Why fluoride?

Fluoride occurs naturally in our environment and is always present in our lives. Exposure can occur through dietary intake, respiration, and water. There is great supporting evidence that toothpaste containing 1000 to 1250 ppm fluoride is more effective than non-fluoride toothpaste. Fluoride has multiple actions; it can prevent decay by strengthening the tooth surface and by it’s antibacterial effects. Fluoride strengthens the tooth surface by forming. This tooth surface is more resistant to demineralisation (which results in tooth decay/caries). The antibacterial action of fluoride can be by inhibiting bacterial growth (by changing the environment). It is important to acknowledge that these concentrations are for adults and should not be swallowed. Fluoride can be toxic in extremely high concentrations, however it`s topical use at these concentrations are safe. It is important to acknowledge that these concentrations are for adults and should not be swallowed. Remember that brushing with fluoride is only one aspect of disease control (learn more about the other factors here). Fluoride is often not sufficient to control dental caries in high risk patients. Speak to your oral health practitioner about other topical therapies and dietary modifications (learn more about diet here). that can be employed to decrease growth of cariogenic bacteria (decay causing) and to impact the capacity of dental plaque organisms (e.g. antimicrobials) to cause cavities.

How can toothpaste help with sensitivity?

Dentine hypersensitivity is a common oral pain condition affecting the teeth of many individuals. But before being able to treat it you need to understand why it is occurring.
Your tooth is like a cake and it is made up of 3 layers. You have a thick white dense layer like the icing on a wedding cake which is your enamel, followed by a layer called dentine that has microscopic holes in it like a sponge cake. The final layer is called the pulp and is analogous to the jam layer in a cake. It contains blood (that transports nutrients and defence cells) and nerves (tha send pain and response signals to the brain). (learn more about tooth anatomy here).

Overtime, due to different reasons such as tooth wear from aggressive brushing or gum disease, the second spongy layer called dentine can be exposed to the oral environment. Although it is debated in the literature, the current accepted explanation is the hydrodynamic mechanism, which is explained by the following. The spongy layer/dentine has natural holes (tubes) that can communicate with the jam layer/pulp (nerve and blood supply). When you have cold water or ice-cream, you can cause fluid to move through these tubes. This can irritate the nerve resulting in a sharp pain being signalled by the brain. In order to treat this, scientists have invented a toothpaste that helps to block the fluid from moving through the tube and therefore blocking this signal from reaching the brain. This can be done in different ways.
1. Arginine & Calcium carbonate (Colgate Pro-relief) & Strontium Chloride (Sensodyne) Works by blocking the exposed tubules (holes) within dentine (spongy layer). Therefore, preventing fluid movement to the nerve.
2. Potassium nitrate (Pro-enamel) Works by numbing the nerve cells of the tooth, to prevent transmitting pain signals to the brain.
3. NovaMin Technology (Sensodyne repair & protect) Can repair vulnerable areas by forming a mineral layer over the exposed dentine.



• Tip 1: It is important to understand that it takes time for the toothpaste to build up to a level where it can affectively block or numb all the open holes/tubes (sometimes it can take up to a week).
• Tip 2: Remember that the toothpaste will wear away over the day so near the evening you may feel the pain again. Sometimes you may just apply more desensitising toothpaste with your finger at this time.
• Tip 3: Remember to spit not rinse, because if you are rinsing then you will dilute the toothpaste and its effects.