The answer to the question is…it depends. As is so often the case with products, not all of them are created equal when it comes to safety, ingredients, effectiveness, quality, etc. The same applies to whitening toothpaste. However, an essential consideration regarding your assessment as to the effectiveness of any whitening toothpaste must start with realistic expectations – very realistic expectations.
Here are a few things to help put the concept of whitening toothpaste into perspective. First, no whitening toothpaste can provide a better result than what you can get from a professional whitening process. Second, no whitening toothpaste can provide a quicker, quality result than what you can get from a professional whitening process. Third, while whitening toothpaste can provide a visible result, generally speaking, it takes weeks or months of twice-daily use to see the difference. Fourth, no whitening product, including toothpaste, can make your teeth any whiter than their natural shade or color.
That said, using a quality whitening toothpaste and following good oral hygiene principles along with relevant manufacturer’s guidelines is an easy, affordable way to help maintain a vibrant smile and keep surface stains to a minimum.
Earlier this year, February to be exact, there was an article written by Thomas J. Salinas, DDS for the Mayo Clinic’s Healthy Lifestyle Adult Health section. In the article, Dr. Salinas addresses the question about the effectiveness of whitening toothpaste. After reading his comments, I am inclined to agree with his assessment because he and I are of like mind on the subject. The bottom line is that whitening toothpaste can slightly lighten the color of teeth by lessening surface stains.
Although your use of whitening toothpaste is undoubtedly driven by the underlying desire to have a brighter smile and whiter teeth, the primary goal of using any toothpaste should always be to help achieve and maintain good oral health. So, even though ‘whitening products’ exist as a specialty market within the toothpaste industry, you should always look for those products that contain whitening agents along with essential ingredients to help fight bacteria and prevent tooth decay and gum disease.
How Does Whitening Toothpaste Work?
Whitening toothpaste is only formulated to help remove surface stains on the teeth. Such stains include coffee, tea, nicotine, and tar residue from smoking. Also, whitening toothpaste is completely ineffective in lessening or removing stains that are contained in the dentin (the inside of the tooth). Internal stains of this nature are usually the result of trauma to the teeth, mouth, or gums, certain medications, and aging.
Whitening toothpaste works in two basic ways: 1) by polishing the teeth using abrasives and, 2) by using whitening agents to dissolve stains. The abrasives used in whitening toothpaste have enough coarseness to provide a ‘scrubbing’ effect on the outer surface of the teeth (the enamel) to help remove stains and plaque but, are mild enough so as not to create any harm. The typical whitening agents used include a form of peroxide, either hydrogen or carbamide, which helps to lighten the color of the teeth. Contrary to opinion, whitening agents don’t really ‘add’ color to the teeth – they actually decolorize the teeth by ‘removing’ color (stains) to reveal your natural shade of white.
Is Whitening Toothpaste Safe?
The short answer is, yes. But, like so many dental or medical questions, the longer answer is…it depends. Considerations such as the overall quality of the product being used, the ingredients used, the amount of whitening agent used, frequency of use, and duration of use all play fundamental roles in answering this question. Oftentimes, people have the attitude that ‘if a little works well, a lot will work great!’ Remember, abrasives are termed as such because they are coarse enough to create a scrubbing effect. And, although they’re safe on the enamel when used according to the manufacturer’s recommendations, that doesn’t mean you can or should exceed those guidelines and not expect to experience any consequences such as uneven scarring to the enamel. Likewise, whitening toothpaste also contains a form of peroxide, which may vary in concentration levels, that can cause teeth sensitivity issues if not used correctly. As you can see, it usually comes back around to the responsibility of each individual to use a product safely, and in a way that’s consistent with recommended guidelines. Failure to use a product safely in no way suggests that the product itself is unsafe.
Fundamentally, it’s always a good idea to look for dental products that have been approved by a noted dental organization like the American Dental Association Seal of Acceptance. Products containing this seal indicate that they have been deemed to be safe and effective for removing topical stains.
What’s the Best Whitening Toothpaste?
There are a lot of available commercial options for whitening toothpaste using both chemical and organic (herbal/natural) ingredients on the market. Many consumers prefer the chemical choice because of convenience and perceived benefit; while many others feel more comfortable or socially responsible using alternatives favoring all-natural ingredients or a combination of chemical and natural ingredients. Regardless of which camp you identify with, the most important consideration is that you brush your teeth regularly to maintain healthy oral hygiene – whitening, to any degree, is a plus!
Honestly, it’s uncertain as to whether or not there is a ‘best’ whitening toothpaste as well as what the term ‘best’ even means. As with all marketing, it depends on who you listen to. Does ‘best’ mean the greatest change in color? Safest overall? Works the fastest? Has the least sensitivity side effect? Is less harsh on tooth enamel? Used less frequently? Costs less? As you can see, there are a lot of variables and a great many potential definitions of the term.
Generally speaking, commercial products using chemicals typically produce more favorable results – if you gauge the result through the lens of enhanced brightness. However, those same chemical whitening products have the potential to be harder on teeth enamel than commercial products using natural compounds. So, while the reduced whitening benefit of the natural option might not appeal to some, the increased harshness to the enamel from the chemical alternative might not appeal to others. As you can no doubt see, it didn’t take long to get into tradeoffs and right back to our discussion of best.
When it comes to whitening, the only way you can be assured of getting a predictable result is to utilize professional whitening processes offered through a dental professional. For more explanation on ‘why’ this is true, read our earlier article, The Myths Behind Teeth Whitening. If you use whitening toothpaste as your primary means to achieving a brighter smile, you’re most likely going to experience disappointment. However, if you regard whitening toothpaste as simply a maintenance measure to help keep your teeth bright and healthy, the result you’ll get will probably be much more acceptable.
Farragut and Knoxville’s Cosmetic Dentist
We want your smile to not only be a reflection of your confidence but a reflection of your complete experience with our West Knoxville dental team. If there’s anything we can do to help enhance your smile, so you can build your confidence and embrace life more boldly, please let us know. Whether it’s whitening, a cosmetic smile consultation, restorative work, family dentistry or other need, please contact us here.
