Top 8 Whitening Toothpastes of 2024: Tested and Reviewed

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Even those with good oral hygiene are looking for a brighter, whiter, more brilliant smile. After all, so many of your favorite daily treats (coffee, tea, red wine, even things like berries) can leave teeth with that unwanted, yellowish tint. And while you could pick up some at-home whitening devices or see your dentist for a professional bleaching, whitening toothpastes offer an easier, more cost-effective way to brighten your smile. 'Whitening toothpastes contain some type of abrasive ingredient that can remove the surface stains and make the teeth appear whiter than they were before,' explains celebrity cosmetic dentist Brian Kantor, D.D.S., of Lowenberg, Lituchy & Kantor in New York City,

If you take a stroll through the toothpaste aisle, you’ll be met with hundreds of choices — do I want baking soda or charcoal (spoiler: no to the charcoal), enamel protection or gum sensitivity? And how do I choose which one is right for my teeth? We had all the same Q’s, so to get the A’s we consulted dentists and put 24 of the self-proclaimed best whitening toothpastes to the test, using before and after pics to help judge. These eight received the highest ratings after weeks of testing.

Whitening Ingredient: Hydrated silica | Size: 4.7 oz | Fluoride: Yes

When you hear Burt’s Bees, you think beeswax lip balm, right? After this, you’ll think of the best whitening toothpaste. The Deep Clean + Whitening Toothpaste with Fluoride rated highest in our tests, getting a perfect five in the categories of effectiveness and comfort. It also made the biggest improvement in the shade of our teeth — taking a seven on the Vita scale to a four, the biggest improvement of the ones we tried — and this came from a coffee guzzling editor. We saw an overall brightening effect after the first few uses and a noticeable difference in surface stains by the one month mark of the test.

If natural toothpastes in the past were chalky and soured you on the content, this will be an improvement. The taste was a really fresh, clean, real mint taste, but we did experience a hint of an aftertaste.

Whitening Ingredient: Hydrogen peroxide, silica | Size: 3.2 oz | Fluoride: Yes

The moderate whitening power of this toothpaste is in the bleaching agent — two percent hydrogen peroxide. For reference, high dose formulas can have more than five percent of the ingredient. We saw a slight improvement in the color of our teeth after a month of testing. This pick is best for removing surface stains or maintaining the current shade of your teeth. We did love this as an everyday toothpaste option as we experienced no sensitivity while brushing, or to hot and cold beverages. It also tastes minty fresh and froths up nicely. This pick was also recommended by Kantor because it contains an anti-cavity fluoride as well.

Sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) can be irritating for some users, including contributing to canker sores. If you know this is a concern for you, this may not be the best formula to use. The Tom’s of Maine formula has SLS derived from coconut (versus petroleum). MOON is SLS free.

Whitening Ingredient: Silica | Size: 3 oz | Fluoride: Yes

With silica being the main whitening ingredient, this toothpaste is best for buffing the surface of your teeth to make them shine. We saw a slight improvement in the shade of our smile over the course of testing, but this paste really shines in the prevention category. It contains sodium fluoride to strengthen weakened enamel and prevent cavities and also has sodium hexametaphosphate, an ingredient that blocks stains, too. This is a true white paste consistency, versus a gel, and the texture was fine, albeit slightly gritty due to the silica. This is also a mild mint flavor — a boon for anyone who finds toothpastes a bit overpowering.

Whitening Ingredient: Silica | Size: 3.7 oz | Fluoride: Yes

While whitening teeth is a popular goal, maintaining the actual health of your teeth is most important. But who says you can’t tackle both in one tube? This formula contains silica to buff off stains as well as stannous fluoride — the type of fluoride that can prevent cavities and plaque and bacteria (sodium fluoride only works at cavity defense). It also contains amino acid glycine, which has been studied and shows a reduction in inflammation and bleeding as well as prevention of gingivitis and bad breath (when combined with stannous fluoride).

Whitening Ingredient: Hydrogen peroxide, silica | Size: 3 oz. | Fluoride: Yes

Some whitening toothpastes can cause sensitivity, thanks to the hydrogen peroxide. Hydrogen peroxide works as a whitening agent, because it contains volatile oxygen molecules, these molecules react to stains and break the bonds that hold them to your teeth. This process, while effective, can cause the nerves in your teeth to become more sensitive. However, this pick was a breeze for the full two minutes of daily use and didn’t cause increased sensitivity afterwards (even to iced coffee!).

The editor who tested this started with the whitest teeth of the bunch — a four on the VITA scale — which she attributes to regular Crest 3D Whitestrips use. However, she was pleasantly surprised to find that this toothpaste maintained her current level of whiteness, whereas she normally sees a decline in brightness after just toothpaste usage for a few weeks.

Whitening Ingredient: Silica, baking soda, peroxide | Size: 6 oz | Fluoride: Yes

This Colgate formula contains a trio of whitening ingredients: Baking soda, peroxide, and silica. Think of baking soda and silica as the scrub brush when doing dishes — both act as abrasives to gently scrub off surface stains and brighten. Peroxide is like adding soap to that situation. The oxygen molecules “bubble” to break down plaque and discoloration. The price is a big selling point for this formula. Plus, it didn’t cause any sensitivity for the teeth or gums and has a smooth application and texture. The mint taste was also pleasant and didn’t cause a “fight the burn” feeling. While we did experience a two shade difference in whitening, it took the full length of the test and wasn’t as dramatic of results as other formulas.

Whitening Ingredient: Silica | Size: 5.2 oz | Fluoride: Yes

Many “natural” formulas are fluoride-free, even though dentists and the American Dental Association recommend it for daily brushing. Tom’s of Maine has the best of both worlds — the ingredients you need, without the additives. All colors, flavors, and preservatives are naturally derived and their formulas are vegan and cruelty-free. The toothpaste left our mouth feeling cleaning and fresh and the mint flavor didn’t linger for too long, which is ideal if you’re a pre-breakfast brusher.

Whitening Ingredient: Silica, hydrogen peroxide | Size: | Fluoride: Yes

MOON took the oral care industry by storm thanks to their celebrity collaborators, like Kendall Jenner and Odell Beckham Jr, and dedicated fans. The formulas are all vegan and free of artificial flavoring. There aren’t typically animal products in toothpaste; however some animal derivatives may be included (honey, glycerin, etc). This pick does contain hydrogen peroxide, but it is listed at the end of the ingredient list, meaning it is at a low percentage, whereas silica is listed near the top. The low concentration of hydrogen peroxide also makes it a better pick for sensitive teeth. The fresh mint flavor comes from peppermint oil and is more subtle than a synthetic mint — a positive or negative depending on your tastebuds. The hard plastic and stiff label of this tube means it takes more effort to get out a glob. The juice is worth the squeeze in this case.

Shannon Bauer is a senior commerce editor for the Shape brand with seven years of experience writing, editing, and producing beauty and wellness content for the top print and digital publications. She reviewed the testing methodology, read through all tester reviews, and interviewed dentists to complete this list. Shannon also uses the Colgate Optic White Advanced Teeth Whitening Toothpaste herself.