Experiencing pain in your teeth at any time is typically an alarm bell for most people. If you've noticed that your teeth themselves seem to be sore or painful after flossing, but not when brushing, eating, or at any other time, it likely indicates that there's an issue going on with your teeth. Here's what you can expect from this common issue and what you can expect of the treatment methods for it.
Between Flossing
The reason why you don't experience pain when you haven't flossed within the last couple of hours is because of what goes on in the mouth over the course of your day. When you floss, you strip away plaque and bacteria from the inside edges of your teeth. Over the course of a day, though, this all re-accumulates. Food bits and other particulates will cover the edges of your teeth until you next floss.
After Flossing
The most likely reason that your teeth hurt is due to having damage to the inside edges of your teeth. Over time, the inside edges of your teeth are worn down by acid in the food that you eat and from plaque and bacteria chewing away at your teeth. If this isn't well-controlled with regular flossing and visits to the dentist's office, it can cause permanent damage. Oddly enough, when your teeth are coated in plaque or food, you might not feel as much pain or any pain at all. The nerves are closer to the surface when your teeth are clean, which is why you're having an issue after your floss.
What to Do
Your best bet here is to head to a dentist's office for treatment. The flossing you're doing will help to prevent further damage, but if the enamel has already worn away on the inside edges of your teeth, then they're in danger. When you go to the dentist, they'll do a careful examination of your teeth, including taking x-rays. This will help them to find the damage and to figure out how severe it is. Treatment depends on how bad your condition is. Fillings are typically used for very deep wear, while remineralization toothpaste may be an option for lighter damage.
Taking care of your teeth at home is always an important step to keeping your teeth healthy, but if there's pain attached to that care, something is likely wrong. Always seek help from a dentist if you experience pain or discomfort during or after your oral hygiene habits.
Share8 April 2019
Do you have "bad teeth"? I do. Ever since I was a kid, every checkup turns up a number of issues ranging from cavities to dental fractures. It has always been frustrating to keep my smile in decent shape, which is one of the reasons I started focusing on understanding different dental problems. I wanted to know what I was getting into when I visited the doctor, so I began focusing on learning as much as I could. I wanted to create this blog all about dentistry so that other people could find out what to expect when they head to the dentist. Check it out!
