Whitening toothpastes - do they work?

In the quest for whiter teeth, many people turn to whitening toothpastes as a cost effective option but are they any good?

There are two main routes to whiter teeth - veneers which are similar to false fingernails and gel based whitening using a peroxide product.  With veneers being expensive and (usually) destructive to the underlying tooth structure, the majority of people have their teeth whitened using gels.

To comply with the law, the concentration of peroxide in whitening toothpastes is very low and for the majority of whitening toothpastes, tests have shown that little or no whitening effect results from use of the toothpaste.  One brand - Janina - has bucked this trend and tests by a number of bodies including Which magazine and BBC Health Watchdog have supported the whitening claim.

Where whitening toothpastes are useful is in stain removal.   If you suffer from staining on your teeth, periodic use of a whitening toothpaste can help remove the stains and keep your teeth looking great.  Whist they may not actually change the shade of the enamel, the removal of staining can make your teeth look whiter and, with their low cost, they should certainly not be ignored.  Some brands, such as CleanicDent, contain a very mild abrasive which is particularly effective at removing surface staining and polishing your teeth without damaging the underlying tooth structure.

Whilst you can buy a number of brands of whitening toothpaste at supermarkets and other retailers, AllClear stocks Janina and CleanicDent.  For more details of AllClear, please phone 020 8688 3869, call in or see our website.