It's time to switch toothpaste to treat sensitive teeth

Having sensitive teeth is not fun. Every time you eat or drink and even when you clean or brush your teeth, you will experience a lot of pain. This is a sign that it is time you need to treat sensitive teeth to reduce symptoms by switching to a special toothpaste for sensitive teeth.

What is the difference between regular toothpaste and toothpaste for sensitive teeth?

Quoted from the Mayo Clinic, sensitive teeth are usually caused by eroding tooth enamel or exposed (no longer covered) tooth roots. In addition, the American Dental Academy describes several other causes that can trigger sensitive teeth:

Tooth decay (cavities)
There was a crack in the tooth
Patches that are starting to disappear
Gum disease

To prevent problems with your teeth, it is recommended that you regularly maintain cleanliness by brushing your teeth at least 2 times a day.

Toothpaste on the market can be in the form of paste, gel, or powder. Each toothpaste usually has special ingredients that are intended for specific conditions or treating teeth.

Basically the ingredients are almost the same, but toothpaste specifically for sensitive teeth has several ingredients to help reduce the symptoms of aches that are often felt.

Some important things to consider when choosing toothpaste are:

Prevent breakdown. Fluoride is a natural decay preventive that helps maintain the strength of tooth enamel, for example against cavities. Not all toothpaste contains fluoride, so make sure to choose a paste that contains this one mineral.
Pressing sensitivity. Patients with sensitive teeth need to choose this type of toothpaste because it contains compounds that can help reduce sensitive teeth.
Whiten. If you want to have a whiter effect on your teeth, nowadays some toothpastes provide ingredients that can not only provide protection, but also whiten teeth.

An important ingredient in toothpaste for sensitive teeth

The benefits or functions of the toothpaste that have been mentioned above are one of the ways to treat sensitive teeth. But the question is, what are the ingredients or compounds that give this effect or impact?

Here is a deeper understanding of the content of toothpaste which can help calm sore tooth nerves, cover the area of the tooth that causes pain, and help thicken tooth enamel in people with sensitive teeth.

Potassium nitrate and sodium fluoride

Potassium nitrate has long been used as an ingredient in sensitive toothpaste because of its effect on reducing sensitivity. This is evidenced by a published study Journal of Clinical and Experimental Dentistry in 2012.

This study included 15 patients with sensitive teeth and given toothpaste containing 5% potassium nitrate, sodium fluoride, and several compounds. The results showed that toothpaste containing potassium nitrate significantly decreased sensitivity.

Therefore, the use of these two compounds is effective in reducing symptoms such as frequent aches.

NovaMin (

NovaMin is a compound that is also found in toothpaste specifically for sensitive teeth. Not without reason, based on a 2010 study by Armed Force Medical CenterThe NovaMin content, which also contains potassium nitrate in the toothpaste used in this study, helped reduce sensitivity after two and four weeks of use.

In fact, this study emphasizes that toothpaste with NovaMin is better at reducing symptoms of sensitive teeth compared to those without this one compound.

Apart from these two ingredients, today's sensitive toothpaste also has a refreshing effect, like mint leaves. In addition to getting protection and reducing pain, the mouth can feel fresh throughout the day. You can consider choosing a toothpaste with this content.

Sensitive teeth are health problems that cannot be cured instantly. You need to treat sensitive teeth regularly using the right media, one of which is sensitive toothpaste. If you feel that the sensitivity of your teeth doesn't go away, you can consult a dentist.