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What Leads to Tooth Sensitivity?

What Leads to Tooth Sensitivity?

Understanding Tooth Sensitivity

Tooth sensitivity can be a nagging discomfort, affecting your daily life and enjoyment of certain foods and beverages. Understanding the factors contributing to tooth sensitivity is crucial for maintaining good dental health. At J Street Dental Group, we’re committed to educating our patients about the causes of tooth sensitivity and providing practical solutions to alleviate this issue.

Table of Contents

What Leads to Tooth Sensitivity?Why Do Teeth Get Sensitive?

Tooth sensitivity occurs when the enamel, the protective outer layer of the tooth, becomes compromised, exposing the underlying dentin and nerve endings. This exposure can lead to discomfort when consuming hot or cold foods and beverages and sweet or acidic substances. Several factors can contribute to tooth sensitivity, including lifestyle habits and underlying dental conditions.

Enamel Erosion and Gum Recession

Enamel erosion and gum recession are common culprits behind tooth sensitivity. Enamel erosion can occur due to acidic foods, tooth grinding (bruxism), or excessive consumption of tooth-whitening products. Similarly, gum recession exposes the teeth’ sensitive roots, often due to aging, poor oral hygiene, or gum disease.

Tooth Decay and Cracked Teeth

Tooth decay and cracked teeth can also lead to tooth sensitivity. When decay or cracks compromise the integrity of the tooth structure, it exposes the inner layers to external stimuli, causing discomfort. Dental procedures such as fillings or crowns may exacerbate sensitivity temporarily but typically improve with time.

Lifestyle Factors and Habits

Certain lifestyle factors and habits can contribute to tooth sensitivity. Abrasive brushing techniques and toothpaste ingredients like baking soda can wear down enamel over time, leading to sensitivity. Additionally, consuming sugary foods and beverages increases the risk of tooth decay and sensitivity.

Genetic Predisposition and Medical Conditions

Genetics can play a role in determining susceptibility to tooth sensitivity. Some individuals may inherit thinner enamel or predispositions to conditions like bruxism, increasing their likelihood of experiencing sensitivity. Certain medical conditions, such as acid reflux or bulimia, can also contribute to enamel erosion and sensitivity.

Managing Tooth Sensitivity

While tooth sensitivity can be bothersome, there are steps you can take to manage and alleviate discomfort. It’s essential to consult with a dental professional for personalized advice and treatment options tailored to your specific needs.

Maintain Good Oral Hygiene

Practicing good oral hygiene is paramount in preventing tooth sensitivity. Brushing with a soft-bristled toothbrush and using fluoride toothpaste can help protect enamel and reduce sensitivity. Flossing daily and attending regular dental check-ups are also crucial for maintaining optimal dental health.

Limit Acidic and Sugary Foods

Reducing the consumption of acidic and sugary foods can help prevent enamel erosion and tooth decay, contributing to sensitivity. Opt for water or dairy products to neutralize acids in the mouth and minimize exposure to erosive substances.

Use Desensitizing Toothpaste

Desensitizing toothpaste containing potassium nitrate or strontium chloride can help alleviate tooth sensitivity over time. These toothpastes work by blocking nerve signals and providing relief from discomfort.

Address Underlying Dental Issues

If tooth sensitivity persists despite preventive measures, addressing any underlying dental issues is essential. Your dentist may recommend treatments such as dental sealants, fluoride varnishes, or dental bonding to strengthen enamel and reduce sensitivity.

Q&A: Common Questions About Tooth Sensitivity

Q: Can tooth sensitivity be a sign of a more serious dental problem? A: In some cases, persistent tooth sensitivity may indicate underlying dental issues such as tooth decay, gum disease, or cracked teeth. It’s essential to consult with a dentist to rule out any serious concerns and receive appropriate treatment.

Q: Are there any home remedies for tooth sensitivity? A: While home remedies like rinsing with salt water or applying clove oil may provide temporary relief, addressing the underlying cause of sensitivity with professional dental advice is crucial.

Q: Can tooth sensitivity be reversed? A: Depending on the cause and severity of tooth sensitivity, it may be possible to reverse or alleviate symptoms with proper dental care and treatment. Your dentist can recommend personalized strategies to manage sensitivity effectively.

dental checkupTake Control of Your Dental Health

Don’t let tooth sensitivity interfere with your quality of life. Take proactive steps to protect your dental health and seek professional dental advice if you experience persistent sensitivity. At J Street Dental Group, we’re here to help you achieve a healthy, pain-free smile. Contact us today to schedule a consultation and learn more about managing tooth sensitivity effectively.

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4/27/2024

 

4/27/2025
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J Street Dental Group – Candidate Privacy Notice

J Street Dental Group is committed to respecting your online privacy and recognizes your need for appropriate protection and management of any personally identifiable information (“Personal Information”) you share with us.

J Street Dental Group is a “data controller”. This means that we are responsible for deciding how we hold and use personal information about you. This privacy notice makes you aware of how and why your personal data will be used, namely for the purposes of the J Street Dental Group employment recruitment process, and how long it will usually be retained.

