Sensitive teeth - causes, treatment, and prevention

Sometimes a small piece of chocolate or a fleeting touch of hot or cold is enough to feel that sharp pain that shoots like lightning into your jaw. Unfortunately, most of us find this reflected in this description. It is estimated that around half of the population suffers from sensitive teeth, if not more.

Pain-sensitive teeth (dentin hypersensitivity) result most of time from exposed tooth necks, which are primarily caused by damaged tooth enamel. This means that external stimuli are transmitted unhindered to the nerve and cause the lightning-like toothache. In addition to defective tooth enamel, gum inflammation and receding gums are also the cause of exposed tooth necks and a lack of protection for our teeth.

In this article, we have compiled the most common causes of sensitive teeth. We give you tips on how you can prevent it and, in particular, effectively protect your tooth enamel.

Pain-sensitive teeth due to damaged tooth enamel

The most common cause of pain-sensitive teeth is damaged tooth enamel. It forms the outermost layer of our teeth and protects them from everyday challenges. Unfortunately, there are a lot of factors that affect our tooth enamel every day, attacking it and gradually destroying it. It starts with an unbalanced diet, continues through improper dental hygiene, and even grinds your teeth at night.

Unfortunately, tooth enamel cannot regenerate itself. This means that once the protective layer is broken, our teeth are exposed to all evil, and symptoms such as sensitivity to pain or tooth decay take their course. If the tooth enamel disappears, the sensitive dentin channels inside the tooth are exposed. All stimuli that affect the tooth from outside, for example, a sip of hot tea, are directly transmitted to the brain via the nerve pathways. What we feel from it is lightning-like pain.

Sensitive teeth: incorrect tooth brushing technique damages tooth enamel

Tooth enamel serves as a protective shield not only against external influences such as acids and bacteria, but also against pressure. If too much pressure is continuously applied to the teeth through incorrect brushing technique, the tooth enamel wears away quickly and makes the teeth vulnerable.

This abrasion is like a gradual process in which the enamel becomes thinner and loses its protective function against external influences. Therefore, people who brush their teeth too aggressively are more prone to sensitivity and other dental diseases.

An incorrect brushing technique, in which the brush is moved over the teeth in horizontal or circular movements, is also tooth enamel damaging . Instead, the recommended brushing technique is to use gentle, vertical movements to remove plaque without stressing the enamel.

It is extremely important to be present when brushing your teeth. Apply only gentle pressure to the toothbrush. We also advise As part of a prophylaxis with your dentist, ensure that the brushing technique used is correct, and additional recommendations for individual dental care should be obtained. The correct brushing technique alone makes a significant contribution to protecting tooth enamel and maintaining dental health.

Tip: Various electric toothbrushes have a sensor that reacts and warns if the pressure is too high.

Tooth Enamel Terror: toothbrush with hard bristles wears away tooth enamel 

If you think your teeth will get really clean if you scrub them properly, you're wrong. Neither the pressure on the teeth nor the thickness of the bristles are crucial for efficient cleaning. On the contrary, bristles that are too hard damage tooth enamel. Each time you brush your teeth, these slowly but surely rub away the tooth enamel, making it thinner and more vulnerable over time. To prevent this, we strongly recommend using toothbrushes with soft bristles. These are completely sufficient to remove plaque and clean your teeth effectively. At the same time, they protect tooth enamel and sensitive gums.

As we can see, choosing the right toothbrush is also crucial to protecting tooth enamel and preventing pain-sensitive teeth. Be sure to take care of your tooth enamel by cleaning your teeth gently and with gentle bristles. After all, we don't comb our hair with a wire brush!

Aggressive toothpastes damage tooth enamel

Aggressive toothpastes often contain abrasive ingredients that cause the tooth enamel to gradually wear away due to excessive abrasion. These abrasive substances literally sand down the enamel like sandpaper, resulting in exposed tooth leads and pain sensitivity.

Manufacturers of conventional toothpastes often promise a lot at the expense of tooth enamel because they work with harmful ingredients: toothpaste with fancy stripes and great foam, fresh breath and bright teeth, high cleaning performance... The list goes on and on. But what really matters?

