14 best whitening toothpastes for brighter teeth and fresher breath

This product promises fast-acting, long-lasting whitening. We wondered if these claims were a little too lofty but we were impressed. The formula actively removes stubborn stains created by coffee, tea, red wine, and even smoking, and while our only vice from that list is a daily green tea, we certainly had enough surface stains for this toothpaste to have something to work with – and work it did. The formula contains high levels of whitening silicas, which provide effective stain removal, without harming tooth enamel. This meant there was none of the sensitivity that some extra-strong whitening products can cause. Plus, it’s packed with fluoride, which helps strengthen enamel and protect against tooth decay, as well as polyphosphates and PVP, which help prevent tartar and plaque build-up – what more could you want from a toothpaste? Our breath smelt fresher for longer, compared with using other toothpastes, and our teeth looked brighter and at least a shade whiter – which is pretty impressive.

Minty yet mild, this toothpaste was easy to use, and, while it contains baking soda – a mild abrasive that removes surface stains – it doesn’t feel grainy. It doesn’t foam up as much as other toothpastes we’ve tested but you definitely feel like you’ve had a good clean. We noticed our teeth looked a little whiter after a couple of weeks but they also looked really shiny and bright. As a bonus, we experienced absolutely no sensitivity issues when testing this toothpaste, and we were really impressed by how well it removed plaque around the gumline.

Containing perlite, a dental grade polishing agent, this toothpaste promises to make your teeth up to four shades whiter in just three weeks – and we think it delivered. It’s easy to use, lathers up nicely when brushing, and has a faint minty taste that’s just enough to leave your mouth feeling fresh and clean.

Our teeth felt super smooth after using it, and they had a nice shine to them. In terms of how long it took to notice a difference in colour, we’d say about two weeks. By that point, our teeth looked at least a shade (if not two) whiter. However, what really impressed us was how its polishing capabilities were not just able to make our teeth whiter overall but also removed stains that had built up in an area of crowding on our lower teeth that other toothpastes had never been able to shift.

This grainy paste is as minty fresh as they come, which was a welcome addition to its whitening prowess, as some of the other toothpastes we tested lost points in the fresh-breath department. On top of the intense minty flavour, it didn’t take very long – just a few days, in fact – for us to notice a difference in the existing staining we had on our teeth. After just two weeks, it was clear this product worked well at reducing stain build-up from the foods and drinks we consume, namely green tea, tomato sauce, soy sauce, and balsamic vinegar. Thanks to the toothpaste’s four-step approach – loosening, lifting, polishing and protecting – our teeth feel smoother and look brighter and whiter.

A clinical study conducted on 76 people who had stains caused by food and drink showed this toothpaste has the ability to reverse up to 15 years of discolouration. Was that the case when we tested it? Well, ultimately, it’s hard to say how many years of staining it took off our gnashers, but it certainly made a dent.

The paste is smooth rather than grainy and is nice and thick. It cleans well, leaving teeth feeling super smooth, and the professional whitening ingredients within the formula help lift stains – red wine stood no chance against this. However, there was one area where we felt there was room for improvement, and that was the taste and subsequent fresh-breath effect.

This particular toothpaste has a rather peculiar taste, it’s not minty at all, in our opinion – while it gets rid of morning breath, it doesn’t leave a minty fresh scent in your mouth, meaning mouthwash post cleansing was absolutely necessary.

This toothpaste has a medicinal taste to it, which meant we didn’t get that traditional minty fresh breath we’ve come to associate with clean teeth. However, it does offer a clean feeling and our teeth definitely looked whiter after prolonged use.

When it came to addressing sensitivity, we were surprised this paste was able to lift stains while not irritating gums. It also helped reduce inflammation we’d developed after testing other toothpastes. Overall, we noticed less sensitivity while testing this toothpaste.

Standing out in the sterile-looking dental world, Marvis manages to blend fashion and function, thanks to its sleek branding and efficient whitening formula. Founded way back in 1958, the Italian brand has found a surprising style status in the past decade, owing to its covetable and climate-friendly packaging.

It’s at the pricier end of the market but it’s not just a pretty face. Unlike some whitening products, Marvis’s thick formula is creamy rather than grainy or pasty, working to cleanse and condition the gums and teeth – and we found it pleasingly minty and fresh.

As well as leaving our mouth feeling thoroughly cleaned, we noticed its whitening effect within just a few days. After two weeks, our tester (an obsessive coffee drinker who is also very partial to a glass of red wine) had a noticeably whiter and shinier sheen to their teeth. Marvis’s toothpaste is not merely an attractive addition to your bathroom cabinet, it’s a very efficient one, too.

For maximum whiteness, abrasives alongside teeth bleaching peroxide are generally used to get teeth as white as possible. However, Hismile uses phthalimidoperoxycaproic acid (PAP), rather than peroxides, to give a gentler – but still noticeable – whitening effect. We definitely noticed how much gentler this was than other peroxide-based toothpastes we tried.

