vVardis’s whitening collection oral care set promises healthier, brighter teeth – but does it deliver?

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Until fairly recently, being able to noticeably whiten dull or yellowing teeth required an appointment with a dentist who, in exchange for hundreds of pounds, would give you a bespoke gum shield that helped to keep medical-grade whitening chemicals on your teeth overnight.

Today, the appetite for pearly whites is huge, and there are plenty of products on the market promising to help people achieve them quickly, cheaply, safely and easily. Needless to say, not all of them work.

We were intrigued by vVardis thanks to its chic, understated branding and commitment to oral health. Launching as a dental clinic by dentist sisters Haleh and Golnar Abivardi almost 20 years ago, vVardis has grown beyond its native Switzerland and is now one of the leading dental groups in the world.

The emphasis is on a holistic approach, promising stronger and more robust teeth rather than just focusing on icy aesthetics. vVardis states that its WX formula – found in each of its products – is “the first whitening product that is actually good for your teeth”.

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We were keen to try the oral care set to see whether our teeth would feel cleaner and healthier, as well as look brighter. Here’s what we found.

We used the complete vVardis mild mint set for two and half weeks. During this time we didn’t alter our diet – so coffee, red wine, blueberries and other dark foods were still on the menu – or use any other form of dental treatment.

We brushed our teeth with the brush and toothpaste included for two minutes morning and night, before rinsing with the mouthwash, and at night applying the Aletsch to our teeth, specifically the front sections on top and bottom. We also made sure we didn’t eat or drink anything after applying the product: it was the very last thing we did before getting into bed for sleep.

The set contains a rheinholz wooden toothbrush, edelweiss whitening toothpaste, weissbad mouthwash and aletsch – a liquid coating for your teeth which promises to make them up to 10 shades lighter. You can choose between two flavours – soft mint or strong mint. We tried the soft mint.

All components of this set can be bought separately.

The key ingredient in the set is the WX formula – vVardis’ globally-patented technology which is found in all of its products. WX formula strengthens enamel, remineralises early decay, fights erosion and prevents sensitivity, and that’s before it’s even addressed whitening. The natural crystals in the WX formula capture and reflect light to give your teeth a bright, white shine. It also works on crowns and veneers, and the range is vegan and cruelty-free.

The toothpaste and mouthwash are straightforward to use – although those of us who like to scrimp on brushing time will really need to commit to a full two minutes, morning and night.

The aletsch comes in a tiny pot, like a miniature nail polish – and there’s a brush, although the brush is not integrated into the pot. Once your teeth are squeaky clean and rinsed, you dip your brush into the pot and apply a decent layer of aletsch to your teeth, ensuring you get in between teeth, too. It doesn’t hurt and it doesn’t feel cold. But you will need to bare your teeth after applying to allow it to dry. The box says 10 seconds but we played it safe with 30. Then you just go about your business. Using it at bedtime means you can’t “ruin” things by accidentally drinking an espresso or glass of red wine.

For best results, you should avoid foods that are known to stain teeth. But there’s no reason why you can’t consume anything you like within reason, if you are diligent about cleaning your teeth in general.

vVardis promises results in one week – this is how long the aletsch is meant to last, but our bottle lasted for almost three weeks. The brand does offer a slightly confusing caveat that you’re more likely to find it brightening than whitening. After a week, we saw a slight difference but it was after two that there was a definite colour change.

We like coffee and we like red wine, which means that we’d expect our results to last for a shorter amount of time than for those who drink only clear liquids. vVardis says that results can be maintained by re-applying aletsch as frequently as desired. However, if not maintained, results will last around a month from original treatment.