Scientists figured out why cold hurts teeth, and how we can stop it.

 Tooth worms? 

Scientists figured out why cold hurts teeth, and how we can stop it. 

Researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital have uncovered exactly how cold triggers tooth pain—and how to stop it. The study, published in Science Advances, reveals that odontoblasts—the cells that form the dentin beneath tooth enamel—also act as cold sensors. These cells detect drops in temperature through a protein channel called TRPC5, which activates nerve signals to the brain. In damaged or exposed teeth, TRPC5 is overabundant, making the tooth hypersensitive to cold. This can occur from cavities, gum recession, or even as a side effect of chemotherapy, where a simple breeze can cause intense tooth pain.

The team confirmed TRPC5’s presence in human teeth and found that blocking it could prevent cold sensitivity. Notably, eugenol—the active ingredient in oil of cloves, a centuries-old toothache remedy—naturally inhibits TRPC5. While eugenol is already used in some toothpastes, the findings could lead to more effective treatments for cold-sensitive teeth, and possibly systemic therapies for patients experiencing widespread cold sensitivity from medical treatments. This breakthrough not only solves a long-standing dental mystery but also points to new, targeted pain relief strategies.

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“Odontoblast TRPC5 channels signal cold pain in teeth” by Laura Bernal, Pamela Sotelo-Hitschfeld, Christine König, Viktor Sinica, Amanda Wyatt, Zoltan Winter, Alexander Hein, Filip Touska, Susanne Reinhardt, Aaron Tragl, Ricardo Kusuda, Philipp Wartenberg, Allen Sclaroff, John D. Pfeifer, Fabien Ectors, Andreas Dahl, Marc Freichel, Viktorie Vlachova, Sebastian Brauchi, Carolina Roza, Ulrich Boehm, David E. Clapham, Jochen K. Lennerz and Katharina Zimmermann, 26 March 2021, Science Advances.