Sensitive gums, bleeding or tooth sensitivity are all conditions that can often result from heavy-duty whitening products, even toothpaste, but, with this, we didn’t experience any of these side effects. We were pretty surprised, because this non-foaming iridescent serum-like toothpaste effectively removed stains in as little as a few days.

While we were impressed by its whitening prowess, we did think it lacked a fresh minty taste, was tricky to squeeze out of its tube and its runny nature meant we found we over-served ourselves on occasion.

After a lifetime of brushing with traditional paste formulas, switching to tabs took some getting used to. These dentist-formulated eco-friendly packaged tablets need to be chewed for five seconds before you start brushing, which means we had to do a little brain training to stop our natural inclination to swallow after chewing. We also had to remember not to rinse our mouths after brushing, as each tab contains B12 and vitamin E. These are vital to maintaining healthy gums, as well as a healthy immune system, so rinsing the formula away is a no-no.

When it comes to stain removal, this minty fresh, frothy formula contains hydroxyapatite, an exciting new mineral that’s the building block of natural enamel. It closes all the open pores in the teeth and, in tandem with other whitening ingredients, blocks stain formation, and adds a glossy shine to the teeth, all while being incredibly gentle.

A naturally minty flavour derived from wild mint and peppermint leaves, combined with hero deep cleanser sodium bicarbonate, and cavity fighter fluoride, make for a toothpaste we can get behind. It’s free of SLS (sodium lauryl sulfate), too, yet still foamed up nicely and we found that, throughout testing, our teeth looked brighter and whiter. The formula is vegan-friendly, cruelty-free and pretty “clean”, and we found there was no sensitivity from using this whitening paste, either.

Our only gripe is, for the price, we expected a little more innovation in terms of its formula – while it did leave our teeth whiter, it is pretty standard, mainly consisting of silica and sodium bicarbonate, which only physically removes surface stains.

This mint, peppermint and menthol-infused paste is one of the most luxe toothpastes we’ve ever seen. The tube aesthetic is minimalist and resembles more of a covetable face mask or hand cream. Not only did it elevate the look of our bathroom sink, the formula has a fair few ingredients you’d see in your skincare – not so surprising when you discover this is made in Switzerland, which is a skincare mecca.

Hydroxyapatite helped protect the outer layer of our teeth, by preventing the breakdown of enamel, while anti-inflammatory actives helped boost gum health, and Swiss flower edelweiss, a potent antioxidant, worked to balance bacteria. There’s even a moisturising amino acid to relieve dryness.

The question remains, though, did it actually whiten our teeth? In short, yes. A mix of exfoliating and bleaching ingredients silica and sodium bicarbonate left our teeth around two shades lighter and a lot brighter.

As a sulphate-free toothpaste, this product is a little gentler on the mouth and less likely to irritate the oral mucosa – the soft tissue membrane that lines the inside of the mouth and protects the underlying tissue. The oral mucosa also secretes saliva, so, for those who regularly experience dry mouth, a sulphate-free toothpaste can help you avoid exacerbating the issue. After months of using plastic aligners to straighten their teeth, dry mouth had become a problem for our tester. This smooth, creamy-textured toothpaste has a refreshing minty taste, and left our tester’s teeth feeling extra clean. It lathers up nicely, despite being sulphate-free, and, after a month of use, our tester noticed a subtle improvement in the whiteness of their teeth. While it wasn’t a dramatic change, teeth were certainly left brighter, and our tester experienced less dryness, too.

Formulated by dentists, this toothpaste works to whiten while strengthening the teeth – making it a great option for those who want to brighten their smile in as gentle a manner as possible. The toothpaste is a little runny, which took some getting used to, but it foams up nicely during brushing, and the minty flavour is refreshing yet mild, leaving your mouth feeling fresh for hours, without any overpowering aftertaste. It's free from parabens, silicones, and sodium lauryl sulphate (SLS), so, it’s gentler on the gums and doesn’t leave that dry, uncomfortable feeling that some toothpastes can. As for the whitening effects, after using it daily for a month, we saw noticeable results. Our teeth were more even toned and had less discolouration overall. The whitening was especially visible on areas that had previously been stained by coffee and tea. By the end of the month, we felt confident this toothpaste had successfully lightened our smile, while being kind to our teeth and gums.

We were somewhat surprised by the price of this toothpaste but it’s spenny for a reason. The patented formula is a mix of micronised calcium peroxide and fruit enzymes that gently dislodge pesky plaque, while polishing agents buff away stains. It also includes gold-standard skincare actives such as Coenzyme Q10 and vitamin E, to promote healthy gums. Did ours feel any different? Well, it’s hard to tell if there was any improvement in terms of gum health but we absolutely loved how clean our teeth felt after using this product. Build-up at the back of the teeth can sometimes be hard to brush away but, with this paste, getting our teeth clean was a breeze. When it came to whitening, we couldn’t fault it, either – though, we did achieve similar results from less expensive options, and bear in mind there is only so much whitening a toothpaste can do. However, you could argue the patented, well-considered, whitening and oral health focused actives can’t be found for high street prices.