March 2007 • Today's FDA
Dr. Antonson and Juli Kagan

The benefits of MI Paste and Recaldent are discussed in helping to relieve dentin sensitivity.

Dentin hypersensitivity is a painful dental condition that often goes untreated. Prevalence of dentin hypersensitivity in the adult population can range from 8 percent to 30 percent, with the majority of the sufferers between 25 and 45 years of age. Therefore, a clinician will see, on an average day, between one and three patients who show varying degrees of sensitivity. The condition is slightly more prevalent in women and periodontally involved patients.

With the population aging and keeping their teeth longer, there is an increased incidence for dentin hypersensitivity, recession and periodontal disease. Additionally, the majority of this older population is on medications that cause xerostomia.

Xerostomia is a reduction in salivary flow that could contribute to dentinal hypersensitivity. Differences in salivary flow or composition may contribute to the development of hypersensitive dentin by affecting the formation of the smear layer on roots.

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