# Lifestyles & Discussion > Personal Health & Well-Being >  Sensitive teeth and fluoridated toothpaste?

## Lishy

Hey guys. Since I know a lot of people here are more involved with the fluoride issue, I thought I should ask.

Lately my front teeth have been very sensitive, specifically, to cold sensations. In fact, it is actually TORTUROUS if ice cream touches it while I eat (the back or front of the front teeth) So I cannot bare to eat ice cream unless it goes directly to the back of my mouth. 

I have no history of cavities. Ever. Although I do have lots of plaque, especially on these said sensitive teeth. However, I do remember to brush twice a day. The only thing notable is I had two of my front teeth removed when I was little.. I don't know why, but I remember as a kid I was hit directly at my mouth and it was constantly sore until I had those teeth removed. But I was just a little child. It may or may not be related.

Anyways, a family member of mine who use to work as a dental assistant bought me some "Colgate PreviDent BOOSTER". Here's the thing though. Right below the title it says "*1.1% Sodium Fluoride*" (And below it says "High Strength Fluoride Toothpaste" and "Spearmint Liquid Gel")

Now, this sensitivity issue is REALLY bothering me, and I would LOVE to do something about it! Brushing twice a day does not seem to do anything to make this better, and it in fact gets WORSE as I grow older!

So do you think I should use the toothpaste or not? They're marketing fluoride as if it is a good thing... I mean, I do know fluoride DOES work somewhat in protecting teeth when applied directly to the teeth, since a chemist friend of mine explained once how it works (I forgot his explanation, though he DID debunk Water Fluoridation since water does not touch most your teeth when you drink from a glass or bottle....)

It's probably not a big deal anyways since I use to get fluoride treatments from the dentist all the time, where I would bite down on a cup with the fluoride in it and the dentist would suck it out with a tube,

Still, I want the RPF perspective on this: Would such a toothpaste even accomplish what I want it to do? (Reduce sensitivity?) Or, from an educated standpoint, do you think it's just a load of crap, and unnecessary fluoride intake?

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## AdelaideGUy

Try it for a while, try not to swallow it

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## Keith and stuff

You could go several routes with this while still following modern medicine.  I have no idea about methods besides the modern, western medicine methods.  Maybe someone else knows.

1. Try Dr. Collins Restore Toothpaste
2. Try Dr. Collins Restore Toothpaste and a fluoride rinse like ACT
3. Try Sensodyne
4. Try brushing once a day with Sensodyne and once a day with Dr. Collins Restore Toothpaste
5. Do whatever the medical expert you know recommends

If a method doesn't help after a couple months, move on to another method.

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## specsaregood

Personally, I'd try bushing with a toothpaste with xylitol for awhile, or at least get some xylitol gum to chew.  




> These results indicate that xylitol can induce remineralization of deeper layers of demineralized enamel by facilitating Ca2+ movement and accessibility
> 
> http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1...ubmed_RVDocSum


I like the "kiss my face" brand.

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## Working Poor

Try oil pulling it is great for teeth.

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## Kluge

I bashed my two front teeth pretty hard when I was a kid (sled riding on ice is fun, but not wise), and cracked half of one off. I went for years just having the composite done and redone on the one tooth, but they eventually got super-sensitive to heat/cold and I was having "electrical" twinges going through them randomly. The nerves eventually died and I had to get root canals. If that's the case for you, I don't think any homeopathic remedy will work.

I highly recommend ponying up the money and getting ceramic replacements if that's the route you go. Cost me over 2k, but they're indistinguishable from real teeth and last over 30 years, so long as you don't break them on something else.

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## BlackTerrel

> I highly recommend ponying up the money and getting ceramic replacements if that's the route you go. Cost me over 2k, but they're indistinguishable from real teeth and last over 30 years, so long as you don't break them on something else.


2K for the pair or for one?  Do you still need to brush/maintain them?

I am having a bunch of sensitive tooth problems lately and think I might need to go this route as well.  But I'm worried about the cost because it could be 8-10 teeth.

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## Kluge

> 2K for the pair or for one?  Do you still need to brush/maintain them?
> 
> I am having a bunch of sensitive tooth problems lately and think I might need to go this route as well.  But I'm worried about the cost because it could be 8-10 teeth.


1k each. That was in Baltimore. It will cost you, but damn it really is worth it. Composites stain more readily than your teeth and you have to get them redone every 2-3 years, and I can not stand the needle to the center gums (feels like it's going into your sinuses.) So you will actually pay more over time if you go the composite route. I think it would have cost me around $500 or so for composites and the root canal (only needed one). 

I would ask around, since many dentists still deal with out of pocket customers. Of course you'll probably want to get a few recommendations on what the latest technology is. There were different grades, and they do the process in two stages (at least for me.) So you'll probably need two separate appointments. I would have done it long ago if I'd known. 

