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In short, yes they can. Under normal circumstances this damage should take some time to become a problem. Have a look at the following study:
http://jdr.iadrjournals.org/cgi/reprint/51/2/461.pdf
To quote the conclusion, "A sufficient number of stress reversals at a sufficiently high stress level will cause failure... [furthermore] it has been shown that a temperature difference of 50 C, which is commonly experienced clinically, creates a sufficiently high stress level to cause cracking in enamel after several thousand cycles."
Several thousand cycles should take a few years, and even then the damage should mostly repair itself as your teeth are just as alive as any other bone.
If your concern is that, for example, you could crack your teeth by eating an ice cream cone and then drinking a cup of coffee, the researcher states that "[the] magnitude of the stress is proportional to the temperature change in the tooth" which means that if your teeth are still very cold from the ice cream and the coffee is steaming hot you could conceivably cause serious damage, though I personally doubt they'd snap in half or explode or even visibly chip. It would probably be wise to let your mouth warm up for a few minutes before drinking the coffee, but this kind of extreme change in temperature was not tested because "[teeth] do not crack (at least in a readily apparent manner) because of a single drink of hot coffee or ice water. Therefore, it can be implied that the one-time loading problem is not of significant interest."
I'd say there's only one way to find out for sure: any volunteers?
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I would like to say that the study says the thermal stress is between 90-140 F and not 50C. Also would like to know what serious damage could occur with coffee over ice creams???
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∙ 13y ago
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Why do people have dry throats?
Because they arnt drinking enough fluids, they've had a cold, or they are about to get a cold.
How does drinking plenty of fluids help you when you have a cold and a fever?
It gives you strength and cleanse your body
What if you don't want your braces off?
If braces aren't removed then they may apply undue pressure to the rear teeth this isn't particularly serious but teeth may not expand properly when exposed to heat. Because of this drinking coffee on a particularly cold day may cause the molars to crack or in rare cases shatter.
Why do you get cold and what is the cure?
You get a cold because either you caught it from someone or you got germs. For germs they can't get in your body without a hole! So if you have a cut and someone around you is sick put on a bandaid! You can cure a cold by drinking tea, eating soup, drinking orange juice or fluids.
What is the home cure for common cold?
The home cure for common cold involves drinking plenty of fluids and inhaling steam. Blowing your nose, and staying warm and rested are also recommended for quick recovery.
Do you weigh more when you have a cold?
Maybe, a little more, if you follow the standard advice of drinking plenty of fluids.(By the way, I recommend this advice from personal experience, but I am not an MD.)
Is drinking cold tea the same as drinking cold water?
No.
What causes cold sensitivity?
Often, a person cracks a tooth. Cold and sugar are two items that can cause some surprising pain, as the crack leads down to the root (nerve endings) of the tooth. Normal teeth can be sensitive to cold, as well. My teeth, for instance, are all very healthy, yet if I go for a walk on a cold, cold day and breath through my mouth, my teeth will invariably ache later, worse, and worse, until I have to take an Ibuprofin. Owie.
How do you protect from cold and flu?
from not going in out in cold weather and not drinking cold drinks from not going in out in cold weather and not drinking cold drinks
What effects do cola have on your teeth?
ive been drinking diet coke daily for the past couple of years and my teeth are white and i have never had any fillings, however my teeth are quite sensitive and feel slightly sore if i eat or drink cold things.
Why should you never pour hot liquids into a cold drinking glasss?
you can if you put a spoon it the glass first before pouring in the hot liquid, otherwise the glass might crack
What happens when warm water makes a cold glass crack?
When warm water makes a cold glass crack it contracts.
