Sensodyne Repair and Protect Whitening Toothpaste [Pack of 4]

Purchased from and shipped to the United States.Product is the UK Sensodyne Repair and Protect (75 ml) containing BOTH NovaMin and Fluoride (as per the ingredients listed on the package). As I said, THIS IS THE ONE YOU WANT. This is also relatively cheap ($7.98/tube shipped is not cheap, but it's not ridiculous either).The US version contains stannous (tin) fluoride (you know, Fluoristan, from the '60s), which isn't bad, but it won't "repair" the teeth like Novamin is supposed to. Glaxosmithkline has no trouble overcharging for the US version, despite not containing any advanced bioglass technology. In short, the US version was engineered to drain your bank account, not to repair your tooth enamel repair. Avoid the US version like the plague.As a toothpaste, it's fairly standard. Average flavor, texture, whatever. There is a slight crunch that might be the Novamin particles, but I'm not sure how large they're supposed to be. Don't store it with the cap off or the bioglass will absorb water and become less effective.Now some background on Novamin? Keeping in mind I'm not a medical professional:For whatever reason, Novamin is not sold in the US. It has been speculated that FDA approval could not be had for "repair" toothpaste (despite the fact that the drugstore is filled with products that promise to "restore" your teeth). I believe since Glaxosmithkline purchased Novamin, no Novamin products are sold in the US (this includes all of the hippie fluoride-free toothpastes that were available).This product contains 1450 ppm fluoride (as 1.08% w/w sodium monofluorophosphate). I have found claims that the maximum ppm fluoride in the US is either 1100 or 1500 ppm. Regardless, 1450 ppm of fluoride is shown to be MORE effective than Novamin alone (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20546825) at preventing demineralization of teeth. Higher ppm is even better so if you need it, ask your dentist if you can have a prescription for the 5000 ppm fluoride toothpaste.However if you don't want to or can't do that, don't need prescription-strength toothpaste, or don't want to risk being exposed to very high levels of fluoride, this product, apparently, combines both a higher-than-average level of fluoride (good) and Novamin (also good). It appears that Novamin will simultaneously whiten teeth by causing fresh hydroxyapatite (the primary mineral in tooth enamel - also happens to be white) to be formed on the tooth surface. This is in contrast to other toothpastes which remove stains with hydrogen peroxide and abrasives.With continuous use, Novamin is supposed to build up a layer of hydroxyapatite on your enamel, covering up any exposed dentin and causing sensitivity to decrease. I believe (I am neither a dentist or a materials scientist) that Novamin is more effective at -covering- exposed areas than fluoride, as it is deposited (in my understanding) as a bioglass particle which binds to teeth containing the ions necessary to form hydroxyapatite (which are then released at the tooth surface). That is, the particle creates a local covering of hydroxyapatite, as opposed to the fluoride which is kind of just floating around everywhere.The hydroxyapatite deposits are only supposed to be a few microns thick (my interpretation based on this http://www.repairandprotect.ca/pdf/NovaMin_JCD_2011_Clinical_Summaries_HR_EN.pdf), so this won't regrade your teeth and fill in potholes (go to the dentist!), but it should prevent sensitivity and protect against future damage with regular use.But again, I'm not a medical professional. This is just toothpaste, you should be okay if you use it. If you have a real problem, go to the dentist and don't try to self-treat any conditions with this stuff.

I like the product a lot. Let me make on thing real clear - to get the right product you have to order it from Europe or specifically the United Kingdom to get the NOVAMIN ingredient. It has a very refreshing mint taste that lasts for a while after brushing. I have had the product for about a month, maybe more. I typically use it before I go to sleep and sometimes in the morning. I supplement a regular toothpaste so I can make this product last longer. I use a very small amount (about the size of a pea) as well to make the product last longer since it is so expensive. It has taken about a month or so for me to realize the product is really working. I had no serious sensitivity issues, but I study materials engineering and understand how this stuff works on a molecular level, so I made the purchase; kind of like an investment on my teeth. The other day I was outside and was putting stuff into my car to go somewhere. My hands were full and I also had a big popsicle I was eating. To open my car doors and start loading and unloading stuff into my car I had to hold the popsicle in my mouth. My mouth froze up, so then I had to hold the popsicle between my teeth. At first I was reluctant to even try to do it, but I tried and to my amazement I had no pain, except for where I have a metal filling which made sense because the conductivity. I held the popsicle for a good minute or so with no real discomfort. I am sold on this product now that I have seen some real results. Also something additional which is great; I have one tooth that has a receding gum line. The area of the tooth that was uncovered by gum was always very sensitive if i scratched it with my fingernail or anything. Last night I tried scratching it and I had no pain. I was really happy about this. The product is doing what its supposed to do. I bought three more tubes last night from the UK. Two for me and one for my girlfriend for a birthday gift. She has very sensitive teeth and this product should help her immensely. She has already tried the product at my house and it caused her no discomfort; I have read reviews where this product has caused some discomfort to people that have severe sensitivity issues. In that case, I feel the initial pain would be well worth the investment for a massive reduction in sensitivity in the long run. Gotta love science!