Fluoride: yes | Flavor: peppermint | Additional benefits: breath-neutralizing
Best for Dry Mouths: Burst Fluoride Wild Mint Whitening Antiplaque Toothpaste
Why it’s worth it: Housed in a BPA-free plastic tube, Burst’s Fluoride Wild Mint Whitening Anticavity Toothpaste relies on hydrated silica to polish and naturally whiten teeth and remove surface stains. Moisturizing glycerin ensures your mouth doesn’t feel dry and chalky, while 0.243% sodium fluoride (recognize her?) bolsters enamel and prevents tooth decay. To top it all off, peppermint, wild mint, and spearmint oils add a refreshing dose of cooling.
Fluoride: yes | Flavor: wild mint | Additional benefits: moisturizing
Best Flavor Range: Supersmile Professional Whitening Toothpaste
Why it’s worth it: A proprietary blend of calcium peroxide and minerals (like sodium bicarbonate) found in Supersmile’s Professional Teeth Whitening Toothpaste hacks away at your teeth’s sticky biofilm, which accumulates stains, plaque, and bacteria. The toothpaste’s calcium carbonate reduces dental sensitivity, according to Dr. Kalasho, and it doesn’t hurt that it comes in a variety of wonderful-tasting, bad-breath-squashing flavors. We’re talking standouts like Tahiti Vanilla Mint, Rosewater Mint, and Cinnamon.
Fluoride: yes | Flavor: vanilla mint, rosewater mint, icy mint, cinnamon | Additional benefits: reduces teeth sensitivity, works well on veneers
Best for Enamel: Boka Whitening Toothpaste
Why it’s worth it: Boka’s Whitening n-Ha Toothpaste ditches fluoride in favor of nano-hydroxyapatite (n-Ha), a calcium-based mineral that makes up a whopping 97% of your teeth—a dream team for restoring weak enamel. “It’s fluoride-free, remineralizes teeth, and supports enamel health,” Dr. Kandov says. Bonus: The formula also features soothing aloe vera and antioxidizing green tea.
Fluoride: no | Flavor: peppermint | Additional benefits: comfortable on sensitive teeth
Frequently asked questions
Do whitening toothpastes really work?
Whitening toothpaste won’t make your teeth instantly jump several shades brighter than an in-office treatment might. Still, they’re a solid at-home alternative for nix stains, reducing the appearance of yellowness and improving oral health with ingredients like fluoride. While peroxide is still the gold-standard ingredient for a whiter smile, people with sensitive teeth concerned about its harshness may opt for a whitening toothpaste specially formulated to work without irritating.
Whitening toothpastes tend not to contain hydrogen peroxide because it’s difficult to stabilize, according to New York City-based cosmetic chemist Ni’Kita Wilson. “Instead, they exfoliate away new stains with silica, a gritty mineral.”