Oh, and yeah, they're just like your own teeth, so they need the same maintenance. They'll never get a cavity, but it's your gums that you're maintaining and if you drink dark liquids, I imagine they could get stained over time (red wine, coffee, grape juice, etc.) 

If you're into boxing, street fighting or hockey, just know that they can break like real teeth, so if you do those things, it may not be worth the cost.

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## FindLiberty

Consider going to a good dentist!

A low power X-ray (using modern electronic imaging) can rule out or identify common causes of sensitivity ...before selecting the best treatment option(s).

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## Kluge

As an afterthought, if the sensitivity is minor, and you're willing to stay completely on top of your dental care, use the xylitol as specs suggested, and also try supplementing with alpha lipoic acid and l-arginine, perhaps a good B vitamin too.

I haven't the foggiest notion of whether or not it could help repair the tooth nerve, but they've been shown to help repair other nerve damage in the body. Look up all three, and be aggressive with brushing and flossing (well, don't floss aggressively, you know what I mean). I doubt it would work for major damage, but it's worth a shot if it's minor and the pain is manageable. I've had a Sonicare electric toothbrush that is also fantastic, do all three cycles 2x/day (regular teeth brushing, gum/tongue brush, gum massage--takes 2 minutes.) Amazon has them for $40 now, which is great considering that mine cost around $120 or so several years ago. http://www.amazon.com/Philips-HX5351...6356487&sr=1-1

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## Invi

> You could go several routes with this while still following modern medicine.  I have no idea about methods besides the modern, western medicine methods.  Maybe someone else knows.
> 
> 1. Try Dr. Collins Restore Toothpaste
> 2. Try Dr. Collins Restore Toothpaste and a fluoride rinse like ACT
> 3. Try Sensodyne
> 4. Try brushing once a day with Sensodyne and once a day with Dr. Collins Restore Toothpaste
> 5. Do whatever the medical expert you know recommends
> 
> If a method doesn't help after a couple months, move on to another method.


I second trying Dr. Collins Restore.
I loved that stuff. We use Burt's Bees fluoride-free now, because of something in the Restore, can't remember what exactly, but when I was using the Restore, my teeth got whiter and they became less sensitive. I was very happy with that. Pretty sure it's because of the NovaMin.

Xylitol gum is also good to have on hand.

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## youngbuck

I've successfully reversed several small cavities by supplementing with vitamin K2 over the period of a few months.  At the same time, I ate a healthy diet to get plenty of minerals (including raw milk for calcium and other minerals), avoided sugar and simple carbs which really fuel tooth decay, also supplemented with magnesium which is very important for bone health, and got plenty of sunshine for vitamin D which is also important for bone health.  No dentist visit necessary.

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## Kluge

> I've successfully reversed several small cavities by supplementing with vitamin K2 over the period of a few months.  At the same time, I ate a healthy diet to get plenty of minerals (including raw milk for calcium and other minerals), avoided sugar and simple carbs which really fuel tooth decay, also supplemented with magnesium which is very important for bone health, and got plenty of sunshine for vitamin D which is also important for bone health.  No dentist visit necessary.


Sounds like a good plan, but I just wanted to warn people to be cautious about vitamin K, it is toxic in large doses.

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## specsaregood

> I've had a Sonicare electric toothbrush that is also fantastic, do all three cycles 2x/day (regular teeth brushing, gum/tongue brush, gum massage--takes 2 minutes.) Amazon has them for $40 now, which is great considering that mine cost around $120 or so several years ago. http://www.amazon.com/Philips-HX5351...6356487&sr=1-1


We've got that same toothbrush, love it.

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## youngbuck

> Sounds like a good plan, but I just wanted to warn people to be cautious about vitamin K, it is toxic in large doses.


Actually, I believe that there is no proven toxic dose of Vitamin K*2* (menaquinone 4 & 7).  Maybe there is, but I know I read a study by Japanese researchers using K2 to treat osteoporosis, and they determined that doses of 10-15mg were perfectly safe.  For the purposes of my teeth, I took 2mg daily. However, _you definitely don't want to take too much Vitamin K1 (_phylloquinone/phytonadione), which is what your body uses for blood clotting.

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## wrestlingwes_8

The health of someone's teeth is usually a good indicator for the overall health of the person.  Cavities, sensitivity problems, tooth loss, and gum diseases are almost always the sign of some overall health problem.  By avoiding processed foods, sugar, and excess sodium and fats and eating more vegetables (especially greens) and fruits you could probably reverse these problems.  It has been proven time and time again that dental problems are almost always linked to poor diets.  Back in the 1700s and 1800s when new indigenous tribes were being discovered on ocean islands and remote corners of the globe, the original explorers almost always noted or documented the impressive dental health of the native inhabitants.  This was very surprising to the explorers because many of the tribes did not practice any form of dental hygiene.  Years later when processed foods slowly became more and more prevalent in these areas, the tribes usually experienced severe tooth decay because they did not "brush their teeth" like so many Western cultures do.

