One of the greatest joys is being able to enjoy some ice cream. Eating this sweet treat too fast, though, could make your head hurt. When you and your kids are having a cone or bowl of ice cream, keep the following information on these headaches in mind.
Ice Cream Headache Causes
Why might your head suddenly hurt when you eat ice cream or another cold treat? This sensation, also called brain freeze, happens when you have something cold to eat or drink that touches the roof of your mouth. This can happen when you have ice cream, popsicles or any other type of cold food or beverage.
Scientists believe that these headaches occur when the blood vessels in this area constrict too fast. Having something cold touch this area causes the blood vessels to narrow at a fast pace. Warm air then heats these blood vessels back up quickly, causing them to become wider again. These changes affect the nerves in the roof of your mouth, leading to an ice cream headache.
Symptoms of Brain Freeze
This type of headache is unpleasant, but it isn’t dangerous. When it happens, you’re likely to feel a sudden throbbing pain in the front of your head. This pain comes on rapidly, but it also goes away quickly.
Treatment and Prevention
What should you do about these headaches? They go away shortly on their own, so you don’t always have to do anything about them. However, since they can cause considerable discomfort, especially for kids, it’s helpful to learn a few ways to deal with them. Some ways to treat brain freeze include having warm water or pushing your tongue against the roof of your mouth. Putting your hand over your mouth and nose while inhaling can also help relieve this pain.
How can you avoid having to deal with these headaches? The most effective way to prevent ice cream headaches from occurring is eating cold foods or drinking cold beverages in small amounts at a time. Doing this can help prevent rapid changes to the blood vessels in the roof of your mouth.
Yummy Treats and Dental Health
Brain freeze isn’t the only thing to worry about when it comes to having yummy treats. When you and your kids have sweet treats to eat or drink, make sure that you’re brushing and flossing on a regular basis. These types of treats usually have a high amount of sugar, which can increase the risk of bacteria and tooth decay. Encourage your kids to brush their teeth after having any type of sweet, sugary treat when they need to cool off this summer.
If your kids need dental cleanings and exams this summer, please contact Wright Smiles Pediatric Dentistry today to set up an appointment for them.