What Is Meant by Winter Tooth Pain?
[M.D.S. (Ortho), Fellow ICOI]
Do your teeth hurt when the weather outside turns chill or having cold drinks? Such winter tooth pain arises because your teeth have become sensitive, exposing the soft layers, triggering intense pain. Such toothaches provoked by temperature variations are rooted in many factors like tooth decay, newly placed fillings, etc.
Meanwhile, dentists reveal that the teeth sensitive to cold happen with the teeth structure compromised by constant wear and tear. On the other hand, it might occur due to gum recession which is a sign of periodontal (gum) diseases.
Why does cold weather hurt your teeth?
Our teeth expand and contract in response to heat and cold. As time passes by, the temperature swing leads to cracks in the teeth’s white-colored top layer. Such tiny cracks seep down to the underneath layer called “dentin” and microscopic tubes.
The dentin layer’s upper portion is covered with enamel whereas the bottom is encapsulated with gums. It means whether you have a problem in enamel or gums, it badly affects the dentin and puts you at risk of cold weather pain.
The fact is, toothaches due to temperature variations happen irrespective of how well you take care of your teeth. In contrast, you will end up developing serious dental disorders that aggravate seasonally sensitive teeth if you do not practice good oral hygiene.
What are the other things responsible for cold toothache & weather sensitivity?
Various factors that expose your dentin, pull back the gums and intensify the problem of teeth sensitivity include:
- Gum diseases
- Teeth clenching and grinding
- Frequent consumption of acidic beverages
- Damaged fillings
- Damages in fixed dental restorative appliances like bridges, crowns
Likewise, oral hygiene mistakes like overbrushing and using abrasive teeth whitening agents also tend to cause cracks in the teeth’s upper layer.
How can you get rid of winter tooth pain?
Luckily, you can cope with the pain caused by cold weather or temperature variations with appropriate dental treatments.
- Dental fluoride treatment – Fluoride is a natural mineral that is powerful to strengthen enamel. Hence dentists recommend this to minimize teeth sensitivity.
- Cover the sensitive regions – If the sharp pain and sensitivity happen with exposing the underlying regions like root due to receding gums, then your dentist will apply sealants to cover the surfaces.
- Root Canal Treatment – The frequent exposure of soft tissues tend to progress the infection and eventually end in damaging the pulp chamber. RCT involves surgically removing the infected tissues inside the tooth.
- Professional teeth whitening – As mentioned earlier, the ingredients in certain whitening agents are powerful to erode the teeth enamel. If you want to remove deep teeth stains, prefer in-office dental bleaching treatments or whitening products recommended by your dentist.
Keeping your mouth warm is the best solution to address winter tooth pain. Similar to drinking a hot cup of tea or coffee, activities like lightly wrapping a scarf around the mouth, cup your hands around the mouth create a sizzling zone to warm the air before touching your teeth surfaces.
Besides this, activities like limiting acidic drinks & food consumption, taking steps to stop teeth grinding and brushing your teeth gently also aid in getting rid of seasonally sensitive teeth.
Want to know more about cold-related tooth pain, sensitivity and tips to get relief from it? contact our dental doctors.
