What makes a good whitening toothpaste

Toggle navigation. Neil N. Hadaegh, DDS Dr. Great, but which ones of dozens actually work? But, the main questions is: Do they actually work? We did the homework for you and tapped dentists for the best whitening toothpastes that are actually gentle and safe enough to use, while still helping you to achieve your desired results.

While whitening toothpastes can help remove surface stains, they can't completely rid you of stains that have penetrated deep inside the tooth. Basically, these types of pastes contain some type of abrasive ingredient—like silica, baking soda, and hydrogen peroxide—that scrubs away at surface stains and makes your teeth appear whiter, says Sheila Samaddar, DDS , a member of the American Dental Association and president of the DC Academy of General Dentistry.

While she specifies that your dentist, who is familiar with the specific condition of your teeth, is more equipped to give recommendations, she does note that using a whitening toothpaste for only a month at a time is a good rule of thumb. However, if at any point you start to develop tooth sensitivity or gum tenderness, you should discontinue use immediately. When using a whitening toothpaste, always be sure to apply it with a soft or extra-soft bristled toothbrush to help counter the harsh abrasives in the paste that scrub off stains, says Sammadar.

And, of course, just because you're using a whitening toothpaste doesn't mean you can slack off on the rest of your oral hygiene routine. Tea tree reduces plaque and ups the ante on minty freshness.

Hey Humans also incorporates Everice technology, which creates a cooling sensation in the mouth for fresh breath that lasts. Mica powder is used in the formula for a sparkly gel that will make you want to brush your teeth even more. Peppermint oil extract is also infused to leave breath feeling fresh all day long. Fluoride and hydrogen peroxide work together to deliver not only teeth whitening benefits, but also teeth-strengthening assistance in this formula.

This toothpaste incorporates peppermint, which is anti-inflammatory and kills bacteria. They might not be as effective on certain types of stains as at-home teeth-whitening kits , but when it comes to whitening products, the best whitening toothpaste is typically a more affordable, less time-consuming option that is simple to swap into your routine.

Because, hey, you brush your teeth anyway, right? All it takes is a stroll down the oral care aisle to see that there are a ton of options to choose from for whiter teeth, so how do you decide what is the best whitening toothpaste on the market for you?

Some of it depends on personal preference, but there are a few important factors to keep in mind when choosing your next tube of teeth whitening toothpaste. Depends on what you mean by work, really. According to the American Dental Association ADA , whitening toothpastes are effective at removing surface stains, also known as extrinsic stains, which is a kind of discoloration due to things like smoking, eating, and drinking, especially highly pigmented foods and drinks think: wine, soda, and coffee.

However, teeth whitening toothpastes can't change the natural color of your teeth or lighten a stain that goes deeper than a tooth's surface the surface stains that go beyond the enamel are called intrinsic stains.

Deep surface stains caused by factors like aging or long-term antibiotic use, as well as a few conditions that lead to teeth yellowing and bad breath, require more than whitening toothpaste. In those cases, for whiter teeth, you need to level up to bleaching through products like whitening kits and strips, which you can get over-the-counter, or professional whitening treatments through your dentist.

According to the Mayo Clinic , some teeth whitening toothpastes also contain the chemical blue covarine, which creates an optical illusion that can make teeth appear whiter by adhering to the surface of your teeth. In that way, they have an immediate effect, but the actual stain removal will depend on other ingredients and take a lot longer.

All told, whitening toothpaste can take from up to six weeks of twice-daily brushing to reduce surface stains and make teeth appear whiter.