More and more of us are in search of whiter teeth. Along with a straighter smile, it’s one of the main things we look for when it comes to dental care. However, doing it at home, even with the aid of the best teeth whitening kits and the best electric toothbrush, can be dicey – homemade remedies can destroy enamel, while blue LED light kits, when used too often, increase tooth sensitivity and gum irritation (not to mention how pricey they can be). This makes the best whitening toothpaste a safer and more reliable option when it comes to combating stains caused by some of the best things life has to offer: coffee and wine.
Aesthetic dentist and co-founder of toothpaste tablets brand Pärla, Dr Rhona Eskander explains that, when it comes to the shade of your teeth: “Stains are either extrinsic (aka surface stains) or intrinsic (aka stains that occur inside the tooth). Toothpaste containing silica, an abrasive ingredient, removes extrinsic stains by scrubbing the surface of your teeth. Those that also contain bleaching agent hydrogen peroxide can whiten extrinsic and intrinsic stains.”
Dr Eskander also shares that, while teeth whitening toothpastes are designed to remove more stains than regular toothpastes that focus solely on improving oral health, they are not miracle workers, and there is a limit to how white your teeth can go (and should go).
“Everyone has a baseline, not to mention the actives in whitening toothpaste are not as strong as those you can get from a dentist,” she says. “Moreover, if your teeth have lost enamel, then dentine, which is the supportive structure of our teeth, that lies immediately underneath our enamel becomes visible. It’s more yellow in colour and less prone to effective whitening.”
Keeping this in mind helped me have realistic expectations during testing, so, I was pleasantly surprised by what the top picks could do. Keep reading to find out my thoughts.
The best whitening toothpastes for 2025 are:
- Best overall – Rapid White daily whitening toothpaste: £9.50, Amazon.co.uk
- Best budget buy – Arm & Hammer advanced white pro: £2:34, Amazon.co.uk
- Best hi-tech option – Swissdent extreme whitening toothpaste: £18.76, Amazon.co.uk
- Best for stubborn stains – Pearl Drops strong polished white toothpaste: £3.50, Amazon.co.uk
- Best for fast results – Oral-B 3D white clinical whitening restore power fresh toothpaste: £7.99, Amazon.co.uk
How I tested
I used each of these teeth whitening toothpastes for a month, brushing twice a day for two minutes. I focused on their value for money, taste, success at whitening and sensitivity. You can find my full testing criteria at the end of this guide.
Rapid White daily whitening toothpaste
Best: Whitening toothpaste overall
Size: 100ml
Why we love it
- Results were speedy
Take note
- The minty flavour is intense, which some people may not like
This product promises fast-acting, long-lasting whitening. I wondered if these claims were a little too lofty but I was impressed. The formula actively removes stubborn stains created by coffee, tea, red wine, and even smoking, and while my only vice from that list is a daily green tea, I certainly had enough surface stains for this toothpaste to have something to work with – and work it did. The formula contains high levels of whitening silicas, which provide effective stain removal, without harming tooth enamel. This meant there was none of the sensitivity that some extra-strong whitening products can cause. Plus, it’s packed with fluoride, which helps strengthen enamel and protect against tooth decay, as well as polyphosphates and PVP, which help prevent tartar and plaque build-up – what more could you want from a toothpaste? My breath smelt fresher for longer, compared with using other toothpastes, and my teeth looked brighter and at least a shade whiter – which is pretty impressive.
Buy now £9.5, Amazon.co.uk
Arm & Hammer advanced white pro
Best: Budget whitening toothpaste
Size: 75ml
Why we love it
- No sensitivity issues
- Tackled plaque
Minty yet mild, this toothpaste was easy to use, and, while it contains baking soda – a mild abrasive that removes surface stains – it doesn’t feel grainy. It doesn’t foam up as much as other toothpastes I’ve tested but you definitely feel like you’ve had a good clean. I noticed my teeth looked a little whiter after a couple of weeks but they also looked really shiny and bright. As a bonus, I experienced absolutely no sensitivity issues when testing this toothpaste, and I was really impressed by how well it removed plaque around the gumline.
Buy now £2.34, Amazon.co.uk
Pearl Drops strong polished white toothpaste
Best: Whitening toothpaste for stubborn stains
Size: 75ml
Why we love it
- Added smoothness and shine as well as whiteness
- Impressive at removing stubborn stains
Containing perlite, a dental grade polishing agent, this toothpaste promises to make your teeth up to four shades whiter in just three weeks – and I think it delivered. It’s easy to use, lathers up nicely when brushing, and has a faint minty taste that’s just enough to leave your mouth feeling fresh and clean.
