Sensodyne

Effectiveness and ingredients

Sensodyne toothpastes work in different ways depending on the product's active ingredient—potassium nitrate, strontium acetate/chloride.

Potassium nitrate

The potassium ion hyperpolarizes the nerve and stops it from firing. The nerve impulses are thus desensitized and there is no pain.

Strontium acetate and strontium chloride

These compounds share a similar chemical structure to calcium. Strontium based toothpastes (acetate and chloride) are therefore able to replace some of the lost calcium and block the exposed tubules in the dentinal tissue. This helps prevent the movement of the fluid within the tubules in response to a sensitivity stimulus that could otherwise cause tooth pain.

Calcium sodium phosphosilicate

Some Sensodyne products contain calcium sodium phosphosilicate (CSPS, Novamin), which appears to help with tooth sensitivity. A randomized clinical trial published in 2015 demonstrated that dentifrices containing 5% CSPS may have the potential to mineralize and occlude the dentine in the oral environment. Sensodyne products sold in the United States do not contain calcium sodium phosphosilicate (Novamin).

History

Sensodyne was first sold by Block Drug, a Brooklyn, New York-based company established in 1907 by pharmacist Alexander Block.

By 1925, manufacturing dental care products had become the company's focus. Leonard N. Block followed his father into the family business which relocated to Jersey City, New Jersey, in 1938.

In 2000, Block Drug was purchased by Smith Kline Beecham P.L.C., which became GlaxoSmithKline (NYSE:GSK).

The toothpaste was first marketed in 1961 as a desensitising toothpaste based on a strontium chloride formulation. In 1980, Sensodyne launched a new toothpaste containing potassium nitrate, a mild local sedative.

Sensodyne became a part of Haleon, a British multinational consumer healthcare corporation, in July 2022, following the establishment of Haleon as a separate entity through a corporate spin-off from GSK.

Product counterfeits and recall

In 2007, GlaxoSmithKline tracked down counterfeit producers of Sensodyne after a consumer in Panama noted diethylene glycol, a poisonous ingredient commonly found in antifreeze, on the label of his toothpaste.

On July 15, 2015, GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare announced a recall of certain lots of Sensodyne Repair & Protect toothpaste as well as Sensodyne Complete toothpaste due to the possible presence of wood fragments in the products. The recall also applied to the company's Biotene brand of toothpaste. The recall was a precautionary measure based on a small number of complaints, and no injuries have been reported. The recall applies to products manufactured between 2013 and September 2014, and shipped from June 2013 to April 2015.

References

References

1. Clark, Andrew. (October 7, 2000). "SmithKline to swallow Sensodyne". The Guardian.
2. "Sensodyne | Our consumer healthcare products | Products | GlaxoSmithKline".
3. (Apr 15, 2014). "Dental Hygiene: Theory and Practice". Elsevier Health Sciences.
4. (2010). "Evidence for the efficacy of an 8% strontium acetate dentifrice for instant and lasting relief of dentin hypersensitivity.". Journal of Clinical Dentistry.
5. (March 2016). "Calcium sodium phosphosilicate had some benefit on dentine hypersensitivity: Question: Is calcium sodium phosphosilicate (CSPS) effective in reducing dentine hypersensitivity (DH) pain response?". Evidence-Based Dentistry.
6. (15 March 2011). "Potassium nitrate, sodium fluoride, strontium chloride, and NovaMin technologies for dentin hypersensitivity".
7. (June 2015). "A randomised clinical trial investigating calcium sodium phosphosilicate as a dentine mineralising agent in the oral environment". Journal of Dentistry.
8. (May 2017). "Exploratory randomised controlled clinical study to evaluate the comparative efficacy of two occluding toothpastes – a 5% calcium sodium phosphosilicate toothpaste and an 8% arginine/calcium carbonate toothpaste – for the longer-term relief of dentine hypersensitivity". Journal of Dentistry.
9. Saxon, Wolfgang. (2005-11-12). "Leonard Block, 93, Chief of Drug Company, Is Dead". The New York Times.
10. (2000-10-10). "Company News; Smithkline to Buy Block Drug for $1.2 Billion". The New York Times.
11. (2000-12-28). "Firms Complete Merger of GlaxoSmithKline".
12. Ramirez, Anthony. (May 13, 1990). "All About/Toothpaste; Growth Is Glacial, but the Market Is Big, and So Is the Gross". The New York Times.
13. Khalaf, Roula. (5 May 2023). "Healthy return proves worth of Haleon spin-out". Financial Times.
14. (October 1, 2007). "The Everyman Who Exposed Tainted Toothpaste". The New York Times.
15. (15 July 2015). "Urgent: Product Recall – Retail Level".
16. link. (2021-09-20 .)