{"id":38029,"date":"2018-01-10T09:51:39","date_gmt":"2018-01-10T14:51:39","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/?p=38029"},"modified":"2018-01-10T09:51:42","modified_gmt":"2018-01-10T14:51:42","slug":"smile-its-a-new-year","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/?p=38029","title":{"rendered":"Smile, it\u2019s a new year"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Dr. Stephanie McGann<\/strong>,\u00a0DMD FAGD, Columnist, The Times<\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>In the last few days the extreme cold temperature of the northeast has frozen pipes, chilled the soul and made people with sensitive teeth frown.<\/p>\n

When even smiling in the cold is too much for the teeth it\u2019s a real concern. So many times we are asked what can be done. This month I am going to go over some tips to help keep those winter smiles.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s important to know why teeth are sensitive.\u00a0 For this discussion we are talking about otherwise healthy teeth that are just\u00a0 very sensitive to cold.\u00a0 Teeth are made of three basic layers.\u00a0 Enamel is the hard shell covering the tooth. Dentin is the middle layer that comprises the bulk of the tooth and the pulp, the soft center composed of nerves, blood vessels and connective tissues.<\/p>\n

Enamel has no nerve endings and is intended to insulate the teeth from the harshness of the oral environment. However, small chips or cracks in the enamel can allow external factors to reach the dentin. Dentin has nerve endings and can be sensitive to stimuli in many people. Sometimes gums recede and expose the root of the tooth. Tooth roots do not have enamel their outer covering is easily brushed away and exposed dentin results.\u00a0 Thin enamel many\u00a0 not adequately protect the tooth from changes in temperature.\u00a0 In these situations we can address the sensitivity a few different ways.<\/p>\n

The first line of defense against sensitivity is a toothpaste designed for sensitive teeth. These products have inert ingredients engineered to block the dentin and put a barrier between the nerve endings and the outside world. This could be thought of as a bandage. However dentin does not \u201cheal\u201d so it must be used continually. Avoid mouthwash that contains alcohol, instead focus on rinses that have extra fluoride.<\/p>\n

The next option is a prescription toothpaste that incorporates a higher level of fluoride and or a calcium phosphate application to make the enamel denser and less susceptible to cold. In addition ask your dentist for a fluoride varnish treatment each time you get your teeth cleaned.<\/p>\n

Enamel that is cracked, chipped or eroded away should be replaced with either a resin material or covered completely with a crown.\u00a0 Adding this protective and insulating layer will reduce or eliminate the sensitivity.<\/p>\n

Children often have sensitivity on newly erupted permanent teeth.\u00a0 This is simply because the dentin gets thicker as we age, so newly erupted front teeth of children have less insulating dentin between their enamel and pulp. This will self correct with time.<\/p>\n

Other factors that may impact sensitivity.\u00a0 Whitening products tend to make teeth sensitive during the process. People with sensitive teeth in general may find it difficult to whiten.\u00a0 Stay away from whitening toothpastes or over the counter bleaching aids.<\/p>\n

Seriously sour candies can cause enamel thinning and erosion. If\u00a0 it\u2019s sour it contains citric acid and is dissolving enamel while you pucker.\u00a0 Steer clear of sour candy.<\/p>\n

Always discuss the sensitivity with your dentist.\u00a0 If sensitivity persists there may be a larger underlying concern. Your dental professional can help guide you to a smile without fear of winter.<\/p>\n

Dr. Stephanie McGann, who has more than two decades of dental practice experience, is a resident of the Unionville area and along with her partner, Dr. Marie Scott, practice at The Brandywine Smile Center, a family-friendly dental practice in Concordville. Dr. McGann also owns a practice in Valley Township, Rainbow Valley Dental. She is the current President of the Chester\/Delaware Dental Society and she is a Fellow of the Academy of General Dentistry.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Dr. Stephanie McGann,\u00a0DMD FAGD, Columnist, The Times In the last few days the extreme cold temperature of the northeast has frozen pipes, chilled the soul and made people with sensitive teeth frown. When even smiling in the cold is too much for the teeth it\u2019s a real concern. So many times we are asked […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":38031,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[245],"tags":[6836,404,7426,10793],"class_list":["post-38029","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-lifestyle","tag-cold-weather","tag-dental-health","tag-featured","tag-tooth-sensitivity"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/38029","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=38029"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/38029\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":38030,"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/38029\/revisions\/38030"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/38031"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=38029"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=38029"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=38029"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}