Table of contents:
- Drink coffee and sensitive teeth
- Should you fast for coffee so that your teeth no longer ache?
- 1. Gargle with plain water
- 2. Brush your teeth with the right toothpaste
- 3. Routine control to the dentist
One of the causes of toothache is the habit of consuming foods or drinks that are too hot, cold, or sour. Well, one of them is coffee drinks. If you are a heavy coffee connoisseur, find out an explanation of the relationship between coffee and sensitive teeth, as well as how to safely enjoy coffee without worrying about tooth pain.
Drink coffee and sensitive teeth
Imagine when you are drinking your favorite coffee and you feel pain. Your focus at work can be distracted and work cannot be completed optimally. Come on, first understand the relationship between drinking coffee and sensitive teeth below.
Coffee is acidic, triggering an acidic condition in the mouth. This has an impact on the erosion of tooth enamel or enamel. Enamel is the strongest coating on our teeth. Enamel consists mostly of hydroxyapatite, a mineral that provides protection to the tooth layer.
Apart from enamel, there are dentin and cementum which also play a role in protecting teeth and tooth roots. Cementum serves to protect the roots of the teeth at the bottom line of the gums. While dentin consists of small channels connected to the roots of teeth called tubules.
When the enamel starts to thin out due to acid, the dentin is no longer protected optimally. This is because coffee can create an acidic atmosphere and is erosive to tooth enamel. If the acid continuously touches the teeth, of course, the teeth are completely unprotected and trigger sensitive teeth.
When we consume hot, cold, or acidic food or drinks, this can stimulate nerve sensitivity in the teeth. The thinning layer of enamel cannot protect the dentin of the tooth so that food or drink can insert into the tubule and "touch" the tooth nerve, causing a sense of pain. This condition is known as tooth hypersensitivity or sensitive teeth. 2
Should you fast for coffee so that your teeth no longer ache?
Drinking coffee can indeed trigger sensitive teeth. Not only teeth ache, if left untreated, the effect of sensitive teeth can damage tooth tissue and cause cavities. The good news is, this can be prevented as early as possible by taking proper care of sensitive teeth. Here are tips for dealing with sensitive teeth for coffee lovers.
1. Gargle with plain water
You don't have to go on a coffee fast to avoid tooth aches from appearing suddenly. Gargling with plain water can help neutralize acids in the mouth. So, don't forget to rinse your mouth after you enjoy coffee, huh. The acidity of the coffee will wash off the water so that the possibility of eroding the enamel can be reduced. By getting used to this, you no longer need to worry about sensitive teeth after drinking coffee. 3
2. Brush your teeth with the right toothpaste
So that sensitive teeth do not arise after drinking coffee, don't forget to brush your teeth twice a day. Use a soft bristle brush so that the tooth enamel does not thin out. No need to press too hard when brushing, just brush as usual.
On the front or outer side of the tooth, brush in a direction of motion starting from the gum area to the end of the tooth. For example, on the lower teeth brush from the bottom up. Meanwhile, in the upper teeth, the brushing motion is from top to bottom. Don't forget, clean the surface or the top of the teeth that is often used for chewing food. Also brush the inside of the teeth.
If you have experienced sensitive tooth pain before, don't forget to choose the right toothpaste. You can use toothpaste with ingredients fluoride and potassium nitrate, so that the teeth can be protected.
Based on Journal Of Clinical And Experimental Dentistry, content 5% potassium nitrate and fluoride in toothpaste can provide a fast pain relief effect so that sensitive teeth can be resolved immediately. Besides that, fluoride also provides protection to teeth and helps strengthen enamel.
The acidity of coffee can cause an unpleasant odor in the mouth. So, to keep your mouth fresh, also use toothpaste with mint content. The combination of these three ingredients can protect the overall health of your mouth and teeth.
3. Routine control to the dentist
Finally, don't forget to routinely visit the dentist every six months. The doctor will monitor the health of your teeth, as a coffee lover. If there are still complaints of sensitive teeth, do not hesitate to consult immediately. The dentist will provide recommendations for appropriate treatment related to the complaint you are experiencing. 3
In addition, regular visits to the dentist are also a way to prevent cavities and an effort to maintain healthy teeth and mouth.
Now you know why coffee can trigger sensitive teeth. Fortunately, there are three simple steps you can take so that you can still drink coffee without worrying about sensitive teeth. Always apply the dental care above, so that dental health can be maintained.
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