Introduction
Do you feel a sudden pain immediately after eating anything hot or cold, then you may have teeth sensitivity. Medically, sensitivity in your teeth is known as dentin hypersensitivity which is caused due to the enamel wearing off.
There are a number of things that can be used to reduce sensitivity. In this blog we’ll understand a highly sought solution, Potassium Nitrate, since Potassium Nitrate for teeth sensitivity has been found to work quite well over the years.
What is Potassium Nitrate?
Potassium nitrate is a chemical compound, represented by the formula KnO3. It is used for a variety of purposes thanks to its strong oxidizing nature. In toothpaste it is primarily used to minimise sensitivity.
Regularly brushing with a potassium nitrate-based toothpaste creates a “shield” which protects your teeth from any pain and discomfort by blocking the pain signal from reaching your brain.
How Does Potassium Nitrate Help Sensitive Teeth?
Potassium nitrate works well for sensitive teeth because of it’s desensitising nature. It creates a “shield” which blocks pain signals hence calming the nerves. Here’s an overview of how it can help your sensitive teeth:
- Blocks Signals- It blocks the pain signals to your brain due to which you do not feel any pain or discomfort.
- Shields Teeth- Potassium nitrate creates a coated shield for teeth that reduces sensitivity.
- Calms Nerves- Potassium nitrate helps calm the nerves in your teeth by making them less reactive to stimuli like cold and hot foods.
- Targets the Root Cause- Potassium nitrate targets the source signal and prevents it from reaching the brain.
Benefits of Using Potassium Nitrate for Tooth Sensitivity
The use of potassium nitrate toothpaste benefits the user heavily. Which is why it has been popular and the preferred choice for sensitivity toothpaste in oral care;
- Desensitizing action- Potassium nitrate helps calm the nerves inside your teeth. It also blocks the pain signals from reaching your brain.
- Long-lasting relief- Brushing your teeth with potassium nitrate toothpaste benefits in long-lasting pain relief from sensitivity.
- Gentle on enamel- Potassium nitrate based toothpaste is not harsh or abrasive. So, it does not wear the enamel away.
- Combats sensitivity triggers- Potassium nitrate reduces tooth sensitivity triggers such as hot and cold food items.
How to Choose the Right Toothpaste with Potassium Nitrate?
If you have sensitive teeth and are using a regular toothpaste, it might not be the best choice for you. The regular toothpaste might help with your cleaning needs but won’t help in improving the situation with regards to the prevalent sensitivity.
Potassium nitrate works best for sensitive teeth which is why Potassium nitrate-based toothpaste is ideal because it’ll help you overcome sensitivity and also help with the basic cleaning and up-keep needs.
The key points to remember while choosing the right toothpaste-
- Label- You must check the ingredients of the toothpaste while purchasing and make sure that Potassium Nitrate is one of the top ingredients.
- Additional ingredients- Check for combined ingredients with potassium nitrate. Many toothpastes combine potassium nitrate with sodium fluoride, sodium monofluorophosphate, paeonol, strontium chloride, hydrated silica and titanium dioxide for gum health helping improve oral health. Also make sure that there aren’t any harmful ingredients like SLS in the toothpaste.
How to Use Potassium Nitrate Toothpaste Effectively?
Potassium nitrate has many benefits for your teeth, it is not only a good choice for sensitive teeth but also reduces decay. To effectively use, follow the following steps.
- Brush Regularly- Brush with potassium nitrate toothpaste twice daily for best results. For better results, be consistent while using potassium nitrate toothpaste.
- Apply to sensitive areas- The most effective way to use potassium nitrate for sensitive teeth is by applying it on the affected teeth.
- Limit rinsing- After brushing your teeth, spit out the toothpaste and avoid rinsing, it might lower the effect.
- Use toothbrush with soft-bristle- Using a soft-bristle toothbrush helps in reducing irritation in your teeth.
In case you want to know how exactly these toothpaste work you can check it out here - how sensitivity toothpastes work.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Is potassium nitrate OK in toothpaste?
Answer- Yes, it is safe to use toothpaste that have potassium nitrate. Potassium nitrate toothpaste has tremendous benefits for sensitive teeth and is used in all tooth-sensitivity toothpaste.
2. Does potassium nitrate rebuild enamel?
Answer- Potassium is used for reducing sensitivity in your teeth and not remineralisation. Potassium nitrate provides a natural coat around your teeth to reduce sensitivity and pain.
3. What is potassium nitrate paste used for?
Answer- Potassium nitrate works best for sensitive teeth and it primarily does that by providing a coat over your teeth while also helping in preventing tooth decay.