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What is the Best Teeth Whitening Toothpaste?

Whitening toothpaste feature image

The shelves these days are filled with teeth whitening toothpaste.

For those of us who would like a whiter smile, it’s difficult to know which brand to trust. You want something safe, but you also want something that works.

In this post, we’re going to give you the low down on whitening toothpaste.

What products are out there? How do they work? Are they effective, and is there any risk involved? And most importantly, is this something that you should try?

Read on to get all the information you need to make the best decision on whitening products for your teeth.

What Types of Teeth Whitening Toothpaste Are Available?

There are many different teeth whitening toothpaste available in Australia.

These are some of the common brands:

White Glo Smoker formula teeth whitening toothpaste

White Glo Smokers Formula Whitening Toothpaste

This toothpaste is marketed especially to those struggling with nicotine stains.

It can also help reduce smokers’ breath.

It contains micro-polishing particles but is still safe for use with electric toothbrushes.

Sensodyne Repair and Protect Whitening Toothpaste

Sensodyne Repair and Protect Whitening Toothpaste

This toothpaste whitens teeth while also reducing tooth sensitivity by repairing areas where dentin has been exposed.

Crest 3D White Glamorous White Whitening Toothpaste

Crest 3D White Glamorous White Whitening Toothpaste

This toothpaste advertises that it will remove up to 95% of surface stains in 3 days.

It is safe for your enamel, and you can see results in as little as one day.

Opalescence Whitening Toothpaste Original with Fluoride

Opalescence Whitening Toothpaste Original with Fluoride

This toothpaste whitens teeth while also strengthening enamel and helping to prevent cavities.

It is approved by the Australian Dental Association (ADA).

Unscrewing the Oral-b 3D white Luxe toothpaste

Oral-B 3D White Luxe Glamorous White Toothpaste

This toothpaste advertises that it will remove surface stains in 3 days. It also includes fluoride to help prevent cavities.

A decent and reasonably affordable toothpaste that does whiten your teeth and remove annoying surface stains.

Lush Dirty Toothy Tabs

Lush Dirty Toothy Tabs

A reliable alternative to toothpaste that you crush up in your mouth before using your toothbrush to brush your teeth.

Uses all natural ingredients and is good for the environment.

Colgate

This well-known brand has a couple of whitening toothpaste variations to mention.

Colgate Optic White

Colgate Optic White

This toothpaste uses hydrogen peroxide, a common ingredient in tooth whitening products, to give you whiter and brighter teeth.

It is approved by the ADA.

Colgate Advanced Whitening Toothpaste

Colgate Advanced Whitening Toothpaste

This formula polishes teeth through its use of microcrystals.

It also helps prevent cavities.

All of these options are well-reviewed and can give you somewhat reasonable results for the money.

Depending on your needs with regards to preventing cavities, strengthening your enamel, and personal preference, you can choose the toothpaste that will work best for you.

What is Whitening Toothpaste Made From and How Does it Work?

At their core, most whitening toothpaste is made from the same key ingredients.

These include, but not limited to:

  • Moderate Abrasives.
  • Hydrogen Peroxide.
  • Carbamide Peroxide.

Most will consist of something to scrub your teeth clean, and fluoride to promote the health of your teeth and prevent cavities.

What is whitening toothpaste made from?

This scrubbing agent can vary from brand to brand.

As you saw above, Colgate uses what they call microcrystals while White Glo uses micro-polishing particles.

However, they do much the same thing in scrubbing away the surface stains on your teeth to reveal a brighter, whiter layer below.

We found a good article by www.dentist.net that breaks down the ingredients one by one.

How Long Does it Take to See Results? How Long Do They Last?

You can normally see results within 2 – 6 weeks.

Whitening toothpaste removes the surface stains on your teeth.

When you stop using one, these stains will eventually build back up.

How long this takes varies from person to person, but to maintain your new, whiter smile it is best to continue to use a whitening toothpaste on a regular basis.

Just make sure you follow the directions on the manufacturer’s packaging.

Is Whitening Toothpaste Safe?

In most cases, whitening toothpaste is safe.

However, it is possible to damage your teeth and enamel.

This usually happens when someone is overusing whitening toothpaste and scrubs away too much of their enamel with the same scrubbing components that are supposed to remove the stains.

When using one of these kinds of toothpaste, it’s important to follow the manufacturer’s instructions to avoid potential damage.

Is There Any Pain When You Use Whitening Toothpaste?

There shouldn’t be any pain.

If there’s pain, it may be a sign that you have damaged your enamel or otherwise damaged your teeth.

At that point, it would be recommended to contact your dentist and get a checkup.

