Tooth sensitivity is quite common in the United States, with 20 to 30 percent of adults dealing with it. The most common foods that cause sensitivity have two factors common: sugar and acidity. These two will wear away your enamel and expose your dentine. After the sensitivity develops, sticky, hot, cold, acidic, and sugary foods become unbearable.

Most people with tooth sensitivity have receding gums. This is according to a study published in 2013, which involved 800 patients.

If you already have sensitive teeth, you should avoid all the foods listed below. If it gets worse, you should talk to your dentist about it. So which foods should you avoid if you have sensitive teeth?

• Soda

Soda is first on the list of foods people with sensitive teeth should avoid. According to professor of dental medicine John Grbic, DMD, soda is a very potent food for sensitive teeth. It contains both sugary and acidic ingredients, which is why it is so painful for people with sensitive teeth.

The sugar in the soda feeds the bacteria in the mouth, which produce lactic acid. The lactic acid they produce attacks your exposed dentine, causing pain. It also makes it more likely for you to develop cavities.

• Hard Candy

Hard candies, gummy bears, and sour candies cause pain for people with sensitive teeth. The sugar in these candies, as with the soda, feed the bacteria, causing the production of lactic acid. They are also a major factor in the development of cavities. If you have sensitive teeth, you should avoid them; if you must eat them, do so sparingly.

• Ice Cream

One of the most known foods to cause pain in people with sensitive teeth is ice cream. Most people with sensitive teeth are responsive to cold foods.

Tooth sensitivity can occur due to several factors, most of which can be triggered by ice cream or cold foods. But if your pain persists after you have stopped eating the cold food, you should make an appointment with your dentist.

• Fruit Juices and Citrus Fruits

Citrus fruits are often delicious and an excellent source of vitamins. However, they can be a terrible experience for someone with tooth sensitivity. It is because most all these fruits, grapes, oranges, and lemons, have citric acid. Like the lactic acid produced by the bacteria in the mouth, citric acid causes the tooth enamel to become soft. This leads to increased tooth sensitivity. It is best to avoid them and their juice forms.

• Coffee

Yes, coffee. That delicious breakfast drink necessary for many Americans. Coffee, especially hot coffee, can be hell for people with sensitive teeth. Despite its ability to give you the energy to last you through most of the day, it has compounds that cause pain in sensitive teeth. First, the temperature of hot coffee on its own wreaks havoc on sensitive teeth. Next, it is quite acidic, which softens the enamel.

• Wine

Wine is a great pastime drink to enjoy with your lover on those precious nights. But in large amounts, it can be detrimental to sensitive teeth. It is due to the acids it contains. White wines are more acidic than red wines, but take red wines in moderation.

For more on foods to avoid if you have sensitive teeth, call Smile Center Ohio at 740-417-9565 to reach our office in Delaware, Ohio.