Bernie begs to know…My teeth are really sensitive to hot and cold. Would a natural toothpaste be better for me?

The Right Brain bites back:
Before we address the “natural” part of your question, let’s talk a little about toothpaste for sensitive teeth.

How does toothpaste for sensitive teeth work?

Most of the time the roots of your teeth are covered in protective layers of enamel and cementum. But when these layers are partially worn away, the next layer, called the dentin, is exposed. Dentin contains microscopic tubes through which hot and cold materials can pass, causing a painful sensation from the root.

According to the American Dental Association, Sensitive teeth products work by desensitizing the nerve – they actually contain compounds that block the nerve sensation from traveling down those tiny tubes. No pain signal to the root – problem solved. Or at least made to feel a little bit better, you still have to treat the cause which is poor enamel coverage.

So what ingredients are magical nerve blockers? There are two types of salts that are commonly used: potassium nitrate and strontium chloride.  Potassium nitrate inhibits the sensory nerve endings from repolarizing which reduces the  pain response. Strontium chloride covers up the openings of the dentinal tubules which reduces fluid flow to the nerve. (Source)

Natural toothpaste

So the key is buying a toothpaste with one of those active ingredients. Does “natural” make a difference? Not in terms of performance but Tom’s of Maine does offer a natural toothpaste containing potassium nitrate made from naturally occurring ores instead of the standard process of reacting ammonia and nitric acid.

The Beauty Brains bottom line

Natural or not, the key to treating sensitive teeth is choosing a product that contains efficacious ingredients.

Are you stricken with sensitive teeth? What’s worked for you? Leave a comment and share your thoughts with the rest of the Beauty Brains community.

Mid Brain reports:

Cosmetics and Toiletries magazine cites a tasty piece of research done by the Monell Chemical Senses Center:

Monell Chemical Senses Center announced that a scientific paradox linking artificial sweeteners with a sensory experience, in which plain water takes on a sweet taste, has guided researchers to an increased understanding of how humans detect sweet taste. As reported in Nature, scientists from Monell describe how certain artificial sweeteners, including sodium saccharin and acesulfame-K, paradoxically inhibit sweet taste at high concentrations. The researchers further reported that taste perception switches back to sweetness when these high concentrations are rinsed from the mouth with water, resulting in the aftertaste experience known as sweet water taste.

Well Beauty Brains, what does this have to do with personal care products, you ask? Well, imagine a mouthwash or toothpaste that doesn’t taste sweet when you use it, but “magically” makes anything you drink AFTER you brush your teeth taste sweet! Is it really possible? We’re not sure, but the concept of a Stealth Sweetener is intriguing.

Mid Brain resurrects a feature from the early days of the Beauty Brains: Actual Ads!

Mouthwash – it’s not just for breakfast anymore…

You have to admire the scare tactic taken by this particular ad:

“Not until the last vestige of dandruff is gone, can you be considered a fastidious person, acceptable socially.”

Apparently, the threat of “non-fastidiousness” was sufficient to drive even the most callous dandruff sufferer to try virtually ANY product to rid them themselves of those unsightly flakes.

Helpful halitosis

One has to wonder if this advertising approach was dropped once the marketers of Listerine realized they could boost sales just as well by scaring people with the threat of bad breath.

Mid Brain muses

Sure, there are lots of negative things associated with microbes, but we’re happy to report that they’re not all bad. While you’ve probably heard of probiotics, you probably haven’t heard about these organisms. Researchers are reporting here that they’ve isolated a bacterium that can actually remove foul odors linked to bad breath and stinky feet.

Natural cure for odor

These micro organisms, known as methylotrophic bacteria, are odor eaters that feast on the smelly sulfur-containing compounds produced inside your mouth during the digestive process. They are naturally found inside your mouth but at relatively low levels. Scientists believe that increasing the levels of these beneficial organisms (through a mouthwash or toothpaste) can lead to natural, long lasting solutions to bad breath. Similar organisms were previously found living on feet. In the future, they may be formulated into a lotion to stop smelly feet.

The Beauty Brains bottom line

As regulars of the Beauty Brains community know, we love natural products! And nothing gets more natural than bacteria. Rubbing them on your feet or rinsing them in your mouth may not sound appealing, but they just may be the most natural way to solve some real cosmetic problems.

Do you suffer from smelly feet or bad breath? Be bold and leave a comment and tell us how you deal with the problem. 

Jnnfri asks…Do I have to be worried about the dyes in toothpastes attributing to tooth discoloration?

The Right Brain’s toothless grin:

Relax, Jnn, toothpastes are not the enemy of white teeth. There are many things that are worse! So before we talk about toothpaste dyes, lets talk about what really causes dark stains.

Tooth terrors

Animated Teeth has a nice discussion about the real culprits that cause darkened teeth: years of exposure to chromogenic agents such as tea, coffee, colas, tobacco products. Food residues can also cause staining and some medicines also contribute to the problem. If you want even more information to chew on you can check out this highly detailed article from Dr. Ross Kerr, DDS that expands further on the causes of tooth discoloration by explaining tooth structure and the chemistry of the staining materials.

So what about toothpastes?

We did a quick survey of  toothpaste dyes and found that Blue 1, Red 30 and Yellow 5 are commonly used in products like Crest, Colgate, Arm and Hammer and Mentadent. We couldn’t find any references indicating that these dyes change the  color of  the teeth.  That’s not surprising since these dyes are 1) very water soluble (so they rinse away easily); 2) are used at very low levels in toothpastes, and 3) are only in contact with your teeth for a very short period of time before they are rinsed away.  We also confirmed that the American Dental Association allows the use of these dyes in whitening toothpastes. 

The Beauty Brains bottom line

There doesn’t appear to be cause for concern about staining your teeth with toothpaste. But if you’re still skeptical, feel free to use a whitening toothpaste that doesn’t contain any dyes. There are plenty of those on the market as well (like Ultra Brite Advanced Whitening Fluoride Toothpaste and Sensodyne Toothpaste for Sensitive Teeth, Extra Whitening.)

Does anyone have a favorite tooth whitening product they’d like to share? Leave a comment for the rest of the Beauty Brains community.