Sensodyne, though a little pricier than the average sensitivity toothpaste brand, is worth the extra cost, and we can tell you why. 

At Adam Brown, DDS we recommend Sensodyne to all of our customers. Whatever your experience with sensitivity is, it is always a good idea to safeguard yourself against potential pains since there are no negative effects of using a sensitivity toothpaste. Not only does Sensodyne protect against pain, but it also comes without the addition of added chemicals that can erode enamel and damage your gums.

But more on the health benefits of using Sensodyne here in a bit. Let’s look at that price difference.

At Adam Brown, DDS we took to the internet to find out how Sensodyne typically compares with a leading sensitivity competitor, Aquafresh sensitive. The first thing we looked at is the difference in price between the two kinds of toothpaste:

• Sensodyne rings up at just over $4.00 at Walmart, where Aquafresh runs at about $2.75.

That price difference can be enough to initially turn you off to the idea of using Sensodyne, but it’s important to remember that sometimes with higher prices you are paying for higher quality—and this is one of those times.

In order to analyze the quality of each toothpaste, we had different reviewers use the two different kinds of toothpaste for one week each. Each of the reviewers spent one week with Sensodyne, switched to their normal toothpaste for one week then used Aquafresh for a week.

The results ended up being a great indication as to which one of the brands provided the best sensitivity relief. One reviewer, who had suffered from sensitive teeth before trying the kinds of toothpaste, wrote “With Sensodyne, you can feel the sensitivity going away with the very first brush stroke. My teeth have never felt better! I couldn’t feel any difference after the first use of the Aquafresh, and after a week I felt very little sensitivity relief compared to what I had felt before using Aquafresh.”

One reason Sensodyne is so effective is its ingredients, including those not included. Since Aquafresh includes whitening agents in its toothpaste—“Gently whitens while you brush!”—there is the danger of these agents eroding your enamel, causing sensitivity issues. So, ironically, this sensitivity toothpaste could end up causing more problems with tooth sensitivity.

This isn’t to say you should not whiten your teeth. It can be safe to use whitening products, but this is best done under the supervision of a dentist like Adam Brown. It is especially harmful to use whitening products if you already have sensitive teeth since whitening products tend to exacerbate sensitivity.

What About the Taste?

Another one of our reviewers commented on the taste of Sensodyne compared to Aquafresh, stating “The Sensodyne has a strong taste, but it is still pleasant despite its strength. The aftertaste is great too. That toothpaste flavor goes away shortly after brushing but isn’t terrible while you’re waiting for it to go away. The Aquafresh had a much grittier and unpleasant taste. The aftertaste was equally strong.”

Reviewers on Amazon.com tend to agree. Sensodyne has nothing but good reviews: “Almost overnight I had two teeth become so sensitive to sweet, cold, heat, even just breathing through my mouth that just eating was painful. After two days of Sensodyne things were much better and after four days almost back to normal. Very happy with the results.” –Michael Sean

Even other dentists recommend the use of Sensodyne: “My dentist recommended his and I’ve been using it for three years now. The sensitivity of my teeth has definitely improved and I can’t imagine not continuing with it forever.” –Stevenzac (Long Island), Amazon.com

Sensodyne is the most trusted brand here at Adam Brown, DDS and we highly recommend it for your home as well. Visit our website or contact us directly with any of your oral healthcare questions.