to feel the discomfort of sensitive teeth. It can generally feel like a tingling or aching sensation.
In extreme cases, you might feel a sharp, intense pain, or even pain in your eyes, sinuses, and on the sides of your face.
This might indicate an underlying oral health issue, so it’s important to get checked out by a dentist.
Today, we’ll discuss:
- Why your teeth might be sensitive to sugar
- What underlying conditions can worsen sugar sensitivity
- Some tips for dealing with sensitive teeth
Let’s dive in!
What Causes Teeth Sensitivity to Sugar?
There are a lot of things that can cause your teeth to be sensitive. Tobacco use, infrequent visits to the dentist, and sugary foods are all potential causes.
However, at its most basic, anything that wears down the enamel of your teeth can cause heightened tooth sensitivity, and sugar plays an important role in this process. Let’s discuss:
Firstly, the bacteria in your mouth love to feed on sugar. When combined, the two create harmful acids that can erode the enamel of your teeth. Your enamel is the outer layer of your teeth. Think of it like a protective casing that helps keep your teeth safe.
When the enamel gets worn down by these acids, the inner part of your teeth, the dentin, becomes exposed.
The dentin is one of the most sensitive parts of your teeth, as it’s where all your nerve endings lie.
They’re particularly responsive to hot or cold temperatures, as well as sugary or acidic foods.
When you eat sugary foods, you directly stimulate nerve endings, causing unpleasant feelings of pain or aching!
Furthermore, the more sugar you eat, the more damage you’ll do. Your saliva is full of minerals that help restore your enamel. So, when you’re constantly snacking on sugary treats, your saliva has fewer chances to help restore your enamel.
Underlying Conditions that Worsen Sugar Sensitivity
Unfortunately, it’s all too common for health conditions to worsen your teeth’s sugar sensitivity. Your teeth being sensitive to sugar can indicate that something not great is going on in your mouth.
In addition to frequent sugar consumption, poor oral hygiene habits can cause further harm to your teeth and gums. All of this may result in teeth that are excessively sensitive to heat, cold, and other stimuli.
Tooth Decay and Cavities
As we discussed earlier, worn-down enamel is the reason why your teeth are sensitive to sugar. Tooth decay is one of the main culprits when it comes to this condition.
Tooth decay, otherwise known as cavities, are small holes that can form in your teeth. These holes make your teeth more vulnerable, therefore causing pain from consuming sugary or acidic food and drink.
These holes are caused by plaque, which sits on the front and back of your teeth and slowly wears down your enamel. Plaque is, in fact, a direct result of bacteria feeding on sugar in your mouth. So your teeth being sensitive to sugar is kind of a full circle moment when you think about it.
Gum Recession
Gum recession is another condition that can worsen your teeth’s sensitivity. This is because your gums cover the roots of your teeth, where nerves sit. When your gums pull away from your roots, these nerves are exposed, causing sensitivity to things like hot or cold temperatures, and sugary and acidic foods.
Your gums can recede for a variety of reasons. Age is a big factor, but your overall oral health also plays a role. For example, smoking is a big risk factor when it comes to gum recession.
Loss of Enamel or Dentin
Fermentable carbohydrates are present in sugary foods and drinks. When stomach acid-producing bacteria react with fermentable carbohydrates, acid is produced.
This acid can cause dental erosion by removing minerals from tooth enamel, which cannot be reversed by brushing or rinsing.
Enamel loss leads to increased tooth sensitivity and vulnerability. Saliva plays a role in replenishing minerals in dental enamel. However, frequent consumption of sweet snacks like chocolates, and candies can reduce saliva's ability to replenish these minerals.
Teeth Grinding
Another factor that can worsen tooth sensitivity is when you grind them together. Grinding your teeth too hard or for long periods can wear down your enamel, kind of similar to tooth decay.
This means that the insides of your teeth are now more exposed, leaving you vulnerable to sensitivity from sugar.
Acidic Diet
Your diet plays a big role in your overall oral health, especially when it comes to having sensitive teeth.
Having a diet full of high-acidic foods can wear away at your enamel even without the help of sugar.
This can mean that just cutting sugar out of your diet might not be enough to stop your teeth from becoming overly sensitive.
How to Manage Teeth Sensitive to Sugar?
