It's getting hot in here... as I remineralize my teeth
August 11, 2022 4:13 PM Subscribe
NovaMin toothpaste: does it make your teeth feel warm, too?! Interested in personal sensory experiences, scientific speculation (or authority!), and any other advice you've got for addressing thinning enamel.
After a lifetime of overindulging in delicious sour things, my dentist has gotten me to think seriously about my enamel health. I'm in the US, and she prescribed a 2x weekly brushing with a high-flouride prescription toothpaste. I've been using normal American Sensodyne Pronamel for years - I've never had serious sensitivity, but I don't like to bite cold things, and occasionally get some zingy feelings in the pits of my molars or along my gumline as I brush.
I decided to poke around on the internet, and after a a bunch of reading (including here on MetaFilter), bought some NovaMin Sensodyne Repair + Protect (supposedly from Eastern Europe: package states manufactured in India).
From the very first brushing, I've been getting a distinct sensation of heat on my teeth, particularly the backs of my lower incisors. It's not painful, but because of the slight grittiness of the paste, some part of my brain is worried that I might be doing further damage. Since Sensodyne Pronamel is effectively dulling the pain response in my teeth, another part of my brain says, You're just feeling what you've been blocking out! Searching the internet, I've only been able to find a subthread on Hacker News where two folks seem to have the same experience.
The proposed mechanism of action for NovaMin involves ion exchange - my chemistry is dusty as hell, but maybe I'm just feeling the interactions of hydrogen, sodium, calcium, and phosphate contra dancing on my tooth surfaces? (**Quote from link at bottom)
I'm making efforts to rinse my mouth out after meals, drink less seltzer, chew xylitol gum when I can remember... I brushed with the GC Tooth Mousse recently, but haven't made it a regular part of my routine. Any other advice on thinning enamel would definitely be appreciated!
**"This is done by providing the tooth structure with silica, calcium, phosphorous and sodium ions. Sodium ions present in the formulation of calcium sodium phosphosilicate bioactive glass are replaced with hydrogen ions and, thus, the pH increases. Subsequently, calcium and phosphate ions deposit and form a superficial layer saturated with calcium phosphate on the tooth surface. This ionic reservoir can inhibit the process of demineralization and enhance remineralization by protecting the enamel against cariogenic conditions. Following the immersion of calcium sodium phosphosilicate in the saliva or body fluid analogs, Hydrogen cations (H+ or H3O+) are interchanged with seconds to Na + ions are exchanged with hydrogen cations within a minute, also termed as a rapid ion exchange leading to release of calcium(Ca2+) and phosphate (PO4 3-) from the particles. Subsequently, a local transient rise in the pH results in the release of phosphate ions along with Ca ions present in saliva and within particles, and the formation of an amorphous layer of calcium phosphate (CaO–P2O5) on the tooth surfaces as well as within the demineralized dentin. Simultaneously, with the continuation of these reactions and the deposition of Ca–P compounds, this layer crystallizes inside the HA, forming a structure that chemically and structurally resembles biological apatite. The interaction between the HA layer and calcium sodium phosphosilicate causes physical occlusion of dentinal tubules due to formation of reminerization deposits. Calcium sodium phosphosilicate also induces chemical reactions to enhance the formation of HA. This may prevent demineralization of tooth structure and enhance remineralization."
After a lifetime of overindulging in delicious sour things, my dentist has gotten me to think seriously about my enamel health. I'm in the US, and she prescribed a 2x weekly brushing with a high-flouride prescription toothpaste. I've been using normal American Sensodyne Pronamel for years - I've never had serious sensitivity, but I don't like to bite cold things, and occasionally get some zingy feelings in the pits of my molars or along my gumline as I brush.
I decided to poke around on the internet, and after a a bunch of reading (including here on MetaFilter), bought some NovaMin Sensodyne Repair + Protect (supposedly from Eastern Europe: package states manufactured in India).
