Your teeth might look completely solid, but if you could see them under a microscope, you would be able to see that dental enamel is porous, allowing teeth whitening agents to permeate and lighten underlying dentin. Unfortunately, this natural feature can also lead to dental sensitivity.

Here are three ways chewing gum can help sensitivity after teeth whitening.

Distracting You 

According to a study published in the British Dental Journal, 88% of dental patients with sensitive teeth after teeth whitening experienced reduced sensitivity after simply chewing gum. Although there are several reasons chewing gum helps to calm dental nerves, researchers suspect that part of the benefit stems from the participants being distracted from their pain by the physical act of chewing the gum.

Boosting Saliva Production

Chewing gum also boosts your natural saliva production by a staggering 10 times its normal resting rate, which can help dental sensitivity. In addition to helping you rinse away potentially irritating residues like acids and sugars from the foods you eat, saliva also contains natural compounds to neutralize bacterial acids, protecting your teeth from decay. An increase in saliva production also helps rinse away food particles, reducing bad breath and promoting better oral health.

Helping Your Smile to Remineralize

If you have extreme dental sensitivity, dentists can even prescribe special chewing gums designed to help your smile remineralize. These chewing gums contain beneficial compounds, like calcium and phosphate, which encourages weakened areas of dental enamel to rebuild themselves and soothe sensitivity symptoms.

Are you having a difficult time with ongoing tooth sensitivity? Schedule an appointment with the professionals at Waterford Dental Health. In addition to helping with professional teeth whitening and fluoride treatments, these dentists can also help with other issues that might cause sensitivity, including dental decay, root exposure, and damaged dental work. To schedule an appointment, send them a message online or call (860) 447-2235.