As far as a toothpaste goes, either buy an organic, non-chemical toothpaste or just brush with sodium bicarbonate and hydrogen peroxide.  I can't believe people put something in their mouth that tells them to call Poison Control if they swallow more than a pea size portion.  The cans that paint thinner comes in says the same thing, would you put that in your mouth?  Fluoride is a chemical and a poison; avoid it at all costs. 


By trying different toothpastes and going to the dentist you are only treating the SYMPTOMS, not addressing the root problem.

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## specsaregood

> Back in the 1700s and 1800s when new indigenous tribes were being discovered on ocean islands and remote corners of the globe, the original explorers almost always noted or documented the impressive dental health of the native inhabitants.


I wonder if another explanation is that these isolated tribes didn't have the bacteria that causes cavities.  You aren't born with the ability to get cavities, you get the bacteria that causes them usually from parents and others around you.  So if it didn't exist on those islands/remote corners, nobody would have cavities, regardless of diet or brushing habits.

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## wrestlingwes_8

> I wonder if another explanation is that these isolated tribes didn't have the bacteria that causes cavities.  You aren't born with the ability to get cavities, you get the bacteria that causes them usually from parents and others around you.  So if it didn't exist on those islands/remote corners, nobody would have cavities, regardless of diet or brushing habits.


There are many people in the world that do not brush their teeth and show no signs of cavities.  As long as you're eating a very healthy diet, you're teeth will not become susceptible to these bacteria.  Also, things like sugar and processed foods give these bacteria a food source to grow and multiply, making the cavity worse.  The same goes for any health related issue; everyone in your house could have a cold but if you are eating healthy, getting enough sleep and exercising, you can avoid catching it.  Doctors and scientists have purposely exposed themselves to serious viruses and bacterias before to prove that their superior health makes them essentially immune.  

Diseases, viruses, bacterias, and molds do NOT strike at random, like a meteor falling from the sky.  They are the SYMPTOMS of a system that is under distress.  To give you an easy comparison, think about the places you see weeds, such as dandelions, around your neighborhood.  They are usually found in places where the soil has either been recently disturbed, overly used or polluted; construction areas, parking lots, etc.  I could have a piece of ground right next to all these invasive weeds and as long as I had a diversity of grasses and forbs, provided nourishment such as organic compost and water, and didn't dump a bunch of chemicals on it, I would not have a problem with dandelions, crabgrass, etc.  The seeds of these weeds are indeed landing on my piece of ground but because the soil and overall micro-ecosystem is healthy, weeds will not be a problem for me.  The same goes for your body or ANY other system in our natural world.

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## The Free Hornet

I sometimes get gum inflammation - likely from too many sweets and too little brushing.  I have found that garlic capsules from the supplement section to be a great relief and all I need.  I just pop them in my mouth and swish around the garlic goo.



Vs.

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## dannno

> I've successfully reversed several small cavities by supplementing with vitamin K2 over the period of a few months.  At the same time, I ate a healthy diet to get plenty of minerals (including raw milk for calcium and other minerals), avoided sugar and simple carbs which really fuel tooth decay, also supplemented with magnesium which is very important for bone health, and got plenty of sunshine for vitamin D which is also important for bone health.  No dentist visit necessary.




^^THIS IS THE BEST ANSWER!!^^ (also see Post #18)


That's right, just like everything else, it's your DIET!! 

Make sure you are getting enough calcium and magnesium and other minerals in your diet... If you aren't, be sure to supplement them in!

Also, vitamin K-2 is important to supplement if you aren't getting enough in your diet because it helps ensure that the calcium that you are taking is deposited into the correct spots (where it may be lacking in your teeth, bones, etc), and also helps make sure it is not being deposited in the wrong spots (prevents calcium deposits).

Also, Vitamin D is very important, make sure you are getting enough sun or else supplement some D-3 at 3,000 or 5,000 IU.

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## papitosabe

we should have a vitamin thread...i always learn something here

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## papitosabe

> Try oil pulling it is great for teeth.


anyone tried this?

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## dannno

> anyone tried this?


The theory is a lot of the toxic build up that occurs in your body occurs around the jaw. If you know how seasoning pans and skillets work, then this is pretty similar. The oil gets trapped in the pours of your teeth as you swish it around. As the oil gets pulled out of your teeth via gravity, it begins pulling a lot of that toxic material into your teeth, and then out into your mouth. In theory, if you do it for a long time then you can significantly reduce the amount of toxic material around the jaw and have much cleaner oral health as well as increase overall health and well being.

I tried it for a little bit. I will say it is very inexpensive, if you can find 20 minutes in the morning to do it then it's probably worth trying, imo. I might try doing it again one of these days.

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