Festivals are close, and sweets are everywhere. Boxes of laddoos, chocolates, and cakes make everyone happy. People with sweet teeth look forward to this time. India is the country of celebrations, and sweets are an integral part of this place. If you are not eating sweets, then you are looked down upon as the odd one out.

Of course, people with diabetes or other health issues may avoid sweets, but people who like eating sweets avoiding them are rare to see.

But what if you are not diabetic or too concerned about health, and then too, you avoid eating sweets? What if your tooth hurts each time, you eat something sweet? The joy of eating sweets goes away, and it's sometimes embarrassing to tell your peers about this.

Tooth pain after eating sweets is very common. It happens for many reasons. In this blog we will discuss the various reasons why an individual gets sharp pain or sensitivity after eating sweets and what are the treatments for this.

Why Do Teeth Hurt with Sweets?

There are many reasons that explain the tooth hurting if you savor your favorite sweet. Let's discuss the most common reasons here and discuss how you can get rid of it.

  • Cavities: Cavities are the most common reason why one feels discomfort after eating sweets. Compromised oral hygiene and lack of brushing and cleaning your teeth lead to cavity formation. The sugar that is present in your food, if not cleaned from tooth surfaces, causes the problem. That sugar stays on the tooth and attracts germs. These germs make acid. The acid makes holes in the teeth called cavities. When sweets touch the cavity, pain starts.
  • Weak Enamel or Exposed Dentin: The top white layer of the tooth is called enamel. Over time, with habits like abrasive brushing, teeth abrasion, and issues like severe acidity and refluxes, the enamel tends to get thin, and this thinning causes the inside layer (dentin) to get exposed to the outer environment. Dentin is soft and sensitive to temperature and sweets. Sweets can cause sudden pain and need attention like filling or capping of the teeth.
  • Gum Problems: Gums are quickly affected by compromised oral hygiene. The chronic oral issues make the gums infected and even cause them to shrink, exposing the roots of the teeth. If gums move back, the root of the tooth shows, and they again expose dentin. Roots are not strong like enamel. When sweets touch the root, pain is felt quickly.
  • Old Fillings or Crowns: Sometimes old dental work gets loose or cracked. Sweets enter the gap and touch the inside of the tooth. This also causes pain.

What Can You Do at Home?

Dental treatment can't be done at home, but yes, you can do some preventive measures to avoid such scenarios and keep your oral health in a sound condition. Some of such measures are as follows:

  • Brush teeth twice daily with fluoride paste; if you already feel your teeth are sensitive, go for anti-sensitivity paste.
  • Rinse mouth with water after eating sweets or every meal.
  • Floss between your teeth regularly; it's the place where sugar and debris like to reside.
  • Keep a check on your sugar intake.
  • Eat sweets in one sitting. Do not keep snacking all day.
  • Use a good toothbrush; using a brush with bristles that are too soft or too hard may aggravate the problem.
  • Avoid habits like picking your tooth or nail-biting that can expose the dentin or harm your gums.

When to Visit a Dentist?

Ideally, you should visit your dentist every 6 months, but in this case, it becomes mandatory to visit a dental clinic when:

  • If pain happens every time you eat sweets.
  • If pain stays even after you stop eating.
  • If you see a visible black spot or hole in your tooth.

A dentist will check if you have cavities, gum problems, or weak enamel. Early care saves the tooth and keeps you pain-free.

In a nutshell

You deserve to enjoy everyday meals happily, whether eating sugar or not, but festivals are a special time to smile and enjoy sweets. But if teeth are not healthy, you may not enjoy them. Do not ignore tooth pain. Get it checked before the celebrations begin.

Oral health is an integral part of overall systemic health; there is no point in ignoring your teeth's condition until the problem becomes unbearable. There are a lot of dental clinics around the city and country that take care of preventive measures as well, so that you do not need to worry about issues like cavities and enamel wearing off.

One of the seasoned clinics is Signature Smiles Dental Clinic, which can help you eat your favorite sweets without worry. Their expert care will keep your teeth strong and your smile bright with their preventive measures and optimal cure methods.