Sensitive teeth can be caused by many factors ranging from overactive nerves to a receding gum line. Unfortunately, it’s also a very common condition affecting between 15-30% of adults in the United States. Fortunately, if you’re suffering from sensitive teeth, some solutions are available to you, including toothpaste specially designed for sensitive teeth.
Here are the top 3 toothpastes for sensitive teeth:
- Sensodyne Rapid Relief Toothpaste
- Parodontax Complete Protection Toothpaste
- Tom’s Sensitive Toothpaste
In the rest of this article, I’ll go over the active ingredients in each toothpaste, what sensitivity causing issues they target, and the positives and negatives of each option. So let’s get started so you can enjoy cold foods and drinks again.
1. Sensodyne Rapid Relief Toothpaste
The first toothpaste for sensitive teeth that we’ll be discussing today is the Sensodyne Rapid Relief Toothpaste.
If your teeth are killing you, or you know you have an ice cream party in the next week and need relief fast, then the Sensodyne Rapid Relief Toothpaste may be the best option for you.
This toothpaste promises results in as little as three days, and, according to the reviews on Amazon, it seems to be true. Over 84% of these toothpaste reviews are five-star reviews, with the majority of them stating that it helped them enjoy their favorite foods again in less than the three days that the product claims.
Your teeth contain a hard outer layer, your enamel, which does not contain nerve endings, while the soft inner part of your tooth, the dentin, does have nerve endings.
If your enamel wears thin and the dentin becomes exposed, it can quickly become a very painful situation. Hot and cold foods and beverages will trigger those nerve endings which can be excruciating.
The main active ingredient in the Sensodyne Rapid Relief Toothpaste is something called stannous fluoride. The purpose of stannous fluoride is to build a protective layer over your exposed dentin.
After using stannous fluoride regularly, enough of a coating should be deposited so that the exposed dentin is no longer triggered.
Let’s now go over the positives and negatives of this toothpaste.
Positives
The main positive of this toothpaste is that it works fast.
If you’re just in a crazy amount of pain and you need results, this toothpaste is the one for you. The majority of reviews for this product state that it improved their sensitivity in less than three days.
It is highly effective at protecting exposed dentin, so if that’s the cause of your sensitive teeth, Sensodyne Rapid Relief can help.
Negatives
Unfortunately, as miraculous as this toothpaste sounds, there are some negatives.
For one, if your sensitivity does not come from exposed dentin, there won’t be much that this toothpaste can do to help you. Secondly, it contains an ingredient called sodium lauryl sulfate, which many people, myself included, have a strong sensitivity to.
In those sensitive to it, sodium lauryl sulfate can cause severe mouth sores and gum irritation. If you already have sensitive teeth, the last thing you want to be doing is irritating the rest of your mouth.
2. Parodontax Complete Protection Toothpaste
Although not advertised as a sensitive toothpaste, many recommend Parodontax Complete Protection Toothpaste from Amazon.com as their go-to toothpaste when their teeth are feeling sensitive.
This is because of the main active ingredient, stannous fluoride.
When you read their advertising, the brand advertises the stannous fluoride as an antigingivitis toothpaste. This means that it is intended to help seal the space between the gums and the teeth and prevent bacteria from entering that area and causing gingivitis.
Fortunately, stannous fluoride has more than one use, and while it will do everything that it is advertised to, such as keeping the gums sealed and removing 3x more plaque, it will also help protect any exposed dentin.
Exposed dentin is an extremely common problem, and it’s chronic.
So while other causes of sensitive teeth may be temporary, such as inflamed gums due to some sort of environmental irritation, your enamel isn’t coming back. The best thing that you can do is use some sort of toothpaste with stannous fluoride, such as the Parodontax Complete Protection, as it will help fill in the holes in your enamel with a protective coating.
Let’s take a look at the positives and negatives of this toothpaste now.
Positives
The positives of this toothpaste are that it not only treats sensitive teeth it is also designed to protect and heal your gums. Receding gums can be another cause of sensitive teeth. If you think that may be part of your issue, there’s no harm in trying this toothpaste to see if it can help tighten your gums as well.
Negatives
The main negative that is mentioned in the reviews of this product is the flavor.
The taste is very intense and different from the average minty toothpaste, but it seems that nobody described it as intolerable.
One thing to keep in mind with this toothpaste is that it contains sodium lauryl sulfate, just like the Sensodyne toothpaste. If you have a sensitivity to that component, then this is another toothpaste to steer clear of.
3. Tom’s Sensitive Toothpaste
If you’re looking for a natural alternative to the previously mentioned toothpaste options, then Tom’s Sensitive Toothpaste could be a great option.
Tom’s Sensitive Toothpaste is a fluoride-free toothpaste that relies on alternative sensitivity treating ingredients. The toothpaste uses arginine and calcium carbonate to help seal the teeth against painful nerve stimulation.
The active ingredients are intended to fulfill the same purpose as stannous fluoride, just in a more natural way or as an alternative for those that do not use fluoride.
However, because they are more natural than the traditional stannous fluoride, they also won’t be as instantly effective as the previously mentioned toothpaste. While the active ingredients in this toothpaste will still deliver results, it may take longer than it would with stronger chemicals.
While it seems that Tom’s is a great brand to choose, there are some positives and negatives associated with it. Let’s look at them now.
Positives
The main advantages of this product are in what it does not contain.
In recent years fluoride has become a hot topic, with many questioning whether or not it provides the benefits it claims. So, if you’re on the no fluoride train, you can still get some great sensitivity relief without needing to put any fluoride in your mouth.
Negatives
Just like the other kinds of toothpaste on this list, this product contains sodium lauryl sulfate.
This might come as a shock if you purchased the toothpaste, thinking that you would be avoiding harsh chemicals. Sodium lauryl sulfate isn’t considered a toxic ingredient, so it is included.
However, if you’re sensitive to it, you should probably avoid this toothpaste just in case it causes a reaction.
Another thing to keep in mind is that natural isn’t always better in terms of sensitivity to ingredients. For example, for many people, essential oils are just as or even more irritating than pre-packaged fragrances. If you decide to go with Tom’s Sensitive Toothpaste, I would highly recommend reading through the ingredients first to ensure you won’t be ingesting anything you have a known sensitivity to.
Finally, remember that this toothpaste does not contain fluoride.
If you are looking for strong cavity prevention in addition to sensitivity relief, this toothpaste may not be for you. Fluoride is the main ingredient used to prevent cavities. If fluoride is not included, the toothpaste’s cavity-fighting properties will be weaker than traditional fluoride toothpaste.
