If a cold breeze, hot coffee or a teeth cleaning provoke sharp mouth pain, not only do you have sensitive teeth, you may be ultrasensitive in other areas too. An Academy of General Dentistry study found there's a connection between having sensitive teeth and being sensitive in other areas, including sight, hearing, taste, smell and touch. This translates to a need, say, to wear sunglasses even when it's not very bright out.
Lead author Norman Bitter, D.D.S., suggests using toothpaste for sensitive teeth and drinking more tea (its tannic acid can temporarily reduce discomfort). If you're thinking about whitening your teeth, talk to your dentist: Some over-the-counter and even dentist-supervised procedures may strip away protective enamel. Consult your dentist if sensitivity worsens or is confined to one tooth, but don't sweat pain from a big bite of ice cream: You're just the sensitive type.
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