Why are my teeth sensitive to hot or cold drinks, and why do I wake up in the morning with an aching jaw? Sensitive teeth are very common, and they need some special care paid to them to avoid them becoming too painful or compromised. We’re going to give you some guidance on sensitive teeth, why they’re happening, and what you can do outside of a dentist appointment to help them.

Sensitive teeth in the morning

If you’re waking up from a night’s sleep with teeth that are sensitive, achy, and possibly even tension in your jaw, neck, and shoulders, then you could be a teeth grinder. Teeth grinding is a very common habit that many people do in their sleep, especially during periods of stress or unrest. You’re often not aware you’re doing it until you begin to feel some of the adverse effects of it. Because your jaw is on a hinge, the tension from teeth grinding can travel anywhere from your temples down to your neck and shoulders. Your dentist wants to warn you, though, that it also contributes to significant wear and tear on your teeth overtime. It can grate away at your enamel and tooth surfaces, making your teeth unprotected and therefore very sensitive. You can wear a mouth guard to bed to prevent this, and this may help. Speak to your dentist about this.

Sensitive teeth to hot and cold temperatures

Biting into some ice cream, drinking an ice-cold drink, or even a hot coffee could send strange tendrils of discomfort through your teeth that make you wince. This is because your protective enamel has been thinned through inattentive cleaning and at-home hygiene routines. Your enamel helps to protect the lower levels of your teeth, like dentin, that when exposed will become sensitive. When you allow plaque and debris to build up on teeth surfaces without proper cleaning, your enamel is worn down and this causes sensitivity. We’re only usually made aware of this when we have something cold or hot, because this is when we’re made acutely aware of it through pain or discomfort!

Sensitive teeth after teeth whitening

Sadly, some teeth whitening treatments can make your teeth sensitive after treatment. Even some professional treatments you receive from a dentist could make your teeth sensitive because of the concentration of bleach in the solutions used. This is because a lot of teeth whitening products use bleach, which does admittedly whiten teeth but can also strip away your protective enamel. As we’ve discussed twice already, your enamel protects the more sensitive layers of your teeth, so removing it or damaging it can cause quite a bit of sensitivity. This is one of the many reasons we use Enlighten teeth whitening, because it is a professional tooth whitening treatment only available through dentists and it doesn’t cause tooth sensitivity. This is because it doesn’t bleach and attack your enamel, but instead increases your teeth’s permeability to oxygen, which breaks down the staining. This is a much more comfortable teeth whitening method only available through a qualified dentist.

Visit your dentist for sensitive teeth advice

Having sensitive teeth might be annoying or it might be painful, depending on the severity of your condition. For product recommendations and professional treatments, visit your dentist in Harwood, Bolton at Harwood Dental Care today. Book your initial appointment on 01204 304568.