I totally get what you're saying about the fluoride rinses. They made my teeth feel even more sensitive too, and honestly it freaked me out a bit at first. Switching toothpastes was a good move—I haven't tried hydroxyapatite yet, but I've heard good things about it being gentle. Might have to cautiously give it a shot myself.
And yeah, quitting vaping really does seem to uncover hidden dental issues...it's like the nicotine masked some of the sensitivity or something? I had a similar experience when I stopped—suddenly noticing gum irritation and sensitivity I'd never really felt before. It's nerve-wracking how these things pop up unexpectedly, but it's reassuring to hear others have gone through the same thing and found solutions that helped. Hang in there, sounds like you're on the right track.
Glad I'm not the only one who felt that way about fluoride rinses...thought it was just me being overly anxious. Switching toothpaste helped a bit, but still nervous about trying new stuff. Good luck with the hydroxyapatite, hope it works out.
My kid had a similar reaction to fluoride rinses—said it made her mouth feel funny and she got pretty anxious too. Did your dentist mention if hydroxyapatite is gentler or easier on sensitive mouths? I've been thinking about trying it for my daughter, but she's hesitant after the fluoride thing. Curious if anyone's kids have had better luck with it...
My daughter had a similar experience with fluoride rinses too—she described it as a weird tingling sensation and got pretty worked up about it. We switched to a toothpaste with hydroxyapatite about six months ago, and honestly, it's been a noticeable improvement. She says it doesn't feel as harsh or "stingy" (her words, not mine), and brushing has become way less stressful for both of us. I was pretty anxious about making the switch at first, because I wasn't sure if it would protect her teeth as well as fluoride, but our dentist reassured me it's effective and gentler for sensitive mouths. Of course, every kid is different, and mine still occasionally complains about brushing in general...but at least now it's not because of discomfort. Might be worth giving it a shot if your daughter is open to trying something new after her fluoride experience.
We switched to hydroxyapatite toothpaste too, mostly because I got tired of my kid acting like fluoride rinse was literal torture, lol. Honestly, it's pretty good stuff—no weird tingling and no drama. Only downside is it's a bit pricier than regular toothpaste, but I just stock up when there's a sale online. Worth it to avoid the nightly brushing meltdown...
