How to Protect Sensitive Teeth in Old Age
Tooth sensitivity is an unusual sore or painful sensation caused when teeth are stimulated by cold, heat, sour food or hard food. It can cause older adults considerable suffering and should be prevented early.
1. Avoid chewing very hard foods as much as possible and change the habit of always chewing on one side. Teeth have been used for many years and become less hard with age. Excess wear of the outer enamel allows nerve fibers in the dentin to be stimulated and become painful. Reducing hard-food wear and alternating both sides can help preserve tooth structure.
2. Keep the mouth clean. Brush morning and evening, rinse after meals and remove dental calculus regularly. Older adults produce less saliva and have less natural self-cleaning. Without oral cleanliness, microorganisms multiply, cause periodontal disease and gum recession, expose the roots and produce sensitivity.
3. Choose a suitable toothbrush and use the correct technique. The brush should not be too large, the bristles not too dense or hard. This cleans the teeth without injuring the gums. Brush along the spaces between teeth without excessive force. This helps remove food debris, soft deposits and plaque while protecting enamel. Incorrect technique may injure the gums, cause wedge-shaped defects at the neck of the tooth and produce sensitivity.
4. Once sensitivity appears, the original article suggests garlic, walnuts, chewing brewed tea leaves or using medicinal or desensitizing toothpaste. If results are unsatisfactory, obtain examination and treatment at a dental clinic.