A man experiencing pain

I Have Sensitive Teeth, is Whitening Toothpaste Okay to Use?

Yes, although you may need to be more careful than those who do not have sensitive teeth.

If you do experience increase sensitivity be ready to stop as this kind of toothpaste will only make sensitivity to your teeth, worse.

Sensodyne is specially made for people with sensitive teeth and maybe an excellent place to start.

What About the Other Methods of Whitening?

There are at least 5 ways to whiten your teeth.

Let’s look at each compared to whitening toothpaste and see how it stacks up.

1. Teeth Whitening Toothpaste vs. The Dentist

Teeth whitening toothpaste has the advantage of being much cheaper than the dentist, as well as being more convenient since you can do it on your own time.

Professional teeth whitening by a dentist

Whitening treatments at the dentist’s office can be more expensive but are also much more effective.

Your dentist usually uses hydrogen peroxide, which gives you a deeper level of whiteness than toothpaste can provide.

2. Teeth Whitening Toothpaste vs. The Kit

At-home kits are very popular and for good reason.

They can give you good results, but without the cost of a dentist’s appointment.

Teeth whitening kit

They are also fairly easy to use.

At the same time, the toothpaste is faster and is already something that’s a part of your routine.

It is also cheaper which is definitely a positive!

3. Teeth Whitening Toothpaste vs. The Strips

The toothpaste whitens on the surface, while the strips use hydrogen peroxide to go a little deeper and thus provide a better result.

A lady using teeth whitening strips

Some people do however complain that whitening strips are unpleasant to use.

Increased sensitivity is also a common side effect and is something you need to watch when using whitening strips.

4. Teeth Whitening Toothpaste vs. The Gel

Teeth whitening gel contains some form of peroxide for a more profound whiteness.

It can correct significant stains and discolouration beyond what toothpaste can fix.

Whitening Gel

However, the gel is time-consuming, even in some cases having to stay on overnight when performed by a dentist.

You also can’t eat or drink while the gel is on your teeth.

5. Teeth Whitening Toothpaste vs. Natural Remedies

There are various natural remedies, such as oil pulling that you can apply to your teeth to make them possibly whiter.

These remedies are cheap, and many avoid the risk for teeth sensitivity associated with stronger treatments.

Coconut Oil is used for Oil Pulling

While you can check your toothpaste for ADA approval to be sure that it is safe, these remedies are not overseen by any official organisation and so potentially carry increased risk.

They also vary in how effective they are.

Can I Use Whitening Toothpaste if I Have Bridge Work, Veneers, Crowns or Dental Implants?

Whitening toothpaste is only designed to whiten natural teeth.

Because of this, it is best to consult your dentist before using one if you have had dental work done.

Cosemtic bridge work and teeth whitening

How Do You Use Teeth Whitening Toothpaste Properly?

It is recommended to use your toothpaste twice a day when brushing, once in the morning and once at night before bed.

Brush your teeth gently yet thoroughly.

Whitening toothpaste is more abrasive than regular toothpaste, so it’s crucial to avoid brushing too hard or too quickly since that can remove the enamel over time.

Use a soft toothbrush with using whitening toothpaste

Where Can You Buy Whitening Toothpaste in Australia?

You can generally find teeth whitening toothpaste and products anywhere you would buy regular toothpaste.

These include supermarkets like Woolworths, Coles and Aldi. Chemists and Pharmacies also stock a large range of toothpaste brands.

Below is my list of retailers that stock the most popular brands of whitening toothpaste:

Conclusion

Although there are a lot of different teeth whitening options out there, it is possible to pick one that works best for you and your lifestyle.

Most whitening toothpaste will use similar ingredients, so unless you have particular needs like sensitive teeth, it should be possible to use almost any of them quite happily.

Other whitening methods will most likely give a more profound and lasting whitening effect than toothpaste, but these options are generally more expensive and may lead to sensitive teeth, especially when a lot of hydrogen peroxide is used.

I think the trick to finding the best teeth whitening toothpaste is to go out and try some for yourself. We all have unique needs and wants and deciding on whitening toothpaste is no different.

Product development is improving all the time with toothpaste.

Recently, I’ve been really impressed with Oral-B’s 3D White Luxe Glamorous White Toothpaste. It actually removed my surface stains and I could tell it was whitening my teeth with the 3-day timeframe they mentioned on the pack.

To date, it’s my pick for best teeth whitening toothpaste.

Have you tried a really good whitening toothpaste that people should know about? Let me know in the comments below.

By Andrew Adams

Created at July 25, 2018, Updated at December 15, 2020

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