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The best toothpaste for sparkling teeth and healthy gums
Looking for a bright, healthy smile? You can achieve it with the best toothpaste, all researched and approved by our editors.
Toothpaste is important in maintaining optimal dental care and overall oral health. Finding the best toothpaste tailored to your specific needs is crucial because it contains active ingredients, such as fluoride, which help strengthen enamel and prevent tooth decay.
Additionally, toothpaste aids in removing plaque and bacteria, which reduces the risk of gum disease and cavities. Choosing the right toothpaste can address dental concerns you may have, such as soothing sensitive teeth, whitening teeth — and freshening breath so that you can be confident with your smile.
With so many brands on the market, it can be tricky to choose a toothpaste that suits your needs. To help you nail your search, we researched the best toothpaste for you to shop now.
Read more: Find the best dental flossers for clean teeth and gums
Great all round toothpaste
Want a toothpaste that does it all? This Crest formula packs a punch with advanced ingredients specifically designed to target gum health, making it a great choice for maintaining optimal oral hygiene.
The toothpaste contains stannous fluoride, a powerful anti-bacterial agent that helps to prevent gum disease and promote gum health by reducing plaque buildup and fighting bacteria along the gum line.
Additionally, Crest Pro-Health Advanced Gum Protection Toothpaste offers eight main benefits, including preventing cavities, tooth enamel erosion and reducing tooth sensitivity. This provides all-in-one oral care benefits in one product. Plus, its refreshing mint flavor will leave your mouth feeling clean and fresh.
Ready to try it out? It’s got a 4.6-star average rating from more than 4,500 reviewers, so you know many users vouch for Crest.
For combating gingivitis
Do your gums tend to bleed when you brush your teeth? This toothpaste can help with that as it’s specifically designed to aid with gingivitis symptoms and maintain gum health.
One of the key features of Parodontax Clean Mint toothpaste is its active ingredient, stannous fluoride, which is known for its powerful antibacterial properties. Stannous fluoride helps kill bacteria along the gum line, reducing inflammation and preventing the onset of gingivitis.
Additionally, this formula contains ingredients that help remove plaque and tartar buildup, further reducing the risk of gum disease.
This toothpaste has a 4.75-star average rating from nearly 11,500 reviewers, which makes it a top fluoride toothpaste and one of the best kinds of toothpaste for gingivitis.
Best whitening
If you enjoy teeth-staining beverages like coffee and tea, brush your teeth with a whitening toothpaste. Colgate Optic White Renewal has an advanced formulation to target surface stains and deeply penetrate enamel to reveal a brighter, whiter smile.
Containing hydrogen peroxide, which is a powerful whitening agent, it effectively breaks down and removes stubborn stains caused by red wine and other common culprits.
Additionally, this toothpaste has fluoride, which not only strengthens the tooth enamel but also helps prevent cavities and protect against tooth sensitivity that is often associated with whitening products.
Over time, this toothpaste offers long-lasting results, with continued use leading to progressively whiter chompers over time.
For sensitive teeth and gums
Got sensitive teeth and gums? Then the Crest Pro-Health Gum and Sensitivity toothpaste may be the one for you. It has a unique blend of ingredients formulated to provide relief and protection for sensitive gums.
The toothpaste contains potassium nitrate, which helps soothe and desensitize the nerves in the teeth and gums, reducing discomfort and pain associated with sensitivity.
Additionally, it has stannous fluoride to promote gum health by reducing plaque buildup and fighting bacteria along the gum line. This helps prevent inflammation and irritation and further eases symptoms of sensitivity.
That’s not all., this toothpaste is touted to give other oral care benefits, including cavity protection, enamel strengthening and fresh breath.
A gentle option
If the name of this toothpaste isn’t telling enough, we don’t know what else would be.
Dentists Dr. Lisa and Dr. Vanessa Creaven formulated this toothpaste with sodium fluoride to strengthen enamel and prevent tooth decay, while still being gentle enough if you have sensitive teeth and gums.
This product’s comprehensive approach to oral care addresses a multitude of dental concerns. Its advanced formula contains a blend of active ingredients selected to promote overall dental health, including cavity prevention, plaque removal and gum protection.
To top it off, Made by Dentists is BPA, DEA, paraben, sulfate and cruelty-free, plus it’s PETA-certified, and vegan, so you can feel even better each time you brush your teeth.
