This is my obligatory review for the Sensodyne Pronamel Daily Protection toothpaste after having used it. You will get all of my subjective opinions as well as the objective facts about this dentifrice.
Yes, I am a dentist so don’t skip the section about how this toothpaste works, which explains how the desensitizing and enamel protective effects work.
Hopefully this will help you to decide or not this toothpaste may be the right one for your mouth.
Disclaimer: If you make a purchase after clicking one of our links, we may earn a commission.
Overview
The daily protection toothpaste by Sensodyne Pronamel was made to protect teeth from acid attacks as well as reduce sensitivity.
As its name implies, it can and should be used on a bi-daily basis to protect your teeth. Pronamel’s goal is to have you replace your regular toothpaste with theirs indefinitely.
Featured benefits
Benefits of brushing twice daily includes:
- Protect enamel against the effects of acid erosion.
- Strengthen and reharden enamel.
- Freshen breath.
- Provide cavity protection.
- Maintain healthy teeth.
- Provide sensitivity relief and lasting sensitivity protection.
All of these benefits are very protective in nature because pronamel prides themselves as being the specialist in enamel protection.
Directions for use
The directions are for adults and children 12 years of age and older.
How to use it:
- Apply at least a 1-inch strip of toothpaste onto a soft bristle toothbrush.
- Brush teeth for at least 1 minute twice a day (morning & evening) and not more than 3 times a day, or as recommended by a dentist.
- Make sure to brush all sensitive areas of the teeth.
- Spit out after brushing and do not swallow.
Product specifications
| Attributes | Specifications |
|---|---|
| Price | $ |
| Net weight | 4 oz (113 g) |
| Dispensing mechanism | Squeezable tube |
| Remineralization agent | Sodium Fluoride |
| Desensitizer | Potassium Nitrate |
| SLS | None |
Ingredients
There are 13 ingredients in the daily protection toothpaste from Pronamel.
Remineralization:
- Sodium Fluoride (0.25%) – anti-cavity.
Desensitizer:
- Potassium Nitrate 5%
Whitening abrasives:
- Hydrated Silica – mild natural whitening abrasive.
Flavoring:
- Sorbitol – sweetener/humectant.
- Flavor
- Sodium Saccharin – sweetener
pH adjuster:
- Sodium Hydroxide – pH adjuster.
Others:
- Water – solvent.
- Glycerin – humectant (prevents drying out).
- PEG-8 – lubrication and spreadability.
- Cocamidopropyl Betaine – surfactant/detergent/foaming.
- Titanium Dioxide – adds white color.
- Xanthan Gum – gives the toothpaste body.
Unboxing
The Pronamel Daily Protection toothpaste comes in a rectangular cardboard box with a small cut out in the shape of their logo. The theme is a white, teal and green color scheme.
Overall, my initial impression of the packaging design is that it is very similar to all of the other pronamel toothpastes that I’ve reviewed. It’s not overly fancy but I do still like the aesthetic since I do prefer simplicity.
The top and bottom of the box did not have any tape or glue. It was just folded in cardboard so you can open it easily. They do have the lot and expiration date on the bottom of the flap.
Inside of the box is one tube of toothpaste with no additional contents. All of the written information that you need will be on the box or on the tube.
The toothpaste looks and feels very similar to all of the other pronamel products. The tube is made of plastic and the dispensing mechanism is via squeezing it.
After having tried a ton of toothpastes, the twist off cap from sensodyne falls within the middle of the pack in regards to my preference. The shape of it is definitely much better than a purely cylindrical one but I still prefer a flip cap.
Although I must say that the biggest benefit of a screw cap design is that it is much more secure. You can bring it with you while traveling and not have it accidentally open and spill all over your luggage.
Last but not least I do like how the cap was designed in such a way that it allows for upright vertical storage. That’s right, you can suspend the entire toothpaste vertically on the cap alone.
In my opinion, this gives it a cleaner and more organized look than the toothpastes which lay flat the long way.
My experience
The biggest differentiating factor which I felt when I was brushing with the pronamel daily protection toothpaste was that it reminded me of having vaseline on my lips.
What I mean: It has a very very (emphasis on minimal) mild menthol mint flavor but the taste of it is similar to what I get whenever I moisturize my lips with vaseline.
Since it feels that way to me, it gives me the impression that the toothpaste is very moisturizing which is probably good for my teeth.
Overall, my mouth felt pretty clean afterwards and I have no complaints with using it. After all, I do use their toothpaste at least a couple times a week.
| Attribute | Description |
|---|---|
| Color | Opaque White |
| Smell | Mint |
| Taste | Mild Menthol Mint Vaseline |
| Texture | Soft & Non-abrasive |
| Foaminess | Low Foaming |
| Cleanliness | Clean |
| Sensitivity | No sensitivity |
Color
This toothpaste has your typical opaque white coloring, most likely due to the titanium dioxide in the formulation. There are no additional colorants or dyes in the paste.
Smell
It has a mild mint smell to it when I squeeze the tube a few times to sniff it. Aside from the “flavor” as ingredient, there aren’t any other additional scents in there.
