Gayang Station Dental Clinic: Sensitive to Cold Water, Throbbing with Hot Soup! Is It Okay to Leave It This Way?

365 Seoul One Top Dental Clinic, Director Kim Geun-il

Hello.

I am Kim Geun-il,

Director of 365 Seoul One Top Dental Clinic.

When I talk with patients in the treatment room,

the way each person describes their tooth pain

is remarkably different.

Some people are startled by cold water,

while others complain of pain so severe

when eating hot stew

that they have to put down their spoon.

“Doctor,

my molar becomes so sensitive when I drink cold water

that it is difficult to bear.

Doctor,

my tooth throbs and hurts unpleasantly

when I eat hot soup.

Is it okay to just leave it this way?”

Just by hearing about this “difference in pain depending on temperature,”

dentists can predict what kind of problem

the nerve inside the gums may currently have.

I will explain the scientific difference

between pain triggered by cold and hot water,

and whether it is really okay to leave the condition untreated.

“Sensitive” when drinking cold water—there is still an opportunity.

Temporary sensitivity or a sharp twinge

when eating cold food

is one of the most common types of pain

seen in dental clinics.

This means that the nerve inside the tooth

is still very much alive

and is responding sensitively to external stimulation.

1. Main causes

Incorrect brushing or

clenching habits can cause cervical abrasion,

in which the neck of the tooth becomes worn away;

early-stage decay limited to the outer surface (enamel);

or temporary root exposure immediately after scaling.

2. Condition of the nerve

The tooth is sensitive only temporarily when stimulated,

and once the cold water disappears from the mouth,

the pain usually goes away within 1–2 seconds.

Fortunately, in these cases,

the tooth nerve still has enough ability to recover on its own.

This is a stage at which the tooth can still be saved.

3. Treatment methods

A simple treatment, such as filling the worn area

with a material like composite resin,

or treating minor decay,

can often resolve the problem easily

while preserving the nerve.

“Throbbing” when drinking hot soup—please come to the dentist right away.

On the other hand, if your tooth throbs

or you feel a dull ache

when it comes into contact with hot coffee or soup,

this is the exact opposite situation.

In this case, it is more than simple sensitivity:

the pain may continue for several minutes,

or you may even have the unusual experience

of needing to hold cold water in your mouth

for the pain to finally subside.

Unfortunately,

these symptoms are a sign that a problem has developed

in the tooth nerve

and that it may be difficult for it to recover.

Because hot-induced pain cannot be completely resolved

by taking medication,

we strongly recommend visiting a dental clinic promptly.

The anatomical cause of pain from heat

When the nerve tissue called the pulp,

located inside the tiny chamber within the tooth (the pulp chamber),

enters the stage of “nerve necrosis”

due to infection caused by severe decay or trauma,

decay gases are produced inside the tooth.

When hot food touches the tooth,

heat conduction causes the gas inside the tooth

to expand rapidly.

However, because the expanded gas cannot escape

through the hard outer shell of the tooth,

the internal pressure rises extremely high

and presses on the nerve.

Many patients visit the dentist at this point,

complaining of unbearable tooth pain.

If this stage is left untreated, the gas and inflammation

can flow through the opening at the end of the tooth root,

destroy the surrounding jawbone (alveolar bone),

and form an abscess.

1. Condition of the nerve

The tooth nerve has reached the point of no return,

where it can no longer recover on its own.

Even at rest, it may be accompanied by severe throbbing,

pulsating pain intense enough to prevent sleep at night.

2. Treatment method

Before it is too late, root canal treatment is essential

to completely clean out the necrotic nerve tissue

inside the tooth.

If even this timing is missed,

you may face the unfortunate situation

of being unable to save the tooth

and needing an extraction followed by an implant.

Self-check chart for your teeth based on pain

Category	Response to cold water (sensitive tooth)	Response to hot water (throbbing tooth)
Nature of pain	Tingling and sharp sensation	Throbbing, dull, constricting pain
Duration of pain	Disappears within 1–2 seconds after the stimulus is gone	Continues for several minutes or longer even after the stimulus is gone
Risk level	🟡 Caution (early- to mid-stage warning)	🔴 Warning (red flag)
Condition of the nerve inside the gums	The nerve is alive and has become sensitive	The nerve is decaying or has already become necrotic
Expected treatment	Glass ionomer (GI)/composite resin filling or simple decay treatment	Root canal treatment followed by crown restoration, or extraction

Who may find today’s information helpful

Today’s summary about temperature-related tooth pain

may serve as a particularly helpful guide

for the following people.

• People who have been putting off treatment,

holding back the pain with painkillers while thinking,

“It will probably stop after being sensitive for a little while.”

• People who feel uneasy

because they keep noticing unusual signals

in a particular area while eating.

• People who want an accurate diagnosis of their current condition

instead of visiting a place that recommends extraction and implants unconditionally.

No matter how well an implant is made,

it is clearly different from the natural teeth

handed down to us by our parents.

If you come in when your teeth are sensitive to cold water,

you may be able to protect them with a simple treatment.

Even if you come in when hot soup causes pain,

careful root canal treatment may allow the tooth to be saved

without extraction.

Pain is the most valuable signal your body sends you.

Instead of worrying, “Is it okay to leave it this way?” and putting it off,

please visit a dentist as soon as the signal appears.

This was dentist Kim Geun-il.

Thank you.

📍 365 Seoul One Top Dental Clinic

4th floor, Dongmyeong M Building,

179 Gangseo-ro, Gangseo-gu, Seoul

Gayang Station Dental Clinic / Gangseo-gu Dental Clinic / Hwagok Station Dental Clinic

1-minute walk from Exit 8 of Hwagok Station