Tooth Sensitive to Cold

Many a times, after a nice and hearty meal, when you're finishing it off with a bite of yummy ice cream, your tooth suddenly reminds you of its existence. Tooth sensitive to cold is a common complaint that many patients present with to the dentist, and if you are lucky, then chances are that you may just have saved yourself from an impending root canal treatment, or worse still, a tooth extraction. Given below are the causes and treatment for a tooth sensitive to cold.

Tooth Sensitive to Cold: Causes & Treatment

Tooth Decay
One of the most common conditions that leads to a tooth sensitive to cold and sweet is a deep tooth decay. Whenever there is tooth decay or dental caries, it first begins in the enamel of the tooth, from where it proceeds to the second layer, which is the dentin. Dentin is the semi-porous structure that is present in the tooth and when caries reaches the dentin, it leads to exposure of the dentinal tubules. This is what makes the tooth sensitive to cold. More often than not, this will not be sensed as proper and full-blown pain related to a decayed tooth, but instead will be felt as a mild and dull pain, mostly associated only with consumption of cold food or water. If the tooth decay is in this stage, then you should ideally contact your dentist immediately and he will evaluate your condition and plan the sensitive teeth treatment accordingly. Usually, a tooth filling should be the treatment for such a condition.

Gum Recession
Another condition due to which you may land up with a tooth sensitive to cold water and food is receding gums. The usual gum line is at the point where the enamel ends and cementum begins, that is, at the point where the white crown ends and the yellow root begins. However, due to many habits, like tobacco chewing and vigorous brushing, the gum line may recede and and this could lead to exposure of the root surface of the tooth. The root surface of the tooth is sensitive in nature and this may be why you could suffer from a tooth sensitive to cold. The receding gums treatment entails a surgery where a gingival graft is placed over the exposed region so that the root is not exposed in the oral cavity anymore.

Other Causes
There may be other dental conditions that could lead to a tooth sensitive to cold. Sometimes, a person may have sensitive teeth after filling. This happens when a tooth has deep caries, and the dentist, in a bid to avoid doing something as invasive as a root canal, instead fills the cavity with silver amalgam while applying a base of calcium lining so as to encourage closure of the exposed dentin. So initially, there may still be sensitivity in the tooth after this treatment, till the dentin bridge is formed. So, you may complain of a tooth sensitive to cold after filling but there is no need for treatment for this complaint. But if a person has throbbing pain after the filling, then it means that the caries has reached the pulp and now, there is no other way out but to do a root canal treatment. At times, a tooth that has a dental crown over it may also be sensitive to cold. This would signify that either the root canal done was not proper, due to which the sensitivity points towards root canal pain after procedure or it may mean that the cap is ill-fitting and impinging on the gingival border, leading to a receding gum line and root sensitivity. Either way, the person will need to get an x-ray done so as to evaluate the cause, and then decide whether there is need for a second root canal treatment or whether the dental cap needs to be resized or refitted.

This was all about the causes that may lead to a tooth sensitive to cold and the ways of treating the same. If you have a tooth sensitive to cold and hot temperature, then there are high chances that the caries have reached the pulp of the tooth, in which case you will have to go in for a root canal treatment. So, if you experience any kind of sensitive teeth treatment, then it is best to visit the dentist immediately so as to avoid the need for root canal treatment or worse, tooth extraction. After all, one should never take one's dental health for granted!