Winter is coming. And with it come many things: Christmas, gravy, presents, sales, snowfall, holidays, and... toothaches.
Toothaches are pretty prevalent, but they can be immensely painful. And the problem worsens by leaps and bounds once snow falls, cool gales blow in, and the white walkers move through the woods; put simply, your teeth hurt more during winter.
And not without reason.
It doesn’t happen to everyone, of course, but it happens alright. To get more specific, when the enamel—the protective layer that envelopes your teeth—wears down and your gums recede, your teeth become ‘sensitive.’ At this point, anything that’s too cold (or too hot, for that matter) will hurt you if it comes in contact with your teeth.
The teeth can develop cracks and the area underneath the enamel of your teeth—dentin—becomes exposed during extreme temperatures. The result is a pain that’s very similar to the one that’s felt when eating ice cream while having sensitive and exposed teeth.
Shun fizzy drinks and other such beverages, or at least minimize their consumption. All of these habits lead to the exposure of the dentin and that, as we have explained, will lead to pain.
Moreover, visit a dentist regularly to guard yourself against tooth decay and periodontal disease, as they will cause your enamel to wear away. If you’re looking for dental services in Maryland, come visit our family dentistry clinic in Germantown. Get in touch with us or give us a call at (301) 353-8890 to book an appointment today.
Toothaches are pretty prevalent, but they can be immensely painful. And the problem worsens by leaps and bounds once snow falls, cool gales blow in, and the white walkers move through the woods; put simply, your teeth hurt more during winter.
And not without reason.
Understanding Sensitivity to Cold
You’ve probably had that one episode where you ate something cold—an ice cream or a frozen dessert—too quickly, only to be left with a stinging feeling in your teeth upon impact.It doesn’t happen to everyone, of course, but it happens alright. To get more specific, when the enamel—the protective layer that envelopes your teeth—wears down and your gums recede, your teeth become ‘sensitive.’ At this point, anything that’s too cold (or too hot, for that matter) will hurt you if it comes in contact with your teeth.
Winter Contracts
In addition to sensitivity, there’s an additional factor to consider: in the cold weather, your teeth are liable to contract. This happens in response to the drop in temperatures, and is a phenomenon that’s observed in metals as well.The teeth can develop cracks and the area underneath the enamel of your teeth—dentin—becomes exposed during extreme temperatures. The result is a pain that’s very similar to the one that’s felt when eating ice cream while having sensitive and exposed teeth.
Why It Hurts
Why does the wearing away of the enamel hurt so bad anyway? Because when the dentin is exposed, the nerve endings in your teeth are also exposed. Bare nerve endings cause pain upon contact with most things—intensely cold things being the prime culprit here.What You Can Do About It
Of course, unless you’re Storm from X-Men, you can’t control the weather. If it’s cold, it’s cold. What you can do is control how you take care of your teeth. Brush regularly, but not too vigorously. Don’t grind your teeth. Don’t use suspicious teeth whitening agents without asking a dentist about them.Shun fizzy drinks and other such beverages, or at least minimize their consumption. All of these habits lead to the exposure of the dentin and that, as we have explained, will lead to pain.
Moreover, visit a dentist regularly to guard yourself against tooth decay and periodontal disease, as they will cause your enamel to wear away. If you’re looking for dental services in Maryland, come visit our family dentistry clinic in Germantown. Get in touch with us or give us a call at (301) 353-8890 to book an appointment today.
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