Currently, the market is flooded with a myriad of anti sensitive toothpaste & products. Blinded by advertisements, patients often self-prescribe these products without complete understanding. Not all people require these & in most cases, it may

 DO MORE HARM THEN GOOD

CAUSES OF TOOTH SENSITIVITY

Teeth are normally protected from sensitivity by tooth enamel & cementum. Once they wear down-sensitivity begins. There are various reasons for sensitivity like tooth decay/cavities, worn enamel, aggressive tooth brushing, gum recession & disease, teeth grinding, tooth fracture etc. Your Dentist can rightly find the actual cause of the problem.

I HAVE SENSITIVE TEETH- WHAT DO I DO?

To schedule, a Dental Visit is the best thing to do. The Doctor would diagnose the core cause & also treat the problem accordingly. If your Doctor prescribes you an anti-sensitivity product – USE IT.

IF I DON’T HAVE SENSITIVE TEETH – SHOULD I USE ANTI SENSITIVITY PRODUCTS?

Your teeth are normally responsive to thermal, mechanical and chemical stimuli. This is a PROTECTIVE RESPONSE, to protect your teeth from irreversible damage. Unsupervised and unindicated use of such products can make your teeth less responsive. This will also mask the initial signs & symptoms of any tooth problem. Thus it would only make you aware of the issue- when it was fairly advanced.

HOW DO ANTI SENSITIVE TOOTHPASTE WORK?

Desensitizing products contain compounds like potassium nitrate, stannous fluoride, strontium chloride etc. In order for the toothpaste to be effective, it must contain about 5 percent of the active ingredient.Potassium nitrate by entering dentinal tubules makes its way to the pulp. Potassium ions block pain transmission to the brain.Strontium chloride works by blocking dentinal tubules. By the closing of tubules, sensitivity is reduced. It also requires several applications of the desensitizing product before the sensitivity can be reduced.

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Dr.Manthan Desai MDS

Smiles Dental Clinic-Centre For Advanced Dentistry, Mumbai.

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