Luckily, there are plenty of ways you can help manage sensitive teeth. When it comes to sugar sensitivity, here are a few tips you can try to help reduce discomfort and improve your oral health:
Use a Desensitizing Toothpaste
One simple solution is to switch out your regular toothpaste for one that directly benefits sensitive teeth.
There are plenty of options out there, and we recommend shopping around for one that would work best for you.
Desensitizing toothpaste works by coating the dentin tubules (the inner part of your tooth) to cut off nerve pain. This helps prevent your nerve endings from being stimulated by things like sugary or acidic foods.
You might like to try Boka’s n-Ha toothpaste, which is suitable for sensitive teeth. Our toothpaste has many benefits, such as being non-toxic, fluoride-free, vegan, and cruelty-free. n-Ha can even lessen tooth sensitivity by remineralizing your teeth.
Using a desensitizing toothpaste is an easy way to help improve your teeth’s sensitivity to sugar, however, it’s important to note that it’s a gradual process. You’ll need to use it consistently, as well as follow it up with other healthy mouth habits.
Try a Soft-bristled Toothbrush
Switching out your toothbrush is another easy way you can improve your teeth’s sensitivity.
A soft-bristled toothbrush is more friendly for your teeth and won’t strip away your enamel. Remember to use gentle strokes when cleaning your teeth, making sure you still get your toothpaste on every corner of your teeth.
Check out our range of toothbrushes, which are all suitable for sensitive teeth. Boka toothbrushes use charcoal-activated bristles, which are soft and gentle on the teeth. There are manual and electric options to suit your preferences.
Remember to floss your teeth as much as possible. This helps prevent the buildup of plaque, keeping your teeth healthy and clean.
Ask Your Dentist about Fluoride Treatment
Your dentist might suggest you get a fluoride treatment to help deal with sensitive teeth.
This is essentially a fluoride varnish, which gets applied to the enamel of your teeth. The benefit of this is that it strengthens the outer layer of your teeth and helps to block any pain from hitting your nerves.
Make Some Changes to Your Diet
Finally, remember that what you eat directly impacts your teeth’s sensitivity. One study conducted on teenagers showed that consuming less sugar correlates with less cavities, and thus, less sensitivity.
While it might be hard to cut sugar completely from your diet, you can still do a few things. Be mindful of what you eat, and actively choose to consume foods that are low in sugar.
You should also look at the acidic content of the foods you consume. Acids can cause sensitivity much like sugar, and plenty of food and drinks contain both. For example, orange juice can have a high sugar and acid content.
If you do indulge, rinse or clean your teeth shortly afterward. You can also drink sugary drinks with a straw to minimize the contact it makes with your teeth.
Another way you can minimize sugar consumption is to stick to mealtimes. If you get the urge to snack, stop yourself from grabbing candy or other sticky treats. Instead, try sugar-free gum, crisps, nuts, or any low-sugar alternatives you have.
When to Talk to Your Dentist
Many people don’t go to the dentist unless they have tooth pain they can’t ignore. While this is perfectly valid, you should still go at least once a year for a checkup and more regularly if you experience things like:
- Persistent or severe sensitivity despite taking preventative measures.
- Pain that won’t go away, and even interferes with your daily activities.
- Puffy, swollen, or bleeding gums.
Some studies have shown that people who go to the dentist less frequently suffer more from sensitive teeth. So even if you’re not a fan of that dental chair, it’s better to bite the bullet in case you have any underlying issues.
These issues will only get worse the longer you leave them, and there are plenty of simple treatments like tooth fillings or bondings, which can help improve your sensitive teeth.
Dr. Anjum Chaudhary, BDS, MDS, stated that “the best way to defend against sugary snacks, gum recession, sensitivity, and dental decay is to floss at night and brush twice a day with high-quality toothpaste, such as n-Ha-powered toothpaste. These simple habits reduce the bacteria that grows on your teeth. To permanently relieve tooth sensitivity and other dental problems, schedule a checkup and cleaning with your dental specialist or hygienist.”
Conclusion
No one likes the feeling of sensitive teeth, especially when it’s caused by sugary treats. It's important to be mindful of the impact sugar can have on sensitive teeth.
Consuming sugary food and drinks can lead to conditions like tooth decay, which will only exacerbate discomfort.
Remember to prioritize your oral health. Take proactive steps towards healthier teeth, such as changing your diet or oral care routine.
Consider checking out our range of n-Ha-powered toothpaste to help improve your sensitive teeth, and don't forget to reach out to your dentist when you need professional advice.