They are called “Brilliant White”, “Whitening” or “Super White”: whitening toothpastes are intended to make teeth that have been permanently discolored due to coffee, tea or nicotine consumption radiantly beautiful again. But can they keep their promise? And how good are the products for dental health?
Stiftung Warentest tested eleven whitening toothpastes and drew a positive conclusion. Almost all test candidates removed discoloration at least well. However, the product testers warn against expectations that are too high: the pastes will not make your teeth whiter than they once were. These only reveal the natural tooth color again. These are not whitening products.
The whitening toothpastes are also good for your dental health. When it comes to caries prevention using fluoride, the products tested showed no weaknesses; most of them are very good. The products were not overly aggressive either: Despite the good cleaning performance, the abrasion of the test candidates was mostly in the medium range, and in two it was low.
You don’t have to spend a lot of money on toothpastes. The two test winners – each with an overall rating of “Very Good” – are the “Bevola Toothpaste Whitening” from Kaufland and the “Dentalux Seidenweiss 4-fold Protection” from Lidl. The 125 milliliter tube costs 85 cents each. If you have sensitive teeth with exposed tooth necks, Stiftung Warentest recommends the gentle “Colgate Max White Expert Original”. It only ensures minimal tooth abrasion, but is significantly more expensive at 4.95 euros for a small tube (75 ml).
In addition, very good normal toothpastes also remove discoloration, as past tests by Stiftung Warentest have shown. However, the product testers advise against home remedies such as baking powder, baking soda, sea salt or lemon juice: acid and powder could damage the protective tooth enamel.
Professional teeth cleaning at the dentist makes sense from both an optical and health perspective. Depending on individual needs, PZR is usually recommended once or twice a year. If you want your teeth to be whiter beyond their natural color, you can find out about professional whitening treatment. However, bleaching that is too frequent or intensive can damage your teeth, warns Stiftung Warentest.
The complete test is available for a fee on www.test.de
