One for the dentists among you...

[Kit]

How long should it take for Sensodyne to work - and how does it work? As I understand it, its active ingredient (potassium chloride) is water soluble, so surely it just rinses straight off? Mr Kit thought it contained strontium - no idea if it ever did, but it certainly doesn't now.

[dorset 1954]

Tooth sensitivity can result from the porosity of the hard outer layer. "Sensitive" toothpastes contain a fine sediment that builds up in these "pores?". One may notice slight relief after the first use, but full benefit by about a week (as more sediment is depositted). On cessation of use, sensitivity will return, as the stuff is washed away.

[Kit]

By the way I was wrong about the strontium. On my local supermarket shelves I have found not one but 3 different formulations for Sensodyne - the one I have contains potassium chloride, another one contains potassium nitrate and the third contains strontium - so which one should I use? (5 days of potassium chloride don't appear to have made a jot of difference, btw)

[Hgrove]

I found an almost immediate relief when I started using it but my dentist then recommended alternating different brands of sensitive toothpaste, so it probably makes sense to use the different formulations.