From the very first brushing, I've been getting a distinct sensation of heat on my teeth, particularly the backs of my lower incisors. It's not painful, but because of the slight grittiness of the paste, some part of my brain is worried that I might be doing further damage. Since Sensodyne Pronamel is effectively dulling the pain response in my teeth, another part of my brain says, You're just feeling what you've been blocking out! Searching the internet, I've only been able to find a subthread on Hacker News where two folks seem to have the same experience.
The proposed mechanism of action for NovaMin involves ion exchange - my chemistry is dusty as hell, but maybe I'm just feeling the interactions of hydrogen, sodium, calcium, and phosphate contra dancing on my tooth surfaces? (**Quote from link at bottom)
I'm making efforts to rinse my mouth out after meals, drink less seltzer, chew xylitol gum when I can remember... I brushed with the GC Tooth Mousse recently, but haven't made it a regular part of my routine. Any other advice on thinning enamel would definitely be appreciated!
**"This is done by providing the tooth structure with silica, calcium, phosphorous and sodium ions. Sodium ions present in the formulation of calcium sodium phosphosilicate bioactive glass are replaced with hydrogen ions and, thus, the pH increases. Subsequently, calcium and phosphate ions deposit and form a superficial layer saturated with calcium phosphate on the tooth surface. This ionic reservoir can inhibit the process of demineralization and enhance remineralization by protecting the enamel against cariogenic conditions. Following the immersion of calcium sodium phosphosilicate in the saliva or body fluid analogs, Hydrogen cations (H+ or H3O+) are interchanged with seconds to Na + ions are exchanged with hydrogen cations within a minute, also termed as a rapid ion exchange leading to release of calcium(Ca2+) and phosphate (PO4 3-) from the particles. Subsequently, a local transient rise in the pH results in the release of phosphate ions along with Ca ions present in saliva and within particles, and the formation of an amorphous layer of calcium phosphate (CaO–P2O5) on the tooth surfaces as well as within the demineralized dentin. Simultaneously, with the continuation of these reactions and the deposition of Ca–P compounds, this layer crystallizes inside the HA, forming a structure that chemically and structurally resembles biological apatite. The interaction between the HA layer and calcium sodium phosphosilicate causes physical occlusion of dentinal tubules due to formation of reminerization deposits. Calcium sodium phosphosilicate also induces chemical reactions to enhance the formation of HA. This may prevent demineralization of tooth structure and enhance remineralization."
I used the Canadian-sold version (don't know where it was manufactured) for the better part of a year and never had any particular sensations or change of sensations associated with it.
posted by solotoro at 4:27 PM on August 11, 2022 [2 favorites]
posted by solotoro at 4:27 PM on August 11, 2022 [2 favorites]
That’s so interesting, rrrrrrrrrt.
You’ve convinced me that NovaMin probably does work as advertised, because I think the warmth you are experiencing is heat of crystallization as the dissolved minerals of the toothpaste deposit themselves onto your teeth.
I’ll have to try to get some.
posted by jamjam at 4:28 PM on August 11, 2022 [1 favorite]
You’ve convinced me that NovaMin probably does work as advertised, because I think the warmth you are experiencing is heat of crystallization as the dissolved minerals of the toothpaste deposit themselves onto your teeth.
I’ll have to try to get some.
posted by jamjam at 4:28 PM on August 11, 2022 [1 favorite]
This may be an ignorant question, but how sure are you that this isn't an allergic reaction? The internet has many stories of people thinking some fruit is spicy and later realizing they have an allergy
posted by ockmockbock at 5:13 PM on August 11, 2022 [9 favorites]
posted by ockmockbock at 5:13 PM on August 11, 2022 [9 favorites]
I tried Australian NovaMin when I was in Australia for exactly the remineralizing reasons you describe. I literally could not use it, it caused me immediate strong sharp pain whenever applied to my teeth. And I have a high pain tolerance (it's been measured).