We need effective teeth cleaning that takes our tooth enamel and gums into account. Low abrasion, no aggressive ingredients, instead innovative effects of newly developed recipes that work naturally and are aimed at sustainably building and strengthening our entire periodontium. Aggressive ingredients such as silicates or surfactants have absolutely no place in toothpastes.

At MINT, we know how difficult it is to find a toothpaste that has all the necessary and useful properties that our dental health requires. Scientific research and studies from the USA have ultimately made a significant contribution to the fact that MINT can offer an absolutely innovative and exclusive tooth cleaning that effectively cleans and protects the tooth enamel and even regenerates it. We are particularly proud of that.

MINT Classic Line

Tooth enamel loss at a rapid pace – it’s in your hands!

Now just assume you brush your teeth with a relatively hard toothbrush and also realize that you usually brush in a hurry, quickly, quickly. Too much pressure, the wrong technique, and, on top of that, an aggressive toothpaste that doesn't deliver what it promises anyway. What would be the result here? Tooth enamel degradation times three: hard bristles, too much pressure, aggressive toothpaste!

And now let's assume that acidic foods are added, and the stress that is relieved at night results in teeth grinding. Exactly what we want to say is that tooth enamel wear increases with any harmful handling or delivery. You'll probably be amazed at how much you can do yourself to save and protect your tooth enamel. Take it into your hands now!

Exposed tooth necks due to receding gums

Gingivitis, such as periodontitis and periodontal disease, are serious diseases of the gums and periodontium that usually lead to pain-sensitive teeth. These diseases are not just about the inflammation itself. It is also about the loss of periodontium and bone around the teeth. This causes the teeth to become loose and sensitive to pressure and temperature.

Acidic foods

Regular consumption of acidic foods and drinks significantly contributes to the loss of tooth enamel. Here, it is important to pay particular attention to diet and limit the consumption of foods that damage teeth.

You can find out which foods are particularly acidic and which are particularly good for your teeth in the next part of the article, “Sensitive Teeth: Nutrition and Luxury Foods.”

Painful teeth due to tooth decay

Caries bacteria are also often the cause of painful teeth. When they attack the tooth enamel and penetrate the inside of the tooth, they irritate the sensitive tooth nerve. This is how external stimuli find their way directly into our brain and give us lightning-like pain. Timely treatment of tooth decay through fillings or root canals is crucial. In this way, pain sensitivity can be avoided and dental health can be maintained.

Sensitive teeth – prevent and treat

There are some key points to make sensitive teeth prevent. These largely correspond to the measures you should take if you are currently suffering from pain sensitivity. As we have shown from the root cause research, healthy tooth enamel and healthy gums guarantee that you will not suffer from pain sensitivity.

This means that the basis of all dental health is comprehensive and thorough dental and oral hygiene. Proper tooth brushing technique is crucial. Soft toothbrushes and dental care products that support dental and gum health are crucial for an effective care routine.

Toothpaste for sensitive teeth

We do our part with MINT basic care. The MINT Classic line is the basis of your dental health. In addition to effective caries protection, it also offers regenerative protection for damaged tooth enamel. The MINT toothpaste Duo consists of two components: the toothpaste with fluoride for the morning and the toothpaste without fluoride for the evening. In the morning, the fluoride makes the teeth strong for everyday challenges and offers optimal caries and tooth decay protection and enamel protection .

The toothpaste without fluoride for the evening regenerates the tooth enamel with the active ingredient hydroxyapatite. This is an artificial enamel that compensates for and repairs defects in the tooth. And the mouthwash from the Classic line, rich in vitamin B12, offers teeth and gums a proper extra dose of care. It cleanses thoroughly, protects, and has a healing and soothing effect.

What the floss doesn't do here, this will do mouthwash. It reliably cleans the spaces between the teeth and also leaves a delicious fruity-melon taste in the mouth.

And that's not all! The one that included hydrogen peroxide worked with an innovative recipe. It whitens teeth effectively without damaging tooth enamel in the slightest. Result? Healthy teeth are sparkling white.

Click here for our basic dental care series, the MINT Classic line, with which you can give your teeth everything they need every day to shine.

