Winter weather itself doesn’t make your teeth sensitive, but it can reveal how sensitive they already were. When they are exposed to the frigid winter air or a warm drink like hot chocolate or tea, it’s likely you will feel a sharp sensation of pain. Fortunately, our Shelby Township, MI, dentists can help you navigate the season.
Here’s what you need to know about the correlation between cold weather and .
Common Causes of Sensitive Teeth
More times than not, tooth sensitivity is the result of . There are lots of ways to erode enamel such as teeth grinding, plaque buildup, and even aggressive tooth brushing. However, the most common and dangerous threat to your enamel is excessive or prolonged exposure to acidic foods and drinks with a high sugar content.
While this can happen year round, it becomes more of a problem towards the end of the year due to the holidays and more social gatherings than other times. In the two months from October 31 to December 31 there are four holidays where food and/or alcohol is a major component.
Other possible causes of sensitive teeth include:
- Exposed tooth root
- Fractured teeth
- Fillings that are worn or damaged
- Gum disease
- Tooth decay or cavities
Go Easy On Sweets
It starts with Halloween and the mass amounts of candy consumed at this time. Kids’ teeth are practically bathed in sugar this time of year, but adults aren’t risk-free thanks to increased alcohol intake. Adults tend to bring lots of alcohol and candy to costume parties and scary movie nights. While this may be a great time for you, it won’t be for your enamel.
Thanksgiving comes one month later, and while turkey and stuffing aren’t exactly enamel enemy number one, all the pies, cookies, brownies, cakes, and whatever other desserts your family and friends make are.
Christmas is pretty similar, except there tends to be more cookies than anything else. A lot of these holiday get-togethers are often focused around a meal, but generally have small snacks before and even after the meal. This can be problematic even with foods that aren’t as sugary because food particles left on and around your teeth can attract bacteria that grow plaque.
New Year’s Eve is soon after, and while this is less food-focused, it tends to be more alcohol-focused. As previously mentioned, alcohol is not good for your teeth, but people are still going to drink it, especially on holidays. If you want to minimize the damage to your teeth, choose a dry wine or champagne because these tend to have the lowest sugar content.
Do Not Ignore Sensitive Teeth
Even if your sensitivity goes away for a while, it does not mean it’s ok to ignore. You should schedule an appointment with our dentists as soon as possible. It’s never wise to ignore any dental (or other medical) problem because it can worsen beyond easy treatment.
Most often, tooth sensitivity isn’t the problem, but a symptom of the problem. One of the first signs of gum disease is often teeth sensitivity. Maybe you’re grinding your teeth at night and your teeth feel sensitive during the day due to a lack of enamel and exposure to the cold winter air.
Sensitive teeth might be a sign of serious tooth decay. You may have a cavity that requires a tooth-colored filling, especially if the sensitivity doesn’t subside.You may not even realize that you need one and just feel the sensitivity. This is part of the reason why regular dental visits are so important.
Request an Appointment
Our can help you with any pain resulting from tooth sensitivity. To schedule an appointment with the dental office of Jeffrey T. Baker DDS PC, call (586) 992-9222.
This blog post has been updated.
