Toothpastes for sensitivity. Do they work? What are your options? Are some better than others?

There are many toothpastes that claim they help with sensitivity. And many can be effective. First let’s look at the active ingredients that manage tooth sensitivity…

These are some options that are currently available to manage tooth sensitivity in Canada. Some sensitivity toothpastes contain one or more of these ingredients. Want to know the EWG rating of these ingredients? And they can all be effective depending on the cause of your sensitivity.. tooth sensitivity is often a symptom of another systemic issue like digestive issues, dehydration, dry mouth , untreated cavities or nutritional deficiencies have a look a an earlier blog that discusses the many causes of tooth sensitivity. https://embracedentalhygiene.com/sensitive-teeth/

Here are some things that you should know about the ingredients listed above. Most desensitizing toothpastes need to be used daily to be effective. Be patient, you need a daily application of the product for at least a week to experience elimination of sensitivity. This includes pastes with potassium nitrate, sodium fluoride and stannous fluoride. And you should not rinse, eat or drink after applying these ingredients. This can prevent the toothpaste from working. Desensitizing toothpastes can be applied directly to specific areas of concern to provide extra protection.

Some pastes are designed to eliminate sensitivity with the first application these are often your arginine and calcium carbonate. They work as a physical barrier on the surface of the tooth that can be acid resistant. Very beneficial if you have acid reflux or a dry mouth. Hydroxyapatite is a bioavailable mineral that when applied to a tooth can strengthen and protect thereby reducing sensitivity. And it is also naturally occurring mineral that has been used in Japan to promote tooth health for many years.

If you have used products that have an ingredients that you haven’t found helpful than look for a paste with a different active ingredient. Or better yet use two pastes with different active ingredients. Desensitizing toothpastes can be found at most retail stores. They are available in both conventional and natural options.

Many people want to avoid harmful ingredients in their personal care products including toothpastes. Follow this link that discusses some common toothpaste ingredients that I try to avoid. https://embracedentalhygiene.com/toothpaste-use-maybe-none/ Here are some of the brands I commonly recommend for my clients with tooth sensitivity Green Beaver Sensitive, Green Beaver Enamel Protect, Colgate Pro Relief, XPUR Remin most of these can be found on our online boutique Embrace Your Health.