Many people complain of their teeth hurting in the winter months, after they’ve come inside from breathing cold air. Just as sensitive teeth problems were ignored for many years, many people have chalked it up to general winter malaise.
Now we know that cold sensitivity is a real thing. Many people find it painful to drink ice-cold food painful to eat or drink. Turns out that teeth respond to the cold by contracting, just as metal contracts.
Once you close your mouth, or come back inside, your teeth return to your body temperature and your teeth expand. This can be very painful for people with sensitive teeth and gums.
Unfortunately, there can also be lasting damage as the expansion and contraction can cause hairline cracks to form, weakening the teeth that can lead to broken teeth down the line. Try to keep your mouth closed outside in the cold as much as possible, and if the pain lingers after you come inside, see a dentist to make sure that there isn’t any underlying problem.
