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For the last couple of weeks, I have noticed advertisements for dental creams which proclaim to cure dental sensitivity. For many years, such advertisements used to be print media but now are seen in electronic media.
Many of our patients know almost 2-3 brands of such dental pastes meant to cure “dental sensitivity” —so nicely explained in the TV advertisements.
But such self-medication is bad. It needs to be understood that healthy teeth are not sensitive to hot and cold stimuli. But what about the “shooting” sensation that we all have experienced at times while taking ice-cream. However, it lasts for a couple of seconds and then vanishes.
If people start using medicated dental creams themselves for taking care of their sensitive teeth, it is not okay. Without getting into the underlying cause of sensitive teeth, if we start rubbing these creams on teeth, it will not affect the normal course of disease. Rather it would give a false sense of security to the person –that’s all.
Sensitive teeth are required to be seen by a qualified dentist to know the reason. There are mainly three reasons for such a problem..
1.    Dental caries – Teeth with carious cavities lead to dental sensitivity and in the earlier stages, it is transient – just for the time till the hot/cold stuff is in the mouth. You see that is a warning sign that the cavity requires restoration. However, if this is ignored, then the sensitivity of longer duration sets in. In most of such case, we have to resort to Root canal treatment etc.
2.    Incorrect brushing – Incorrect brushing style abrades the dental coverings leading to sensitivity.  Relying on friends’ advice, those de-sensitizing dental creams are started. However, that’s not the solution.  The proper treatment requires advice on correct brushing techniques and also taking care of the clefts/defects caused by “rash” brushing by suitable restorations.
3.    Pyorrhoea – many patients who are having long-standing pyorrhea also complain of this dental sensitivity. Unfortunately, in our country the disease burden is so high and most of patients are unable to get complete gum treatment (periodontal disease) due to 101 reasons.  So, they think that using such dental creams will at least take care of their problem of hot and cold sensation, but they are mistaken.
Dental Sensitivity due to pyorrhea can only go away after proper gum treatment by a qualified dentist and if need be, by a qualified periodontist. But it looks nice to write only, only a fraction of patients are able to afford that (101 reasons!).
The dental sensitivity creams are being prescribed by qualified dentists for very short durations but if the patients continue to use such medicaments for years on and on …..then whom to blame!
Will the people stop using such creams without any prescription after reading this? —well, that’s is just a wishful thinking, nothing else.  Somehow, I am  so very much allergic to such advertisements prompting masses to rush to market to grab such “miraculous” remedies.