# OTC high-fluoride toothpaste?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/otc-high-fluoride-toothpaste/736820>\
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion\
**Created:** [November 6, 2015, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/otc-high-fluoride-toothpaste/736820 "2015-11-06T16:19:51Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Gestalt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/90ced4/32.png) [@Gestalt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gestalt)\
**Post date:** [November 6, 2015, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/otc-high-fluoride-toothpaste/736820/1 "2015-11-06T16:19:51Z")

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I have severe tooth sensitivity from receding gums, so my dentist suggested a prescription high-fluoride toothpaste (along with other stuff), which works well. However it costs $30.00/tube (!!) at his office and I cannot buy it online without a license.  
Has anyone used any of the OTC stuff with any success? Note that I’m not talking about Sensodyne or such products . . . I would think at least 1.1% fluoride toothpaste.

Thanks!

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**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\
**Post date:** [November 6, 2015, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/otc-high-fluoride-toothpaste/736820/2 "2015-11-06T18:12:53Z")

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Ask him for a prescription and buy it at a pharmacy like Walmart (probably a generic version).

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**Author:** ![rsat3acr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a3d4f5/32.png) [@rsat3acr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rsat3acr)\
**Post date:** [November 7, 2015, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/otc-high-fluoride-toothpaste/736820/3 "2015-11-07T03:22:45Z")

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Dentist here, ask the pharmacist for Gel-Kam or other similar Fluoride product. No Rx needed, but you have to ask. it was Rx a few years ago but no more. Don’t know what they cost. Different pharms may have different products but should have an equivalent. I prefer gels to rinses. Only takes a pea sized dab v. a mouthfull.

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**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\
**Post date:** [November 7, 2015, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/otc-high-fluoride-toothpaste/736820/4 "2015-11-07T04:09:31Z")

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That stuff is the shit. Worth the $30! I just had a filling done that I put off for a year and the dentist said that my decay reversed a ton over 3 sets of x-rays.

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**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\
**Post date:** [November 7, 2015, 1:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/otc-high-fluoride-toothpaste/736820/5 "2015-11-07T13:03:43Z")

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I don’t know a lot about it, but isn’t Gel-Kam 0.4% flouride while the Rx stuff is 1.1%?

I’ve personally had good luck with novamin toothpaste for hypersensitivity.

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**Author:** ![rsat3acr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a3d4f5/32.png) [@rsat3acr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rsat3acr)\
**Post date:** [November 7, 2015, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/otc-high-fluoride-toothpaste/736820/6 "2015-11-07T14:13:54Z")

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> [@Wesley\_Clark](#):
>
> I don’t know a lot about it, but isn’t Gel-Kam 0.4% flouride while the Rx stuff is 1.1%?
> 
> I’ve personally had good luck with novamin toothpaste for hypersensitivity.

Correct, but no Rx needed for the Gel-Kam. Works fine for most folks and cheaper.(According to some of my patients, I don’t know what they cost an probably varies by pharmacy)