Moreover, those who suffer from acid reflux are also prone to develop dental sensitivity since gastric acid may reach the mouth at night, damaging teeth. Those who use hard-bristled toothbrushes or incorrect brushing techniques, who tend to grind their teeth, who frequently vomit due to morning sickness or for other reasons or who consume extremely hot or cold foods or liquids in excessive amounts may suffer from dental sensitivity.A conventional method for treating tooth sensitivity is to apply fluoride to sensitive teeth. Fluoride ions can stick to dental surfaces; however, only about 2 or 3 percent of fluoride ions do stick to the dental surface because many of these ions are washed away by saliva or other liquids in the mouth. Therefore, this method is considered ineffective in terms of treating tooth sensitivity in only one session. A new method for treating tooth sensitivity that involves the application of fluoride through electrophoresis, which was presented at the 2009 congress of the Turkish Academy of Aesthetic Dentistry (TEDAD), provides strong protection again dental decay specifically for those whose teeth are prone to decay or who suffer from tooth sensitivity and for children. Dentist Aslı Ercanlı Ünal says the rate of fluoride adhesion to dental surfaces increases up to 17 percent in the fluoride application through electrophoresis.
Noting that people will need only one session a year with this method, Ünal said: "In conventional methods, fluoride is manually applied to tooth enamel and only 1.7 percent of dental surfaces can be covered in a single session. In the two-stage electrophoresis method, fluoride ions combine with hydroxide ions on the surface of teeth to create a protective fluorapatite layer. This layer protects teeth from physical and chemical effects of bacteria in the mouth."
