Review from a Dental Assistant
I am so glad Tom's of Maine now makes a Rapid Relief Sensitive toothpaste. Prior to this, I was using the Whole Care toothpaste which is great, but doesn't address a targeted concern. I am a dental assistant so I have a lot of experience both work related and personal when it comes to tooth sensitivity. I like that this toothpaste came with a little pamphlet inside explaining what it is that causes it, as well as how this toothpaste addresses the issue. So basically the dentin (soft tissue of the tooth) that's usually covered by your gums is exposed. There's a number of things that can cause this to happen ranging from improper brushing, to bruxisim (teeth grinding). It causes recession (loss of gingiva) and exposes the dentin. The dentin has a bunch of teeny tiny holes that lead to the pulp (nerve of your tooth), and when things touch the dentin and get in those holes it causes sensitivity and sometimes pain. Now, unfortunately we can't re-grow our gingiva so we have to treat it as best we can. Some extreme cases patients will have a gingival graft which is basically a transplant where they will graft gum tissue to the exposed dentin to cover it back up again. For less extreme cases, the dentist will prescribe a fluoride toothpaste that has a high content of Potassium Nitrate. You will find these in toothpastes that directly target tooth sensitivity (Sensodyne, etc...). Tom's makes a version of sensitive toothpaste that contains Potassium Nitrate, here is the link to check it out on Amazon: Tom's Of Maine, Toothpaste, Sensitive, Antiplaque, Soothing Mint, 4 oz The potassium nitrate basically has an anesthetic effect where it numbs the area so you don't experience the sensitivity. This Rapid Relief says it actually creates a barrier, overtime, to plug the microscopic holes in the dentin. It will be interesting to see how long that takes, or if it even does anything. So far I have been using this toothpaste for a week and if I touch the exposed dentin I currently have, it is still very sensitive and slightly painful. This purchase includes TWO of the Rapid Relief Sensitive toothpastes, so it's a good deal. I hope they start selling this formula in stores, along with the other Tom's toothpastes. As far as tips I have for patients using this toothpaste, or any for sensitive teeth: * Make sure to brush for a minimum of one minute * Make sure you brush the areas where your teeth meet your gums, your gums are important too! * When you are done brushing, spit out the toothpaste and DO NOT RINSE your mouth. This removes the coating the toothpaste leaves over your teeth and basically prevents the toothpaste from doing what it's supposed to do. * After brushing, wait a minimum of ten minutes before eating or drinking anything * In-between brushing you can take a small amount of this toothpaste on your finger and gently rub the area that's causing sensitivity. Again, this should be done for up to a minute if possible, and do not rinse, eat or drink for at least ten minutes afterwards. As always, makes sure you get a regular dental check-up at least once a year. If you have any questions please comment below, but I am NOT a doctor and cannot diagnose you and your symptoms. Comments should be questions about this specific toothpaste. I will do my best to answer them for you. *UPDATE* I've been using this toothpaste twice daily (morning and evening) for a month. This toothpaste has helped with eating and drinking cold items within the first week of use. Now, after four weeks of consistent use, it has also helped with sensitivity to touch. Before, the bristles of my toothbrush would cause discomfort so I would brush really slow and gentle in the area with recession/exposed dentin. Now I can brush normal and even when I touch the area with my finger and rub up and down there is NO PAIN (previously if I did this it would send what felt like lightning bolts of pain shooting through the area). This toothpaste really does seem to create a barrier by plugging the holes in the dentin instead of just numbing the area. I will definitely continue to purchase this toothpaste because it works miracles. Read more