Choosing the Best Whitening Toothpaste – Tips and Top Picks

Who wouldn’t want a stunning, bright, and beautiful smile? A whitening toothpaste can help people get shiny, stain-free teeth. These products may not offer quick results like that of other teeth brightening methods, such as dental treatments and whitening strips. However, whitening toothpaste can help make the teeth look a little brighter, improving their smile and enhancing their confidence. So, here are some tips for finding the right whitening toothpaste:
Check for ADA approval
When choosing a whitening toothpaste, looking for an authorized seal of acceptance from the ADA (American Dental Association) is crucial. This approval indicates that the particular toothpaste is safe and effective in dealing with surface stains.
Look for key ingredients
Checking for the key ingredients is necessary when buying whitening toothpaste. Chemical whiteners such as hydrogen peroxide help in removing surface stains. It is a common bleaching or whitening agent usually found in toothpaste, whitening kits, and other products. For better results, hydrogen peroxide must be left on for a while. Further, gentle abrasives such as silica help remove stains on the surface of the teeth without harming the enamel. Fluoride also plays an important part when choosing the right toothpaste. It not only helps with surface stains but also manages cavities.
Avoid harmful ingredients
If you are allergic and sensitive to certain ingredients, such as artificial sweeteners, flavoring, and dyes, then you must avoid toothpaste containing one or more of these items. Also, some people are allergic to common toothpaste ingredients such as propylene glycol and cocamidopropyl betaine. So, it is important to check the label beforehand and skip products that contain these ingredients. Also, charcoal toothpaste should be avoided as it may cause more harm than good. Charcoal can be mildly abrasive and harm the enamel.
Consider a reliable brand
When choosing a whitening toothpaste, always look for a reputed and reliable brand. This way, you can be assured of the quality and service.
Check the whitening method
Consider checking out the active and inactive ingredients in the whitening toothpaste. Sometimes, abrasives such as microbeads are used to remove surface stains in whitening toothpaste. These help deal with challenging stains and remove plaque from the teeth. However, if you do not like the feel of toothpaste with such abrasives or find them too harsh, you should avoid getting them.
Compare the RDA scores
If you want to learn how erosive a whitening toothpaste can be, check for the RDA, i.e., relative dentin abrasivity. Whitening toothpastes with lower RDA scores are gentle, while ones with higher RDA scores reflect a higher level of abrasive ingredients. It is usually safe to use toothpaste with RDA scores below 250, but the lower the RDA, the less harm the toothpaste can cause to the tooth dentin. However, you may need to choose a toothpaste with RDA above 100 to see teeth whitening effects. Here is the RDA scale you can use:
Low abrasion: 0–70
Midrange abrasion: 70–100
Highly abrasive: 100–150
Considered harmful: 150–250
Look up all the information
It is important to research the product you want to buy. You can read about it online by checking the reviews of other users. You can also ask your dentist or your family and friends for recommendations. This might help you understand what to look for in a whitening toothpaste and which is the best toothpaste.
Consult your dentist
Before buying a whitening toothpaste, it is essential to consult your dentist to get their recommendation and approval. Everyone has different needs, so the dentist may recommend products that are best for your teeth.
Follow the instructions
Read the instructions on the toothpaste packaging to understand how to get the most out of it and how often you should use it. If you experience enhanced tooth sensitivity, you should not use that toothpaste every day. You can also look for whitening toothpaste for sensitive teeth.
Top picks
Here are some of the best whitening toothpaste options to help you get started:
Colgate Whitening Toothpaste (Optic White): Its most important feature is the ADA seal of acceptance, which makes it a relatively reliable option. The advantages of using the Colgate Optic White toothpaste are that it promises safety for the tooth enamel and helps remove extrinsic and intrinsic stains. It is also a vegan formula and provides teeth whitening benefits, making teeth look three shades lighter.
Sensodyne ProNamel Whitening Toothpaste: This has a gentle formula and is designed for sensitive teeth. Its ingredients include silica, sodium fluoride, and potassium nitrate. The ProNamel whitening toothpaste helps protect the teeth from acids in meals and hardens and strengthens the tooth enamel. However, it may not work on tough and challenging stains.
Tom’s of Maine Simply White Toothpaste: This formula does not contain artificial sweeteners, preservatives, dyes, and colors. The silica is the most powerful agent in this toothpaste, removing extrinsic stains on teeth and helping refresh the breath. It is available as a gel or cream.
Arm & Hammer Advance White: This is an extreme whitening toothpaste that can whiten teeth with braces. It contains fluoride to help fight cavities. The toothpaste prevents new stains from developing and can remove old stubborn stains.
Colgate Optic White Renewal Whitening Toothpaste: It works well on both intrinsic and extrinsic stains that have been caused due to tea and coffee. It features a refreshing mint taste and has a vegan formula.
So, consider following these tips for choosing the right whitening toothpaste, and you can choose from the best options listed above. While whitening toothpaste helps remove the stains from teeth, they do not give the quick and long-lasting results that professional dental treatments offer. However, whitening toothpastes are excellent options to get a brighter smile and boost confidence.