Data protection principles

We will comply with data protection law and principles, which means that your data will be:

  • Used lawfully, fairly, and in a transparent way.
  • Collected only for valid purposes that we have clearly explained to you and not used in any way that is incompatible with those purposes.
  • Relevant to the purposes we have told you about and limited only to those purposes.
  • Accurate and kept up to date.
  • Kept only as long as necessary for the purposes we have told you about.
  • Kept securely.

 

The kind of information we hold about you

In connection with your application for work with us, we will collect, store, and use the following categories of personal information about you:

  • The information you have provided to us in your curriculum vitae and cover letter.
  • The information you have provided on our application form, including name, title, address, telephone number, personal email address, employment history, and qualifications.
  • Any information you provide to us during an interview.

 

How is your personal information collected?

We collect personal information about candidates from the following sources:

  • You, the candidate.
  • Recruitment agencies and vendors we have agreed on terms in place with
  • Professional networking profile
  • Employees and others who refer you to us


How we will use information about you?

We will use the personal information we collect about you to:

  • Assess your skills, qualifications, and suitability for the role.
  • Carry out background and reference checks, where applicable.
  • Communicate with you about the recruitment process.
  • Keep records related to our hiring processes.
  • Comply with legal or regulatory requirements.
  • We also need to process your personal information to decide whether to enter into a contract of employment with you.

Having received your CV, cover letter, and/or your application form, we will then process that information to decide whether you meet the basic requirements to be screened by our in-house recruitment team for the role. If you do, we will decide whether your application is strong enough to invite you for an interview, be it by telephone, in person, or by other electronic means. If we decide to engage you for an interview, we will use the information you provide to us at the interview to decide whether to offer you the role. If we decide to offer you the role, we will then take up references before confirming your appointment.

If you fail to provide personal information

If you fail to provide information when requested, which is necessary for us to consider your application (such as evidence of qualifications or work history), we will not be able to process your application successfully and we will not be able to take your application further.

Automated decision-making

You will not be subject to decisions that will have a significant impact on you based solely on automated decision-making.

Data sharing With third parties

  • We will only share your personal information with the following third parties for the purposes of processing your application; this may involve sharing your information with other companies within our own group if we consider they may have other relevant vacancies and only if you consent to such sharing
  • All our third-party service providers and other entities in the group are required to take appropriate security measures to protect your personal information in line with our policies. We do not allow our third-party service providers to use your personal data for their own purposes. We only permit them to process your personal data for specified purposes and in accordance with our instructions.

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We have put in place appropriate security measures to prevent your personal information from being accidentally lost, used, or accessed in an unauthorized way, altered, or disclosed. In addition, we limit access to your personal information to those employees, agents, contractors, and other third parties who have a business need-to-know. They will only process your personal information on our instructions and they are subject to a duty of confidentiality.

We have put in place procedures to deal with any suspected data security breach and will notify you and any applicable regulator of a suspected breach where we are legally required to do so.

Data retention (how long will you use my information for)

  • We will retain your personal information for a period of 2 years after we have communicated to you our decision about whether to appoint you to the role. We will retain your personal information so that we can make you aware of any suitable alternative roles that arise during this period.
  • We further retain your personal information for that period so that we can show, in the event of a legal claim, that we have not discriminated against candidates on prohibited grounds and that we have conducted the recruitment exercise in a fair and transparent way. After this period, we will securely destroy your personal information in accordance with applicable laws and regulations.
  • If you would prefer that we did not retain your personal information, you can notify us at any time and we will delete your personal information.


Rights of access, correction, erasure, and restriction

Under certain circumstances, by law, you have the right to:

  • Request access to your personal information (commonly known as a “data subject access request”). This enables you to receive a copy of the personal information we hold about you and to check that we are lawfully processing it.
  • Request correction of the personal information that we hold about you. This enables you to have any incomplete or inaccurate information we hold about you corrected.
  • Request erasure of your personal information. This enables you to ask us to delete or remove personal information where there is no good reason for us to continue to process it. You also have the right to ask us to delete or remove your personal information where you have exercised your right to object to processing (see below).
  • Object to processing of your personal information where we are relying on a legitimate interest (or those of a third party) and there is something about your particular situation which makes you want to object to processing on this ground. You also have the right to object to where we are processing your personal information for direct marketing purposes.
  • Request the restriction of processing of your personal information. This enables you to ask us to suspend the processing of personal information about you, for example, if you want us to establish its accuracy or the reason for processing it.


Right to withdraw consent

When you applied for this role, you provided consent to us processing your personal information for the purposes of the recruitment exercise. You have the right to withdraw your consent for processing for that purpose at any time.

To withdraw your consent, please contact the Recruitment Manager. Once we have received notification that you have withdrawn your consent, we will no longer process your application, and, subject to our policies, we will dispose of your personal data securely.

Data protection officer

We have appointed a data protection officer (DPO) to oversee compliance with this privacy notice. If you have any questions about this privacy notice or how we handle your personal information, please contact the DPO by email, at info@jstreetdentalgroup.com.

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