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Noticed that your teeth were looking a little under par on your last Zoom call?
Now that we're working from home, it's hard not to pick at your appearance. The best teeth whitening toothpastes will certainly help lift that off-white tone to a lighter hue.
So what's in teeth whitening toothpastes and do they actually work? Dr Richard Marques BDS, of Doctor Richard London, said: "The good news is, teeth whitening toothpastes on the whole actually do work. They contain active ingredients such as silica or pyrophosphates, which lift stains and help to brighten the shade of the teeth.
"Some also contain gentle polishing granules to help buff the teeth enamel, just be careful to look for ‘non-abrasive’ on the label, as you don’t want to damage the surface enamel with anything that’s too harsh."
Clare Jayson, Founder of Billion Dollar Smile, agreed they were effective and a good idea to use, but advised to be patient with the results - and don't expect miracles.
Whitening toothpastes contain ingredients that help to break down and remove stains that build up over time on the tooth's surface. They are an easy-to-use addition to your oral health care routine but won’t break down deeper stains below the surface of the tooth.
"If you regularly drink tea, coffee, red wine and other staining foods and drinks, switching to a whitening toothpaste can help stop the build up of everyday stains. They can generally take a few weeks to start seeing results."
We've rounded up the best teeth whitening toothpastes below so you're ready for your next (video) closeup.
Best teeth whitening toothpastes for 2021
1. Billion Dollar Smile Purple Tooth Polish
Lift yellow tones with this purple teeth whitening toothpaste (think a purple shampoo for your pegs).
It's packed with purple pigments, papaya enzyme and vitamin E, and works to remove stains and restore the natural whiteness of the teeth with regular use.
A happy customer said: "I recently used the Billion Dollar Smile Teeth Whitening Kit and wanted them to stay as white for as long as possible between my treatments. This toothpaste has done just that - so cool that’s it’s purple too! Tastes nice, natural minty flavour and last a long time. Very happy with my smile."
Price: £10.99, Superdrug - buy here now
2. Dr Richard Natural Whitening Toothpaste
This brightener contains calcium carbonate and silica for strong yet natural teeth whitening.
It also contains natural peppermint oil to remove odours from your teeth and gums and leave you with fresh breath as well as lighter-looking teeth.
One fan said: "Easy to incorporate into my oral care programme and not time consuming. A marked whitening of my teeth was evident within a few days of use. You need such a small amount that it really is very good value for money, the tube lasts a very long time."
Price: £12, Dr Richard London - buy here now
3. Curaprox Black is White Charcoal Toothpaste
Theodora Little, dental hygienist for Curaprox, reminds us not to expect the same results from teeth whitening toothpaste as professional whitening, but says they can be effective at maintaining a sparklier smile.
She says: "I recommend Curaprox Black is White as this is one of very few charcoals on the market that is classed as an extremely low abrasive toothpaste. It has an RDA of 59 which confirms how gentle it is and, instead of scrubbing away at stains, it absorbs them through the function of activated carbon. Therefore, it's a gentle everyday stain removal toothpaste which will, with the help of added blue optical brightness, give a natural whitening appearance."
It also has a filter in the toothpaste that absorbs yellow light on the tooth’s surface, so it seems whiter.
Price: £18.38, Amazon - buy here now
4. Spotlight Oral Care Toothpaste for Whitening Teeth
Created by dentists, this teeth whitening toothpaste contains fluoride and active ingredients to combine a stain-removing effect with a clean and refreshed mouth.
It's vegan, comes in a recyclable tube made from sugarcane, and is ocean-safe too, meaning you can brush with guilt-free confidence.
Price: £9.50, Beauty Bay - buy here now
5. Marvis Whitening Mint Toothpaste
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Take your teeth from dull to dazzling with the Marvis whitening toothpaste, which boasts a cool mint flavour as well as a rather awesome retro packaging.
It's a xylitol and sorbitan-based formula, which gently lightens, cleans, and conditions your teeth without irritation and prevents decay and bad breath at the same time.
One pleased customer said: 'Love this toothpaste! Leaves your mouth feeling fresh without being overpowering. Doesn’t cause my teeth to be sensitive like a lot of other whitening toothpastes. This is my 3rd purchase and I will stick with this toothpaste. It’s definitely brightened my teeth and keeps stains at bay."
Price: £7.14, Amazon - buy here now
6. HiSmile Day and Night Toothpaste
Protect and brighten your teeth with this two-step process, offering a day toothpaste that helps to protect against stains from occurring in the day (tea-lover's, we're looking at you), and a night toothpaste that gradually whitens teeth over time by removing surface stains.
The lightening paste also contains antibacterial ingredients to improve your overall oral health, protecting gums from decay.
And what do customers think? One said: "Love this product. You can see good results as little as three days of use. Definitely worth every penny, I will be ordering again very soon."
Price: £9.99, HiSmile - buy here now
7. Moon Stain-Removal Fluoride-Free Whitening Toothpaste
If you're looking for a natural teeth-whitening toothpaste, this fluoride-free option isa great choice.
The vegan, cruelty-free formula has a blend of antioxidants and essential oils to help leave your with a lighter, brighter smile. The peppermint taste also leaves you with a minty-fresh mouth.
Price: £9.95, Beauty Bay - buy here now
8. iWhite Instant Teeth Whitening Gum Care Toothpaste
Teeth whitening toothpastes don't need to break the bank, as this iWhite shows. The formula has a special complex of small, snow-white hydroxyapatite microcrystals to help whiten and rebuild enamel.
Your gums will also be protected, thanks to tea tree oil and vitamin E, which can help reduce bleeding and inflammation.
Price: £5, Amazon - buy here now
9. Jason Powersmile Whitening Toothpaste
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We love a hardworking product, and this Jason teeth whitening toothpaste is just that. It contains three whiteners to polish and pep-up your pegs without harsh abrasives.
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Antibacterial perilla seed extracts help prevent tartar buildup, and peppermint essential oil leaves you so fresh and so clean.
One review raved: "This toothpaste is a must! I have tried many different types of toothpaste but I can finally say that I have found the one for me. Jason Powersmile keeps my pearly whites super-clean throughout the whole day and amazingly white. Smiles all round."
Price: £5.49, Look Fantastic - buy here now
