Why Can’t I Eat Ice Cream or Drink Coffee?

Discover what it means if you’re teeth hurt from hot or cold.

It’s a nice cool winter morning and you pour yourself a warm cup of coffee. You sit out on your veranda, bundled up with a good book and begin sipping your coffee then – OUCH! You suddenly experience a toothache that hits you like a ton of bricks!

Moments later it calms down and you decide to continue in your relaxed wake up and OUCH! Your second sip of coffee sends you flying into another dimension.

What is happening? Is there something wrong? Am I allergic to coffee?

In more cases than not, you are not allergic to coffee. You may be experiencing tooth sensitivity that is signaling an underlying problem that you may have never known about. Does this only happen with coffee? No… it can happen with ice cream, candy, or anything that is hot, cold or sweet.

So, why does this happen? How can I treat these symptoms?

We’re happy you asked.

Some common reasons for teeth sensitivity that comes out of the blue include:

• Worn tooth enamel
• Gum disease
• Fractured tooth
• Tooth decay
• Exposed root
• Worn fillings

You see, in healthy teeth, there is a layer of enamel that wraps around the entire crown of the tooth – acting as a protection for everything that lies underneath. Even the roots of your teeth have a protection, known as the cementum. This protects the roots of your teeth from any outside harm. Over time, your enamel and cementum may end up wearing down for multiple reasons: age, abrasive brushing, plaque resulting in cavity and more.

How Can This Be Treated?

There are multiple ways to treat sensitive teeth, whether on your own or with your dentist. Here are a few ideas to get you started.

• Fluoride Gel – Performed in a dental office, you can receive a special fluoride gel to decrease sensitivity, after ruling out possible decay.
• A crown, Inlay or White Filling – All 3 of these procedures are used to either replace decay, or replenish enamel artificially. This can greatly reduce sensitivity.
• Desensitizing toothpaste – There are some who have overall sensitivity without the cavities. There are those who have thin enamel, causing sensitivity and those who have unidentifiable reasons for sensitivity. Using this toothpaste can aide in preventing sensitivity so that you can enjoy life.
• Root Canal – If sensitivity is causing severe pain and your dentist cannot treat you through any other way of relieving the pain, they may recommend a root canal.
• Gum graft – This is a surgical procedure that allows your doctor to replace the gum that was lost in an area of the mouth that is sensitive and the new gum that is placed there serves as protection and decreases sensitivity.

So what are some ways that you find you can relieve the pain? Are you or a loved one suffering and you don’t know where to go? Penn Dental Family Practice would love to take care of you. With over 35 doctors under one roof, we can help you in any specialty as quickly as you need. Simply contact us online or give us a call at 215-898-PDFP.

We look forward to speaking with you soon!