Painful Teeth Cleaning? 3 Things You Should Know

There are many excuses people use for not visiting the dentist on a regular basis, but there is one excuse that is somewhat valid. When people experience severe pain from teeth cleanings, they may avoid going. This is a common problem, and it occurs with people that have sensitive teeth. If this is the reason you are avoiding the dentist, you should know that there are ways to make teeth cleaning services less painful. Here are three things you should know about this.

The Reason Teeth Cleaning Is Painful For Some People

One of the main reasons some people experience pain while getting their teeth cleaned is from a problem with the enamel on their teeth. When enamel is strong and healthy on teeth, teeth are better protected. Teeth enamel can wear off, though, and this can be a result of teeth grinding, brushing too hard, eating the wrong foods, and numerous other things. When this happens, the nerves found on the inner parts of the teeth are exposed, and this is what makes teeth overly sensitive.

If you have overly sensitive teeth, getting your teeth cleaned can hurt extremely bad, and it can also leave you feeling horrible afterwards. Unfortunately, if you do not get your teeth cleaned regularly, your teeth may become more sensitive, and you may end up with other types of oral problems, such as cavities or gum disease.

Things You Can Do To Prepare For Teeth Cleaning

The good news is there are ways to reduce the pain you experience when you get your teeth cleaned, and your dentist can offer some suggestions like these:

They can use a topical numbing agent – If you have ever had a cavity filled, the dentist most likely applied topical numbing agent to your gums before giving you shots to numb your mouth. This numbing agent can be applied to your gums during your cleaning. This can help tremendously, because it will make your mouth numb enough to where you will not feel the scraping that is done during cleanings.

Take pain medication before you go – Another way to decrease the pain you feel is by taking ibuprofen or another type of pain medication before your appointment. This can reduce the sensations of pain that are normally experienced during cleanings.

Your dentist may offer other options too, and he or she is also likely to give you advice that will help you solve the root problem.

Other Steps You Can Take To Help Reduce The Sensitivity You Experience

The root problem of this is that your nerves are exposed because the enamel is worn off. Luckily, there are ways you can protect your teeth and stop the nerve exposure from causing sensitivity. One good way is by switching to a toothpaste that is designed for sensitive teeth. This type of toothpaste is great for closing the tubules that lead to the nerves in your teeth and mouth. If you use this daily, you should start seeing a decrease in sensitivity in just a couple of weeks.

Another option you have is to start using a soft-bristled toothbrush and start brushing your teeth more lightly. If you brush your teeth too hard or if you use a hard-bristled brush, you may be causing damage to your teeth.

If these changes do not help, you may want to talk to your dentist about composite bonding for sensitive teeth. This is a procedure your dentist can complete to help reduce the sensitivity by applying a composite material to your teeth.

If you would like to learn more about teeth cleaning services for people with sensitive teeth, contact a dentist today.