I’ll be doing a comparison between the Sensodyne Pronamel Intensive Enamel Repair toothpaste vs the Sensodyne Repair and Protect toothpaste.
Why trust me: I have tested and reviewed both of them already but if that isn’t enough, I’m also a dentist.
I’ll be comparing the product specifications along with the toothpaste benefits. Ultimately you probably want to know which one is the best at enamel repair and also which one is the best at reducing sensitivity.
Below is a table comparing the technical specifications of both toothpastes.
| Specifications | Intensive Enamel Repair | Repair & Protect |
|---|---|---|
| Featured benefits | Enamel Repair Anti-sensitivity | Enamel Repair Anti-sensitivity |
| Active ingredients | Sodium Fluoride 0.25% Potassium Nitrate 5% | Stannous Fluoride 0.454% |
| Similar inactive ingredients | Glycerin, PEG-8, Hydrated Silica, Titanium Dioxide, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Sodium Saccharin | Glycerin, PEG-8, Hydrated Silica, Titanium Dioxide, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Sodium Saccharin |
| Unique inactive ingredients | Water, Sorbitol, Sodium Lactate, Xanthan Gum, PVM/MA Copolymer, Sodium Hydroxide | Pentasodium Triphosphate, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, Polyacrylic Acid, Silica, |
| Size | 3.4 oz (96.4g) | 3.4 oz (96.4g) |
| Dispensing mechanism | Squeezable plastic tube | Squeezable plastic tube |
| Cap design | Concave Textured | Paralleled Smooth |
| Cost | $$ | $$ |
Similarities
Both toothpastes from Sensodyne share quite a few similarities.
- Featured benefits. They’re designed to reduce teeth sensitivity as well as repair/protect the enamel.
- Many inactive ingredients. 6 ingredients that are present in both.
- Size. The standard full toothpaste size has the same net weight.
- Dispensing mechanism. They use a squeezable plastic tube for dispensing.
- Cost. The pricing is pretty similar for both products.
Differences
List of differences between the two toothpastes:
- Active ingredients. Completely different active ingredients.
- Some inactive ingredients. Each of them have a couple of unique ingredients that provide different effects/benefits.
- Cap design. The shape, texture, and size of the tube caps are different.
In terms of ease of use or rather opening and closing the toothpaste cap, the intensive enamel repair is the clear winner. The concave shape with a little bit of texture provides more grip and resists slippage.
In other words, it is much easier to open and close.
Toothpaste benefits comparison
If you compare the featured benefits for both toothpastes, it’ll leave you with more questions than answers. At least that is how I felt when I read them on their website and on their product packaging.
That is why I’m going to give you the real differences in benefits between the Repair & Protect vs the Intensive Enamel Repair toothpaste.
Certain ingredients contribute to certain benefits and they may make one toothpaste better than the other.
| Benefits | Intensive Enamel Repair | Repair & Protect |
|---|---|---|
| Enamel Repair | Best | Good |
| Fluoride Modifiers | Positive | Positive/Negative |
| Desensitizers | Equal | Equal |
| Stain Removal | Good | Best |
| Foaming | Low | High |
Now I’ll discuss in depth as to why I ranked each one as such in each benefit.
Best enamel repair
Without a doubt, the pronamel intensive enamel repair is the best enamel repair toothpaste out of the two because the formulation maximizes fluoride absorption.
Its advantage lies not in the type of fluoride it uses but rather the fluoride modifiers (enhancers/inhibitors) in its inactive ingredients. These ingredients either increase or decrease the efficacy of fluoride which initiates enamel repair.
| Attribute | Intensive Enamel Repair | Repair & Protect |
|---|---|---|
| Fluoride (F–) | Sodium Fluoride | Stannous Fluoride |
| F– Enhancer | Sodium Lactate PVM/MA Copolymer | Polyacrylic Acid |
| F– Inhibitor | N/A | Pentasodium Triphosphate Sodium Lauryl Sulfate |
The reason it is better is because the intensive enamel repair has two enhancers and no inhibitors. The other toothpaste has one enhancer and two inhibitors.
Best anti-sensitivity
There isn’t a clear winner when it comes to desensitizing teeth because research has shown that both are effective in reducing teeth sensitivity. In my opinion, they are both equivalent in efficacy as far as I’m concerned.
| Attribute | Intensive Enamel Repair | Repair & Protect |
|---|---|---|
| Desensitizer | Potassium Nitrate | Stannous Fluoride |
| Desensitizing Mechanism | Nerve Depolarization | Tubular Occlusion |
The desensitization mechanisms for each ingredient work in different ways:
- Potassium nitrate will depolarize the nerve, aka numb it.
- Stannous fluoride will block open dentinal tubules, thus preventing stimuli from interacting with the tooth nerve.
Typically if one desensitizer does not work in alleviating discomfort for the patient, they should give the other one a try. There is no best one!
Best stain removal
The repair and protect toothpaste is the better whitening toothpaste or stain remover because it contains more detergents and whitening abrasives.
| Attribute | Intensive Enamel Repair | Repair & Protect |
|---|---|---|
| Whitening Abrasives | Hydrated Silica Titanium Dioxide | Hydrated Silica Titanium Dioxide Silica |
| Detergents | Cocamidopropyl Betaine | Cocamidopropyl Betaine Sodium Lauryl Sulfate |
| Anti-staining/tartar | None | Pentasodium Triphosphate |
Essentially, the repair and protect is a more effective cleanser since it has an additional abrasive (silica) as well as an additional detergent (SLS). The cherry on top would be the fact that it also has an anti-staining agent, pentasodium triphosphate which prevents stain formation.
Best foaming
The sensodyne repair & protect toothpaste is the winner when it comes to foaming. It contains two surfactants and one of them happens to be SLS which is the ingredient most well known for creating foam.
| Attribute | Intensive Enamel Repair | Repair & Protect |
|---|---|---|
| Foaming | Cocamidopropyl Betaine | Cocamidopropyl Betaine Sodium Lauryl Sulfate |
The pronamel toothpastes including the intensive enamel repair and known for having low foaming while brushing. It uses cocamidopropyl betaine which is less foamy and potent than SLS.
Therefore, if foaming is an important toothpaste characteristic for you then you should go with the sensodyne repair & protect.
Verdict
Both toothpastes, intensive enamel repair and repair & protect are made by Sensodyne but the former is part of the Pronamel product line.
They each have their own unique benefits and may be better at one aspect than the other. Below is a summary of which toothpaste is better at what.
Benefits comparison summary:
- Best enamel repair – Pronamel Intensive Enamel Repair.
- Best desensitizer – Tied.
- Best stain removal – Sensodyne Repair & Protect.
- Best foaming – Sensodyne Repair & Protect.
Depending on what your needs are you should choose the toothpaste that addresses your concerns the most.