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Several brands of toothpaste attempt to desensitize exposed dentine (see Dentin hypersensitivityplugin-autotooltip__plain plugin-autotooltip_bigDentin hypersensitivity

"Dentin hypersensitivity (DH, DHS) is dental pain which is sharp in character and of short duration, arising from exposed dentin surfaces in response to stimuli, typically thermal, evaporative, tactile, osmotic, chemical or electrical; and which cannot be ascribed to any other dental disease.). They typically use potassium nitrate, potassium chloride or potassium citrate. They can be an effective 'home treatment' - but the 'mechanism of action' has not been definitively confirmed

Potassium-containing toothpastes are common; however, the mechanism by which they may reduce hypersensitivity is unclear. Animal research has demonstrated that potassium ions placed in deep dentin cavities cause nerve depolarization and prevent re-polarization. […] It is believed that potassium ions diffuse along the dentinal tubules to inactivate intradental nerves. However, as of 2000, this has not been confirmed in intact human teeth and the desensitizing mechanism of potassium-containing toothpastes remains uncertain.

Source :Wikipedia