Why are our teeth temperature sensitive?

Does the temperature you brush you teeth in change the way the toothpaste works on your teeth.?

• Lets say you brush your teeth in cold water. Would that determine how your toothpaste works.? Like, if you were to switch to warm water to brush your teeth with, would/could the toothpaste work better or worse.? Or does it have any effect at all.?

• Answer:

  There are 2 factors in brushing that affect your teeth. One is the fluoride in the toothpaste- it remineralizes any damaged enamel and prevents cavities from forming. Fluoride is a mineral and won't change due to temperature. The other factor is the scrubbing action of the brush bristles on the enamel and the gumline- the bristles remove debris (even stuff you can't see or feel) to keep food residue from feeding the bacteria that eat away your teeth and gums. Warm water might make the bristles a little more flexible, but not enough to keep the brush from working. You don't have to scrub hard- the key is to do it thoroughly and get just under the gumline and around all angles of each tooth. So no, water temp doesn't affect your brushing. Use whatever makes it more likely that you'll do a good job!