Tooth Hurts When Drinking Cold Water – Symptoms, Causes & Treatment

Pain when eating or drinking cold or even hot food and drinks is associated with all sorts of dental issues.

  • The degree of sensitivity experienced can range from mild to severe.
  • Treatment is going to involve dental visits as it can be difficult to treat the condition without medical assistance.
  • Before treatment, dentists are going to do a workup and a thorough examination of the patient’s dental state.
  • It can be treated using fillings, cleanings, and/or extractions.

Tooth Hurts When Eating Cold Symptoms

Pain is the main symptom of this condition, some of its characteristics include:

  • An immediate sensation of pain following contact with cold water or cold food.
  • Pain even when inhaling cold air.
  • Severity of pain can range from a mild tingling to a severe ache.
  • It can last for as short as a few seconds to a few hours.
  • The pain will go away on its own, but it will return when it is triggered again.
  • Aside from pain, patients may also feel some sensitivity when eating something cold.

Causes And Treatment For Tooth Sensitivity To Cold

  • Deep Tooth Decay

o    This can happen with no outward signs other than the sensitivity to cold drinks.

o    Treated by removing the decayed tissue.

o    Fillings may be used to maintain the integrity of the affected tooth.

  • Recently Carried Out Dental Treatment

o    When a patient gets some dental work done, they can go home and experience some sensitivity.

o    This should be reported to the dentists as soon as possible so a re-work can be scheduled.

o    The pain in this case is most likely due to an underlying pathology of the tooth, which was aggravated by the work done on it.

o    Treatment is going to depend on what is causing the irritation

  • Exposed Roots

o    This is a common reason for sensitivity with patients who have receiving gums.

o    The roots of the teeth are sensitive to temperature.

o    This is treated with the application of protective coverings that can prevent further irritation.

  • Crack Tooth Syndrome

o    This is characterized by cracks on the tooth, usually on the molars.

o    It can be caused by a number of things including teeth grinding.

o    These cracks can expose the tooth’s root causing sensitivity.

o    It is treated with fillings, root canal therapy, or other treatments that can best benefit the situation.

Other possible causes of tooth sensitivity to cold include:

  • Trauma
  • Presence of Plaque
  • Long term and excessive use of teeth whitening products.
  • Poor or improper oral hygiene.

Prior to treatment, dentists are likely to ask the following questions:

  • Is the pain generalized or localized? If the latter, where is it concentrated?
  • How long does the pain last?
  • What type of pain is it? (severity, quality of pain)
  • Does it hurt with food and beverages that are cold or hot?

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