My teeth felt super smooth after using it, and they had a nice shine to them. In terms of how long it took to notice a difference in colour, I’d say about two weeks. By that point, my teeth looked at least a shade (if not two) whiter. However, what really impressed me was how its polishing capabilities were not just able to make my teeth whiter overall but also removed stains that had built up in an area of crowding on my lower teeth that other toothpastes had never been able to shift.
Buy now £3.5, Amazon.co.uk
Oral-B 3D white clinical whitening restore power fresh toothpaste
Best: Whitening toothpaste for fast results
Size: 70ml
Why we love it
- Only takes a few days to notice improvements
Take note
- Mint taste might be too intense for some
This grainy paste is as minty fresh as they come, which was a welcome addition to its whitening prowess, as some of the other toothpastes I tested lost points in the fresh-breath department. On top of the intense minty flavour, it didn’t take very long – just a few days, in fact – for me to notice a difference in the existing staining we had on my teeth. After just two weeks, it was clear this product worked well at reducing stain build-up from the foods and drinks I consume, namely green tea, tomato sauce, soy sauce, and balsamic vinegar. Thanks to the toothpaste’s four-step approach – loosening, lifting, polishing and protecting – my teeth feel smoother and look brighter and whiter.
Buy now £7.99, Amazon.co.uk
Colgate max white ultimate renewal whitening toothpaste
Best: Whitening toothpaste for surface stain removal
Size: 75ml
Why we love it
- Battles tough stains, including red wine
Take note
- Odd taste
A clinical study conducted on 76 people who had stains caused by food and drink showed this toothpaste has the ability to reverse up to 15 years of discolouration. Was that the case when I tested it? Well, ultimately, it’s hard to say how many years of staining it took off my gnashers, but it certainly made a dent.
The paste is smooth rather than grainy and is nice and thick. It cleans well, leaving teeth feeling super smooth, and the professional whitening ingredients within the formula help lift stains – red wine stood no chance against this. However, there was one area where I felt there was room for improvement, and that was the taste and subsequent fresh-breath effect.
This particular toothpaste has a rather peculiar taste, it’s not minty at all, in my opinion – while it gets rid of morning breath, it doesn’t leave a minty fresh scent in your mouth, meaning mouthwash post cleansing was absolutely necessary.
Buy now £8.95, Amazon.co.uk
Corsodyl complete protection toothpaste whitening
Best: Whitening toothpaste for sensitive gums and teeth
Size: 75ml
Why we love it
- Great for sensitive teeth
- Not the traditional minty taste
This toothpaste has a medicinal taste to it, which meant I didn’t get that traditional minty fresh breath I’ve come to associate with clean teeth. However, it does offer a clean feeling and my teeth definitely looked whiter after prolonged use.
When it came to addressing sensitivity, I was surprised this paste was able to lift stains while not irritating gums. It also helped reduce inflammation I’d developed after testing other toothpastes. Overall, I noticed less sensitivity while testing this toothpaste.
Buy now £3.16, Amazon.co.uk
Marvis whitening toothpaste
Best: Stylish whitening toothpaste
Size: 85ml
Why we love it
- Sleek branding
- Minty and fresh finish
- Saw noticeable difference after two days
Standing out in the sterile-looking dental world, Marvis manages to blend fashion and function, thanks to its sleek branding and efficient whitening formula. Founded way back in 1958, the Italian brand has found a surprising style status in the past decade, owing to its covetable and climate-friendly packaging.
It’s at the pricier end of the market but it’s not just a pretty face. Unlike some whitening products, Marvis’s thick formula is creamy rather than grainy or pasty, working to cleanse and condition the gums and teeth – and I found it pleasingly minty and fresh.
As well as leaving my mouth feeling thoroughly cleaned, I noticed its whitening effect within just a few days. After two weeks, I (an obsessive coffee drinker who is also very partial to a glass of red wine) had a noticeably whiter and shinier sheen to their teeth. Marvis’s toothpaste is not merely an attractive addition to your bathroom cabinet, it’s a very efficient one, too.
