How Does Desensitizing Toothpaste Work?

Do you also feel sensitivity in teeth while eating hot or cold food? And before fixing an appointment with a dentist near you, mostly you go for desensitizing toothpaste. However, the question arises whether these toothpastes are safe or not? How does this desensitizing toothpaste work?
Desensitizing toothpaste is safe but several people think that chemical that numbs the sensation in mouth can be potentially harmful. Most of the desensitizing toothpastes share the same ingredients such as potassium nitrate or strontium chloride that block pain signals to the nerve of the tooth by stopping the tiny tunnels in teeth, which go to the nerve.

Are The Active Ingredients Safe?

One of the common ways to check whether an ingredient is safe or not is to compare it with the database of Environmental Working Group that keeps and maintains the record of the safety of thousands of commonly used chemicals.

Potassium Nitrate:

Got the best score i.e. 1 on a scale from zero to 10 with the 10 being the highest hazardous.

Strontium Chloride: 

Scored 3 out of 10, being the moderate hazardous chemical. And this ingredient is banned by few countries for being unsafe for use in cosmetics.

Stannous Fluoride: 

Got 2 out of 10, while fluoride is not effective in strengthening teeth in form of toothpaste but it is very effective desensitizer.
Potassium nitrate will also be as effective desensitizing ingredient as strontium chloride is; so most of the dentists in Pakistan recommend using the safer active ingredient in toothpaste.

How Does Desensitizing Toothpaste Work?

No matter, what most of the desensitizing toothpastes claim nowadays that they can reduce sensitivity within two uses? Majority of the dentists in Pakistan state that it almost takes a month for any toothpaste to reduce the sensitivity.
Secondly, the desensitizing toothpastes treat symptoms only but it cannot cure the sensitivity. What does this mean? Remember, if your teeth are sensitive, something bad is happening to cause those symptoms.
Desensitizing toothpastes are great for feeling better but make sure to meet the dentist to find out the root cause of your sensitivity and treat it immediately to protect your teeth from getting worse. It will help you overcome the problem before it gets worst and bigger later on.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Four Facts about Invisalign – Know Before You Go

Dental Caries – Symptoms, Diagnosis, Treatment and Prevention

Why Are Baby Teeth So Important?