Taste
Pretty unique tasting toothpaste in that it reminds me of the taste of vaseline. Although it is technically slightly menthol-mint tasting but it just brings up an image of having vaseline on my lips whenever I brush with it.
That’s the imagery that pops up in my head as I’m brushing. Last but not least if you focus really closely, you can taste a slight bitterness but it’s not that noticeable.
Texture
The texture is solid but non-abrasive. The paste felt very smooth as I was brushing with it, which meant that I barely felt any grittiness. That is a good thing because it means that its enamel safe and won’t abrade your enamel.
The paste also holds its shape fairly well because when I do the upside down toothbrush test, it doesn’t slump off. It stays on the bristles so you don’t have to be extra cautious with it prior to placing it in your mouth.
Foaminess
There is very mild foaming when I’m brushing with the daily protection toothpaste. Below is an image of how much foam there was after 2 minutes of full brushing.
Mind you, the amount of foam you see in my mouth is without any drooling or spitting in between. That is the total amount mixed with saliva after 2 minutes.
Dare I say, you can walk around while brushing with this and not worry about it drooping all over the place. The extremely foamy toothpastes on the other hand will have you drooling and spitting halfway through the brushing session.
Cleanliness
My teeth felt clean afterwards and it gave me the impression that it did a solid job. I did not walk away feeling like it was unclean.
Sensitivity
This is an anti-sensitivity toothpaste so I did not experience any teeth sensitivity afterwards. The entire Sensodyne brand was designed for people with sensitive teeth!
Although to be fair, I don’t really get sensitive teeth to begin with so I’m technically not the best test subject for this effect.
Pros & Cons
Pros:
- Feels moisturizing.
- Prevents cavities (sodium fluoride).
- Reduces teeth sensitivity (potassium nitrate).
- SLS-free (Maximizes fluoride absorption).
- Stores upright.
- Less expensive than other pronamel toothpastes.
Cons:
- Cost more than regular toothpaste.
- Twist off cap.
Does it work?
The two major benefits of using the Pronamel daily protection toothpaste is that it can protect enamel from acid erosion and also desensitize the teeth. All sensodyne products in general were designed for sensitive teeth.
This sensodyne toothpaste does work and we’ll explain the mechanisms via how it provides those two effects below.
Protects weakened enamel
The daily protection toothpaste can protect and repair weakened enamel because it has sodium fluoride in its formulation. It also lacks sodium lauryl sulfate which helps to maximize the fluoride efficacy.
Sodium fluoride benefits:
- Enhances remineralization.
- Inhibits demineralization.
- Strengthens enamel.
Side note: What also helps the efficacy of fluoride in this toothpaste is that it is SLS-free. Toothpastes with SLS typically have reduced fluoride efficacy because it can bind to the fluoride ion and block it from enamel uptake.
Reduces sensitivity
This pronamel toothpaste can help alleviate teeth sensitivity since it contains the desensitizer, potassium nitrate (KNO3). Potassium nitrate is a nerve depolarization agent which can numb the tooth nerve.
How potassium nitrate desensitizes teeth:
- Brushing with it will supply an overabundance of K+ ions to the nerve.
- Excessive K+ will reverse the extracellular concentration gradient.
- Reversal of the gradient prevents action potential propagation.
End result is a numb tooth nerve because it is unable to send pain signals.
How long it takes to work
For sensitivity reduction with potassium nitrate, the full desensitizing effect may not materialize until a full 12 weeks later.
Studies have shown that sensitivity symptoms gradually improved with each week of twice daily use. The relief continued to improve all the way up to the 12th week.
That means you shouldn’t give up on using the toothpaste until you’ve given it at least 12 weeks to take effect.
Last but not least, if you stop using the toothpaste, the desensitizing effect will wear off. The effects need to be maintained with continued bidaily use.
How it compares to other pronamel toothpastes
I’ve tested and reviewed the entire sensodyne pronamel line of toothpastes.
The most prominent distinguishing feature about the daily protection toothpaste would be its taste.
What stands out to me the most is the fact that it reminds me of Vaseline on the lips when I’m brushing with it. That’s the imagery that the taste evokes while I’m using it.
Aside from that, I can’t really distinguish nor tell it apart from the other pronamel toothpastes. However, that is to be expected since the bulk of their ingredients are nearly identical since they share a large subset of core ingredients.
Verdict
Overall, I would rate the Sensodyne Pronamel daily protection as a respectable everyday toothpaste. It has all of the qualities that you’d expect and need from a dentifrice that will keep your teeth healthy.
Benefits:
- Optimized fluoride formulation to help prevent and reverse cavities.
- Anti-sensitivity to protect your teeth from excessive stimulation.
Therefore, if you were using a different toothpaste, this one can fully replace it and probably outperform it.
Yes, I would recommend using this toothpaste if you were to only use one. While I did list some cons, they are non-issues in my opinion. At least none that would deter me from using the product.
Nonetheless, that concludes the review of the pronamel daily protection toothpaste by a dentist!