Why Do My Teeth Hurt after Dental Sealants?

Occasionally you may experience transient tooth sensitivity by brushing with a hard bristle toothbrush or aggressive brushing. However, lingering sensitivity to temperature indicates signs of an underlying problem. Tooth sensitivity, while not a severe condition, can cause discomfort if you are affected. Therefore it helps if you visit the dentist near you if you experience tooth sensitivity or other dental problems.

Causes of Tooth Sensitivity

Tooth sensitivity can arise from different reasons, some of which include:

• Tooth Decay: When your tooth enamel sustains damage from bacteria and acid attacks in your mouth, it causes enamel erosion resulting in exposure to the dentin. Your teeth become sensitive to temperatures and other stimuli. Tooth sensitivity can also occur if nerve exposure inside your tooth reacts to hot and cold foods.
• Periodontal Disease: Periodontal disease also results in tooth sensitivity because the tissue surrounding your teeth and gums becomes swollen and inflamed, resulting in bleeding when brushing and flossing. The inflammation causes gum sensitivity when they recede from the teeth. Periodontal disease affects people of all ages, but older people and smokers are more vulnerable to the infection.
• Cavities: a buildup of bacteria on your teeth eventually causes enamel erosion and cavities. In addition, your mouth bacteria constantly break down sugary foods to deposit acids on your teeth to create holes in them, resulting in pain and discomfort when having foods and drinks or even exposing your teeth to cold air.
• Bruxism: bruxism causes you to grind your teeth and clench them, resulting in enamel erosion. The worn enamel exposes the dentin making your teeth more sensitive to temperatures. In addition, teeth grinding cuts into the soft tissues of your mouth.

Treating Tooth Sensitivity

The dentist in Okemos will select a treatment depending on the severity of the sensitivity you experience. Occasionally they also recommend dental sealants near you for sensitive teeth.

Dental sealants are slimy layers of plastic coating dentists apply to the chewing surfaces of your molars. Sealants help prevent tooth decay by preventing food particles from remaining in your back teeth’ deep grooves and fissures.

Dental sealants are often recommended for children but are also suitable for adults.

Placing Dental Sealants

The placement of dental sealants is quick and painless. The Okemos dentist conditions the teeth by applying an etching solution and drying the teeth with absorbent material, and applying the sealant to the teeth before hardening them with ultraviolet light making them durable and resistant to acid attacks from foods and drinks.

Why Do Your Teeth Hurt after Dental Sealants:

Dental sealants are preventive measures to inhibit cavities from developing on your teeth. However, the application process is technically sensitive and does not always proceed without hitches. Before application of the dental sealant, the dentist must ensure your teeth are clean and dry. If your teeth are contaminated by saliva, the sealants can and will fail.

Improper application of dental sealants also results in failure of the application. The incorrect application enables saliva contamination beneath the teeth causing bacteria to release acids. The acidic solution will erode the enamel leading to sensitivity and pain besides tooth decay. In addition, dental sealants do not last for life and require replacements after every five to seven years. If you visit the Okemos dentist every six months for checkups and cleanings, the dentist can monitor the sealants and reapply them if required because they are vulnerable to chipping and cracking.

Your teeth will likely not hurt after dental sealants are applied to the molars unless the application occurs on a contaminated tooth. Therefore when receiving dental sealants, you must sit still on the dentist’s chair to ensure you don’t contaminate your tooth with saliva after the dentist cleans and dries it for sealant application.

Caring for Dental Sealants

After receiving dental sealants on your teeth, it helps if you care for them appropriately by maintaining excellent dental hygiene. To achieve your goal, you must brush your teeth twice daily using fluoride toothpaste, floss once at any time, avoid a dry mouth by drinking plenty of water, eating foods rich in calcium by avoiding the sugary and carbohydrate-rich variety. In addition, you must schedule six monthly appointments with your dentist for checkups and cleanings to ensure your teeth are in optimal shape and not affected by dental issues.

If you think your teeth are sensitive, consider receiving treatment from Okemos Smile Center, which may recommend dental sealants to safeguard your teeth. Do not fear the dental sealant procedure because it is painless and quick. However, remember to sit still in the dentist’s chair during the application for the best results to protect your teeth.