Click here for the products in the MINT Classic Line

Sensitive teeth - nutrition and stimulants

In addition to good dental care, nutrition plays a crucial role in our dental health. Everything you put in goes through your mouth and leaves traces. It is worthwhile to pay special attention to nutrition not only for dental health but for our general health and well-being . You should have your own meal plan designed so that your teeth and gums also benefit from it and receive important nutrients.

Acidic foods such as soft drinks, sweets with industrial sugar, and white flour products made from wheat should definitely only find their way onto the plate or glass in reduced versions. Just like fried and heavily fried foods, these foods are extremely aggressive and attack tooth enamel.

Other particularly acidic foods (unhealthy acids):

Instead, stick to foods that benefit your teeth , strengthen them, and keep them healthy. These are primarily calcium-rich foods. They strengthen tooth enamel, neutralize harmful acids in the mouth, and support the remineralization of tooth enamel.

Calcium also helps keep gums healthy and helps prevent gum disease. These positive effects on dental health make calcium-containing foods such as dairy products, green leafy vegetables, and almonds important parts of a balanced diet that not only ensure strong teeth, but also strong bones throughout the body.

And, you guessed it, smoking and drinking alcoholic beverages are harmful to your dental health. Have you perhaps been struggling with yourself for a long time? Now would be the opportunity to get rid of harmful habits and also give your teeth a great benefit.

We'll now put the index finger back down and move on to those of you who grind your teeth at night. A special bite splint that is worn at night is particularly suitable here. It protects the teeth and prevents tooth grinding from continually putting strain on the tooth enamel. 

Regular dental examinations and professional teeth cleaning as recommended are very important for prevention and, of course, also in acute cases. As part of a preventive measure, you can have your dentist seal your teeth with fluoride. This means the tooth enamel remains protected and strong against external influences.

Through careful care and preventative measures, you can effectively prevent sensitive teeth by preventing receding gums and tooth enamel degradation. If you already have sensitivities, we can tell you: It is definitely never too late! Dental diseases and hygiene deficiencies can be remedied. Dentistry and dental care offer solutions for every symptom. Don't wait; tackle the problem; the result is a radiant smile and insensitive, healthy-looking teeth.

How to stop sensitive teeth pain immediately

If you suddenly find yourself with tooth sensitivity and want to take first aid, there are some steps you can take. First, the trigger for the sensitivity should be identified, and contact with it should be stopped immediately.

Temporarily avoid acidic foods and drinks, as these can make sensitivity worse. In acute cases, it is best to rinse your mouth with cold water to calm any possible irritation.

A special toothpaste for sensitive teeth and dental care products with a soothing effect can help immediately. Here, we would like to recommend the highly effective MINT gum gel with vitamin E. It can be easily applied to the affected area in the mouth and immediately develops its healing effect, strengthening the gums in the long term with regular use.

If sensitivity persists or worsens, it is advisable to see a dentist. In this case, it is very likely that there is an underlying problem that requires professional attention.

Teeth sensitive to cold

Yes, there are people whose teeth are only sensitive to cold. This phenomenon is often referred to as “cold sensitivity” or “cold hypersensitivity.” These people experience pain or discomfort in their teeth, especially when they eat cold foods or drinks.

Here too, the causes are exposed tooth necks due to tooth enamel degradation and gum disease. The only special thing about this group of people is that they only react to cold.

It is important to note that sensitivity to the cold is a symptom that can indicate various underlying problems. Even if you are only sensitive to colds, you should see a dentist to determine the exact cause and discuss appropriate treatment options.

Conclusion on the topic: Sensitive teeth

Sensitive teeth are for everyone. Affected people are very uncomfortable, but there are various causes and solutions to this dilemma. Proper dental care, including a gentle brushing technique, the use of special toothpastes for sensitive teeth, and regular dental visits, usually helps reduce sensitivity to colds and pain.

It is important to pay attention to warning signs such as receding gums or tooth enamel loss and to seek professional help early. Sensitive teeth don't have to spoil your smile if you're proactive and take care of your oral health.

Act proactively now and integrate the MINT Classic into your basic dental care routine - here!