posted by aniola at 5:42 PM on August 11, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by aniola at 5:42 PM on August 11, 2022 [1 favorite]
I have some Canadian market Novamin toothpaste. I do distinctly remember an odd warm feeling when I brushed my teeth with it the first few times, but I don't get that feeling anymore. Just brushed my teeth now and nothing out of the ordinary.
posted by meowzilla at 6:00 PM on August 11, 2022
posted by meowzilla at 6:00 PM on August 11, 2022
Huh. I've been using the Canadian one for years and never experienced anything like that.
posted by potrzebie at 6:47 PM on August 11, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by potrzebie at 6:47 PM on August 11, 2022 [1 favorite]
I use the Australian novamin one and I have not experienced heat sensation. I do feel it is different on my teeth compared to 'regular' toothpaste in that I can feel it on my teeth after, almost like a protective layer. I do get a weird side effect though -- mine can dry out my mouth though, almost like it dries up my saliva... so I only use it in the morning when I can chew gum after. I don't use it at night because i found it makes my dry mouth worse. It shouldn't hurt to use it but if it's drying out your mouth at all, be careful.
Re: tooth mousse. A correction, you aren't supposed to brush with it. if your enamel is a real concern you should be using your gc tooth mousse for preventative reasons at least once a week, I use mine almost every day. But It's not a toothpaste and will do nothing if you use it that way. It should have come with instructions? It's supposed to sit on your teeth, you use a finger or spatula to apply it. I use mine before bed and leave it overnight. You might need to spit some out because it will promote saliva but you can still leave some on. You shouldn't rinse it off. The longer it stays the better it works.
posted by Dimes at 7:07 PM on August 12, 2022 [1 favorite]
Re: tooth mousse. A correction, you aren't supposed to brush with it. if your enamel is a real concern you should be using your gc tooth mousse for preventative reasons at least once a week, I use mine almost every day. But It's not a toothpaste and will do nothing if you use it that way. It should have come with instructions? It's supposed to sit on your teeth, you use a finger or spatula to apply it. I use mine before bed and leave it overnight. You might need to spit some out because it will promote saliva but you can still leave some on. You shouldn't rinse it off. The longer it stays the better it works.
posted by Dimes at 7:07 PM on August 12, 2022 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: Thanks to everyone who weighed in!
ockmockbock, your question is very well taken. Since there’s no reaction in my vascularized tissues, gums and lips and tongue, just a sensation on the surfaces of my teeth, I’m pretty confident that it’s not an allergic reaction. Thanks for giving me reason to check that, though.
Dimes, I am the kind of person who just doesn’t pay attention, and happily threw away the Tooth Mousse box and any possible paper that came with it without even thinking about looking at it. I appreciate the heads-up!
posted by rrrrrrrrrt at 12:03 AM on August 13, 2022
ockmockbock, your question is very well taken. Since there’s no reaction in my vascularized tissues, gums and lips and tongue, just a sensation on the surfaces of my teeth, I’m pretty confident that it’s not an allergic reaction. Thanks for giving me reason to check that, though.
Dimes, I am the kind of person who just doesn’t pay attention, and happily threw away the Tooth Mousse box and any possible paper that came with it without even thinking about looking at it. I appreciate the heads-up!
posted by rrrrrrrrrt at 12:03 AM on August 13, 2022
I use that exact toothpaste in Europe (the European version), and I always get a particular feeling on my teeth when using it.
posted by gakiko at 11:32 AM on August 13, 2022
posted by gakiko at 11:32 AM on August 13, 2022
Response by poster: An update from the future: THE HEAT (of crystallization!!!?!) HAS DIMINISHED
Thanks for entertaining this odd question, MeFites. ^_^
posted by rrrrrrrrrt at 3:37 PM on September 23, 2022 [1 favorite]
Thanks for entertaining this odd question, MeFites. ^_^
posted by rrrrrrrrrt at 3:37 PM on September 23, 2022 [1 favorite]
Woah. Good to know. Thanks for the update!
posted by aniola at 6:46 PM on September 23, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by aniola at 6:46 PM on September 23, 2022 [1 favorite]
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