Very curious as I was doing some toothpaste shopping. I’ve recently started having sensitive teeth and would like to know if it works and how. Thank you
In: Biology
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In countries other than the USA the toothpaste has a mineral in it that temporarily fills in the little holes the dentin;
[https://www.gskhealthpartner.com/en-gb/oral-health/brands/sensodyne/science/novamin/](https://www.gskhealthpartner.com/en-gb/oral-health/brands/sensodyne/science/novamin/)
In the USA you get potassium nitrate, which de-sensitizes the nerves, it isn’t nearly as effective.
Posts like this are why it’s sometimes better to ask reddit than google. Look at the awesome answers in here.
Depends on the country. Novamin toothpaste creates a layer of bio-glass on your teeth that fill the holes in the enamel. Glaxo smith kline bought the patent rights and then removed it from the american market. You can still buy it in india and europe.
Wow an ELI5 I can actually help with. There are two ways toothpastes help with sensitivity. Occlusion (blocking) of the dentin tubules or desensitization of the pupal nerve.
ELI5:
You feel pain when a button is pushed. Someone has to run down a tunnel to press the button. Usually there is a door (enamel) but sometimes the door is broken or worn down, so someone keeps running in and pressing the button. Your teeth has a bunch of buttons inside them.
What toothpaste 1 does: Occlusion/blocking.
Every time you brush you put a brick down. As time goes by the place where the door would be is covered by a brick wall. No one and run down the tunnel and press the button.
What toothpaste 2 does: desensitization
Every time you brush you mess with the button a bit. As time goes by the button stops working. So when someone runs down the tunnel and presses the button, nothing happens.
Of course there are different actives, different properties, but if you have more questions I can answer them in the comments.
I am a dentist who spent a year studying this topic and presenting it to my colleagues as a lecturer.
In simple terms sensitivity is a problem caused by microscopic tubes in our teeth that with sugar, cold, other stimuli can cause fluid movement in and out of the tubes that cause pain.
Desensitizing products can work in a few ways. The most common is blocking the tubes with things such as fluoride or other compounds that bind and block.
Lasers and potassium can also be used in some products to desensitize nerves.
Questions?
If you live in countries outside the USA, you can buy toothpaste that contains a type of bio-glass that will fill in the holes in your teeth. Originally designed to repair shattered bones of soldiers, it was adopted for use in toothpaste. Once the holes are filled in, cold/hot liquids cannot pass into your tooth and irritate the nerve inside.
I have no idea why you cannot buy these toothpastes in the USA. You can order them online from Canadian resellers. Theories range from FDA blocking it’s use in toothpaste to a conspiracy by the Dental Association.
Others have explained how it works. I’m just gonna confirm that it (Sensodyne) does work, at least for me. My tooth sensitivity went away immediately, literally after the first time using it, and it’s never come back.
I wish I got paid by them, for everyone wondering if I am an ad. But alas; I’m not.
The active ingredient, potassium nitrate, over time absorbs into the dentinal tubules reaching the nerve and overloading the synapses with potassium. The increase in potassium overloads the Na/K pumps and decreases the total number of transmissions.
Desensitizing toothpaste has [Saltpeter AKA Potassium Nitrate](https://www.thoughtco.com/saltpeter-or-potassium-nitrate-608490) or a similar chemical compound that fills and blocks the microscopic pores in your teeth that allow cold or hot liquids to penetrate into your teeth where the nerves are.
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