Some people experience a tingling sensation in their teeth or at the back of their jaw every time they eat something cold, sweet or spicy. This can be alarming for some, and they may think that there may be something wrong with their teeth.
However, according to Mother Nature Network, this is a very common situation that can happen to everyone. They said that this feeling comes from the salivary glands which produce saliva. But with some food or even just the thought of these certain foods causes the gland to over react.
To have a further understanding why this gland acts and over reacts this way, we may need a deeper understanding as to what the byproduct of this gland does, which is the saliva. The saliva is 99.5 percent water and certain substances that help the chewing, tasting and swallowing process and of course it also protects the teeth. The body makes about two to four pints of saliva each day, which is mostly produced in the late afternoon. The taste buds of course play the vital role in how much saliva is produced.
Spicy, sweet, acidic, sour-tasting food can make the salivary gland react. The gland is located under the tongue, below the ears and under the jaw which makes it produce more saliva.
According to Dr. Richard Pladdet said that when people start to eat or simply even thinking about eating a lemon or pepper, the gland is triggered and makes the digestion of these foods easier. He added that some people said that they felt the gland produced more saliva at that time.
The feeling is commonly described as the tingling sensation; however, it may be worse for some people because they feel a slight pain. This is something that everybody shouldn't worry about. This feeling is just because of sensory overload. The salivary gland is just trying to produce saliva as quick as possible in order to aid with the digestion process while the food is being chewed.
However, if what you're experiencing is very painful, or if you notice swelling or inflammation in the areas where salivary glands are located, you should see a doctor.
