What to do if your tooth hurts after eating cold food

The phenomenon of toothache after eating cold food is generally due to tooth allergy. It is not only a reaction to cold things, but also sour, sweet, hot, and even hard foods can cause soreness and pain. Toothache is very uncomfortable, especially when eating, it has a great impact, and the solution becomes the most concerned thing. So, what should you do if your tooth hurts when you eat cold food? Let’s take a closer look below.

Tooth sensitivity

Tooth sensitivity and pain, clinically known as dentin hypersensitivity, is a symptom of pain caused by external stimuli such as cold, heat, sour, sweet food, and biting hard objects such as walnuts and pine nuts. By examining the tooth surface with a probe, one or several sensitive areas can be found, which are characterized by rapid onset, sharp pain and short duration. Patients often experience pain when talking, being blown by cold wind, or accidentally biting a certain point of the tooth while eating, which will be relieved after a while. Dentin hypersensitivity can occur in a single tooth or in multiple teeth.

Dentin hypersensitivity can be caused by any dental disease that destroys the integrity of the tooth enamel and exposes the dentin, such as abrasion (frequent biting of hard objects, such as walnuts, bones, etc., and bruxism at night), tooth fractures caused by trauma, wedge-shaped defects in the tooth neck caused by long-term improper brushing, caries, and periodontal atrophy leading to exposed tooth roots. Dentin hypersensitivity will gradually develop into pulpitis, apical periodontitis, etc. Some patients may have to have the teeth extracted in the end. Therefore, once dentin hypersensitivity occurs, go to the hospital for treatment in time. If the allergy is caused by caries, wedge-shaped defects, etc., the symptoms can be eliminated quickly through treatment. Currently, the main methods for treating dentin hypersensitivity include local drug therapy, laser therapy, and restorative therapy. If tooth allergy is caused by tooth wear, exposed tooth roots, etc., it will be difficult to cure and it is prone to recurrence.

Some folk remedies, such as frequently chewing garlic or rubbing the allergic area with fresh garlic three times a day, or chewing walnut kernels, tea leaves, etc., all have a certain desensitizing effect. Because the main component of walnut kernels is linoleic acid glyceride, it can achieve a desensitizing effect, and tea is rich in tea polyphenols and fluoride, which can closely combine with the calcium in the teeth, enhance the acid resistance of the enamel, and increase the protective layer of the teeth. The best way to prevent dentin hypersensitivity and prolong desensitization is to reduce tooth wear and increase tooth hardness. In order to reduce tooth wear, first, try to avoid biting hard food, such as walnuts and crabs, and never use your teeth to open beer bottle caps; second, insist on brushing your teeth in the correct way every day. It is recommended to rinse your mouth with fluoride mouthwash and brush your teeth with desensitizing toothpaste to improve the wear resistance of teeth. Desensitizing toothpaste should be used twice a day and has a certain therapeutic effect with long-term use.

<<: What is dark brown vomit from the stomach?

>>: What to do if your tooth hurts when you eat hot or cold food