What It Means When Cold Weather Makes Your Teeth Hurt
Teeth play a significant role in our digestive system. They are the first to come into contact with food and grind it up for you. But teeth can also have sensitivities to cold and hot foods. For example, you might bite into an ice cream only to feel a searing pain in your front tooth. The same can happen when you bite into your favorite minestrone soup. It’s not just the process of eating that can bring your teeth pain, however. Cold weather can also affect your sensitive teeth due to expansion and contraction or loss of enamel.
According to the Oral Health Foundation, the twinge from sensitive teeth can last for a few minutes or hours. You might also experience mild pain or severe discomfort that has you reaching for an over-the-counter painkiller. They also noted sensitive teeth are more prominent in women than men, and those between 20 and 40 are most affected. While the cold might trigger, sensitive teeth typically come from brushing too hard, dental erosion, tooth grinding, and gum disease. It’s always best to check with your dentist to ensure your intolerance to cold isn’t something more sinister.
Get the deets on teeth by looking at how the natural expansion and loss of enamel on your teeth can make you sensitive to cold weather. Learning to cope with the elements is essential to keep your teeth happy.
Exposed dentin makes your teeth sensitive to cold
Your teeth are made of different parts; the first line of defense against cold and warm is the enamel on your teeth. According to WebMD, enamel is a thin outer covering on teeth that protects your teeth as you chew, bite, and grind food. It’s actually the toughest shell in the human body. But over time, enamel can erode. This exposes the dentin of the tooth. Dentin is the sensitive part of the tooth, giving it a white color. It’s also the layer protecting the dental pulp cavity where the nerves and blood vessels are located.
Tooth enamel is tough but susceptible to specific things you put in your mouth daily. Therefore, it can erode way when you consume too many acidic soft drinks or fruit juices. Sour foods and candy are also culprits of eroding enamel (per WebMD). Diseases can also influence your tooth enamel. For example, those with gastrointestinal issues might have stomach acid that reaches the mouth and enamel. Medications you’re taking can also be the offender.