How Sensodyne turned tooth sensitivity into an experience

On a busy evening last month at City Walk, amid the hum of conversation and splashing fountains, something unusual drew a steady queue of curious onlookers. At the fountain plaza stood a futuristic, rectangular pod. Sleek, mirrored and evocative of an aviation simulator, it promised something rare in a hyper-stimulated city: calm.

This was Sensodyne’s 5th Sense activation, an immersive sensory reset experience designed to inform, educate and change how people understand tooth sensitivity. Visitors were invited to step inside the pod and in just two minutes experience what Sensodyne, the number one dentist-recommended toothpaste and the leading sensitivity toothpaste, describes as a reset of the nowadays overstimulated four senses – sight, sound, smell and touch – before turning attention to the 5^th sense – often overstimulated by tooth sensitivity.

Inside the sound-proof pod, the city faded away. Participants were guided to a plush recliner, where an assistant gently placed VR goggles over their eyes. The ambience was instantly calming: controlled lighting, soft scents diffused into the air, and a cocoon-like quiet that contrasted sharply with the bustle outside.

What follows was a carefully choreographed, two-minute sensory journey. Through VR visuals, binaural audio and subtle tactile cues, the four primary senses were gradually soothed and reset. It was immersive without being overwhelming, futuristic yet deeply human. Just as the participant felt their senses settle, the experience introduced its central idea: tooth sensitivity, which is a form of overstimulation of the fifth sense, the oral sense.

The message was simple and intuitive. If your eyes, ears, nose and skin can be calmed in two minutes, why should tooth sensitivity be something you simply live with?

This was the question that was at the heart of the activation.

According to Arda Arat, General Manager – Gulf & Near East at Haleon that owns Sensodyne, the inspiration came from a widespread misconception. “There is an awareness gap, with our consumers treating sensitivity as something that is okay to live with when, in fact, it can signal much deeper issues,” he explained.

Research suggests that while nearly half of all adults experience some degree of tooth sensitivity, up to 65-70 per cent of them do nothing about it. Many accept it as normal, avoiding cold drinks, wincing through hot meals, or adjusting daily habits without realizing that relief is possible - and at hand.

 “That’s what triggered this idea,” said Arat. “Our mission is to educate our consumers and engage with them. We want to help consumers take charge of their own health.”

By reframing tooth sensitivity as an overstimulated sense, Sensodyne turned an abstract clinical issue into something people can immediately relate to. The leap to oral sensitivity suddenly felt logical and actionable.

Oral care sits firmly within proactive self-care. When people understand and act early, it reduces the likelihood of more serious interventions later, benefiting both individuals and healthcare systems.

An immersive activation, Arat believes, achieves what posters and slogans often cannot. “It was important that this experience was something memorable and relatable,” he said.

“When people remember it and relate to it as an experience, it stays with them as awareness, and they are more likely to act on it.”

Making science tangible

The challenge, of course, was translating clinical claims to something that resonated emotionally. Within the pod, this science was not delivered as a lecture. Instead, it was woven into the sensory narrative. After the four senses were calmed, the experience shifted focus to the fifth oral sense - where participants were introduced to Sensodyne Clinical Repair as the solution that mirrored what they have just felt.

Thanks to its advanced formulation featuring NovaMin, an innovative ingredient that helps repair and protect exposed dentine, Arat said, Sensodyne Clinical Repair offers fast, clinically proven relief, starting in also just two minutes.

At the end of the journey, visitors received a thoughtfully curated sensory kit: five items that calm each of the five senses. The fifth, naturally, was Sensodyne Clinical Repair toothpaste, a subtle reminder that the experience does not end at the pod’s door but continues at home.

For consumers, the impact was more personal. Many walked away surprised, not just by the technology, but by the realization that something they had normalized does not have to be endured. Arat emphasized, “It’s about education and empowerment.”

Haleon’s mission is to deliver better everyday health with humanity. That is done by always putting the consumer first. With the UAE being one of the most innovative markets, consumers here are open to new experiences and highly engaged in their health. That includes oral health, one of the most personal and essential aspects of everyday well-being, and this was where Sensodyne’s 5^th sense bridged the gap between consumer need and pioneering innovation.