In today’s society, a white smile is achievable through many different avenues. Each month a new dental product is launched that claims to “whiten teeth” or “eliminate foul odors”. But which product is right for you? Over the last few months I have taken home and tried Crest 3D White, Colgate Optic White, and Aquafresh 2X whitening. In order to maintain some control for this study, I only used each whitening toothpaste for two weeks. In between weeks I brushed my teeth with regular generic toothpaste that had no affiliation with any of the brands. Secondly, in between those weeks I also drank more coffee and tea. Thus, allowing my teeth to “stain” more and reset the study.
Here were my findings in order from Best to Worst.
Colgate Optic White (Approx $4.00): Having an anti-cavity fluoride bonus to this whitening toothpaste was definitely a plus for me. The toothpaste foams up like baking soda in your mouth and feels like its working. After about 5 days I noticed that portions of my teeth had become whiter. It seemed like I went one to two shades whiter in that short time. It also left my mouth feeling cleaner for a longer amount of time.
Aquafresh 2x Whitening (Approx $3.50): Another toothpaste with the added benefit of having fluoride, the Aquafresh 2x whitening was just not as powerful as the Colgate. After 2 weeks I noticed similar results to the Optic White, but in a much longer span of time. It did not foam up as much as the Optic White, and did not have a very good flavor. (I tried Ice Mint). Overall, it seemed to work given the time period, but did not leave my mouth feeling as clean or my teeth as white as its competitor.
Crest 3D White( Approx $4.25): STAY AWAY FROM THIS WHITENING TOOTHPASTE!!! Here is a direct link to a study that was performed and the results are horrifying. Crest Study. Not only does the toothpaste embed plastic into your gums, but it contains Stannous Fluoride. This chemical has been proven to actually stain your teeth! I started noticing heavy stain around the gum line of my teeth after using this toothpaste. I’m not even going to get into the flavor or any benefits of using it because there are none. Simply put, do not waste your money on this product.
So there you have it. Before wasting your money on expensive whitening products, give the toothpaste a try. Using the toothpaste alongside your whitening system may drastically increase your results.
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