For fresh breath
We all want fresh breath after brushing our teeth and Therabreah Fresh Breath Toothpaste provides just that. It contains potent antibacterial agents such as zinc compounds and tea tree oil, which work to eliminate bacteria in the mouth that contribute to bad breath.
Additionally, it’s free from harsh ingredients like sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) and artificial flavors, making it gentle on the mouth while still delivering powerful results. Its blend of natural ingredients, including green tea extract and aloe vera, helps to soothe and protect oral tissues.
While it doesn’t foam like regular toothpaste, users say it leaves them with fresher breath compared to others they’ve tried, making this one of our picks of the best toothpaste for bad breath
Pro tip: Use Therabreath Oral Rinse after brushing your teeth for longer-lasting freshness throughout the day.
Best value buy
There’s no need to drop a lot of cash on toothpaste, especially if there’s one that’s a great value buy like Colgate Total Clean Mint.
It contains fluoride, which helps strengthen enamel and prevent cavities, making it an effective choice for cavity prevention. It also has triclosan, an antibacterial agent that helps reduce plaque buildup and fight germs to promote gum health and prevent gum disease.
And if you’re looking for long-lasting freshness, this does the job with its refreshing mint flavor, and clinically-proven formula that provides 12-hour protection against bacteria. With a 4.7 star rating on average from 7,354 reviews, you can’t go wrong.
Great for kids
Most kids feel that brushing their teeth is a chore, but you can make the experience more enjoyable with a toothpaste such as Hello Kids Natural Watermelon toothpaste. Featuring a fun and appealing watermelon flavor that makes brushing fun for young ones, the enticing flavor helps encourage kids to develop good oral hygiene habits.
This toothpaste is one of the best natural toothpaste types for kids — as it’s fluoride-free and made with natural ingredients, including plant-based cleansers and soothing botanicals.
Parents will also be relieved that it’s free from SLS/sulfates, artificial sweeteners, dyes, artificial flavors, microbeads, triclosan, parabens and gluten.
Picking the right toothpaste, explained
Wondering how to find the right toothpaste for you? Here our editors answer some commonly asked questions to help guide your purchasing decision.
Does more expensive toothpaste work better?
While some more expensive toothpaste brands may offer additional features or specialized formulations, such as whitening agents or advanced technology, there is no guarantee that they will work better than more affordable options. What you should consider when choosing a toothpaste are its active ingredients and how well they address your specific oral health needs.
Many budget-friendly toothpaste brands contain fluoride, which is essential for preventing cavities and strengthening enamel, making them equally effective at maintaining oral hygiene. Additionally, factors such as flavor preferences, sensitivity concerns and ingredient preferences can also influence which toothpaste is best suited for you.
Who shouldn’t use fluoride toothpaste?
Fluoride toothpaste is generally safe and effective for most individuals when used as directed. However, certain groups of people may need to exercise caution or avoid fluoride toothpaste altogether. This includes young children, infants, Individuals with fluoride sensitivity, and those with medical conditions such as kidney disease.
What toothpaste do dentists not recommend?
Dentists usually don’t recommend toothpaste that contains abrasive particles or harsh chemicals that can damage tooth enamel or irritate the gums. Toothpaste that lacks fluoride, which is essential for preventing cavities and strengthening enamel, may not be recommended by dentists for long-term oral health maintenance.
While specific brands or toothpaste types may vary based on individual preferences and needs, dentists generally advise against toothpaste with excessive abrasiveness, high acidity, or ingredients that may cause allergic reactions or sensitivity.
If you’re unsure, consult a dentist to determine the most suitable toothpaste for your oral health needs and concerns.
What is the best toothpaste?
All the toothpastes on our list are great options if you want to maintain healthy teeth and gums. If you need help in choosing the best toothpaste for your medicine cabinet, we recommend these two:
Crest Pro-Health Advanced Gum Protection Toothpaste: For an all-in-one toothpaste that is great for daily brushing.
Made by Dentists Total Care Toothpaste: Formulated by dentists, this is a gentle option if you want optimal dental care, minus the abrasive chemicals.
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Prices updated on 03/04/2024. We are not responsible for any changes to the prices mentioned above
Written by
Sherelyn Goh
A former women's lifestyle magazine editor, Sherelyn Goh has worked with all things beauty, health, style and travel and finds a thrill in discovering and testing new products. Based in Kuala Lumpur, she enjoys food, travel, working out and cooking.
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