Back teeth really sensitive to cold......... why?

[noigel]

The only thing I've ate was some tuna pasta salad from the fridge and my left back teeth are feeling painful... not A LOT, but enough hurt to where it's pretty uncomfortable and really annoying. Is this normal? Do I need to brush more? Do I have a cavity? I dunno... This happens every time I eat/drink something cold and it persists for a couple minutes.

[Albemy]

noigel

When was the last time you visited the dentist? If possible, you should try and see your dentist every six months, just to keep checking that everything is okay and there's no signs of early decay. The quicker he can identify it, the better.

When teeth are sensitive to cold or hot things, it can be for a number of reasons. The cause can be because the enamel is wearing down and the softer, more sensitive parts of your teeth become exposed. This will be because you're brushing your teeth shortly after eating something with a high acidic content (such as fruit or sugary foods - the recommendation is to wait 30 minutes before brushing). There's also the possibility of over brushing and gum exposure, again something that your dentist will be able to spot.

In the meantime, buy yourself a tube of toothpaste designed for sensitive teeth. Sensodyne is a good brand, but if you don't have that in your country, there will be similar products. Also consider using a mouthwash which has a high level of flouride in it, this helps teeth to become remineralized and protect them better against decay smile Don't forget to also floss regularly!

Hope this helps! Here's a webpage with more info smile

[Marshmality]

You may have tooth enamel erosion in your back teeth, it causes shooting pain in your teeth when you eat or drink something hot, cold, bitter or sweet. I had that problem on my front teeth when I drank or ate something cold.

Luckily it's easy to treat, try brushing your teeth 2 a day with a soft toothbrush and use fluoridated toothpaste. If that doesn't work, go see a dentist.

[Phoenix Songbird]

I had the same issue a few months back, and my dentist just gave me a small-ish tube of Sensodyne toothpaste and told me to brush with it and then rub a small, pea-sized glob over the area before I went to bed. I did this until I was out and the tooth was better in no time ^^

[GildedFoxx]

From personal experience that usually means you have sensitive roots, and some may possibly be exposed. I have a few teeth where the roots are exposed, and boy does the difference in temp cause pain in my mouth. I would get in and have your dentist check that out. If that is the case you will probably have to either get a root canal or get them removed.