Uncategorized

The Best Whitening Toothpaste, According to Experts

April 23, 2020

139

If you’ve been noticing that your teeth are starting to yellow—thanks to culprits like coffee, tea, red wine, and berries—it may be time to call in a good whitening toothpaste. Sure, you could pick up a whitening pen, an at-home bleaching kit or schedule an appointment with your dentist for professional whitening, but an everyday paste is an easy, affordable way to brighten your smile without extra steps.

As convenient as it is to incorporate a whitening toothpaste into your oral care routine, you do need to be cautious since some formulas can be harsh on enamel and gums. 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.

But the abrasive ingredients are also the exact reason why you shouldn’t use whitening toothpastes for prolonged periods. “Abrasives tend to be aggressive with the enamel over time,” points out Samaddar. 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. She also advises using a paste that has been reviewed and recommended by the Academy of General Dentistry (AGD) or the American Dental Association (ADA). “There are a lot of products out there that claim amazing results but haven’t been vetted," she adds.

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. Make sure to brush your teeth twice a day for two minutes, floss daily, limit stain-producing beverages and foods, and see your dentist for annual cleanings and checkups.

Ready for flash-worthy pearly whites? Keep scrolling for expert-approved and customer-loved whitening toothpastes.

Arm & Hammer Advance White Extreme Whitening Baking Soda & Peroxide Toothpaste

whitening toothpaste arm and hammer , a dentist at Harris Dental in Phoenix, Arizona is a fan of this classic drugstore find. Even though it contains baking soda—which is an abrasive agent—in the ingredient list, this toothpaste offers a lower RDA value (translation: a scale that ranks the abrasiveness of toothpastes), protecting your smile against damage to your enamel, explains Harris.

To buy: Arm & Hammer Advance White Extreme Whitening Baking Soda & Peroxide Toothpaste ($4; target.com)

Colgate Total Advanced Fresh + Whitening Gel Toothpaste

whitening toothpaste colgate gel said: "I smoked for three years and recently quit four months ago. No more Newports! Now I have whiter teeth and fresher breath."

To buy: Colgate Total Advanced Fresh + Whitening Gel Toothpaste ($4; cvs.com)

Tom’s of Maine Luminous White Toothpaste

whitening toothpaste toms ($5; target.com)

Hello Naturally Whitening Fluoride Toothpaste

whitening toothpaste hello raved, “I currently have braces, and I feel this toothpaste has actually gotten my teeth even whiter than the drugstore whitening toothpaste I've used for years."