Sensodyne

Sensodyne

Sensodyne twin sachet in the Philippines.
Product type	Toothpaste
Owner	GlaxoSmithKline
Country	United States
Introduced	1961
Related brands	Aquafresh Biotene
Previous owners	Block Drug
Website	[1]

Sensodyne is a brand name of toothpaste targeted at people with sensitive teeth. Sensodyne products are applied at home. Sensodyne is owned by GlaxoSmithKline and is marketed under the name Shumitect in Japan.

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 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 appears to help with tooth sensitivity. Sensodyne has removed the calcium sodium phosphosilicate from their US products.

Sensodyne is a brand of toothpaste that was first sold by Block Drug, a Brooklyn, New York-based company established in 1907 by pharmacist Alexander Block. 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. In 2000 Block Drug was purchased by GlaxoSmithKline. In 2006, Sensodyne Pronamel was released and is marketed as a toothpaste that protects against the effects of dental erosion.

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.