Buy now £9, Amazon.co.uk
Hismile PAP+ whitening toothpaste
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Best: Peroxide-free whitening toothpaste
Size: 40g
Why we love it
- Removed stains visibly in just a few days
Take note
- Lacks minty taste
- Tricky to squeeze out of the tube
For maximum whiteness, abrasives alongside teeth bleaching peroxide are generally used to get teeth as white as possible. However, Hismile uses phthalimidoperoxycaproic acid (PAP), rather than peroxides, to give a gentler – but still noticeable – whitening effect. I definitely noticed how much gentler this was than other peroxide-based toothpastes I tried.
Sensitive gums, bleeding or tooth sensitivity are all conditions that can often result from heavy-duty whitening products, even toothpaste, but, with this, I didn’t experience any of these side effects. I was pretty surprised, because this non-foaming iridescent serum-like toothpaste effectively removed stains in as little as a few days.
While I was impressed by its whitening prowess, we did think it lacked a fresh minty taste, was tricky to squeeze out of its tube and its runny nature meant we found I over-served myself on occasion.
Buy now £5.39, Superdrug.com
Pärla pro plastic-free toothpaste tabs
Best: Whitening toothpaste tabs
Size: 62 tablets
Why we love it
- Eco-friendly toothpaste and packaging
- Adds glossy shine to teeth
- Incredibly gentle
Take note
- Tablets take some getting used to
After a lifetime of brushing with traditional paste formulas, switching to tabs took some getting used to. These dentist-formulated eco-friendly packaged tablets need to be chewed for five seconds before you start brushing, which means I had to do a little brain training to stop my natural inclination to swallow after chewing. I also had to remember not to rinse my mouth after brushing, as each tab contains B12 and vitamin E. These are vital to maintaining healthy gums, as well as a healthy immune system, so rinsing the formula away is a no-no.
When it comes to stain removal, this minty fresh, frothy formula contains hydroxyapatite, an exciting new mineral that’s the building block of natural enamel. It closes all the open pores in the teeth and, in tandem with other whitening ingredients, blocks stain formation, and adds a glossy shine to the teeth, all while being incredibly gentle.
Buy now £10.95, Amazon.co.uk
Polished London ultra white LMD toothpaste
Best: Vegan-friendly whitening toothpaste
Size: 75ml
Why we love it
- No sensitivity issues after use
Take note
- Pricey for what it is
A naturally minty flavour derived from wild mint and peppermint leaves, combined with hero deep cleanser sodium bicarbonate, and cavity fighter fluoride, make for a toothpaste we can get behind. It’s free of SLS (sodium lauryl sulfate), too, yet still foamed up nicely and we found that, throughout testing, our teeth looked brighter and whiter. The formula is vegan-friendly, cruelty-free and pretty “clean”, and we found there was no sensitivity from using this whitening paste, either.
Our only gripe is, for the price, we expected a little more innovation in terms of its formula – while it did leave our teeth whiter, it is pretty standard, mainly consisting of silica and sodium bicarbonate, which only physically removes surface stains.
Buy now £14.99, Bperfectcosmetics.com
Selahatin amorist whitening toothpaste
Best: Luxury whitening toothpaste
Size: 75ml
Why we love it
- Made teeth two shades lighter
- Clever chemicals used to protect enamel
This mint, peppermint and menthol-infused paste is one of the most luxe toothpastes I’ce ever seen. The tube aesthetic is minimalist and resembles more of a covetable face mask or hand cream. Not only did it elevate the look of my bathroom sink, the formula has a fair few ingredients you’d see in your skincare – not so surprising when you discover this is made in Switzerland, which is a skincare mecca.
Hydroxyapatite helped protect the outer layer of my teeth, by preventing the breakdown of enamel, while anti-inflammatory actives helped boost gum health, and Swiss flower edelweiss, a potent antioxidant, worked to balance bacteria. There’s even a moisturising amino acid to relieve dryness.
The question remains, though, did it actually whiten my teeth? In short, yes. A mix of exfoliating and bleaching ingredients silica and sodium bicarbonate left my teeth around two shades lighter and a lot brighter.
Buy now £20, Lamaisonduparfum.com
Sensodyne extra whitening toothpaste with fluoride for sensitive teeth
Best: Whitening toothpaste for dry mouths
Size: 100ml
Why we love it
- Sulphate-free
Take note
- Subtle whitening
As a sulphate-free toothpaste, this product is a little gentler on the mouth and less likely to irritate the oral mucosa – the soft tissue membrane that lines the inside of the mouth and protects the underlying tissue. The oral mucosa also secretes saliva, so, for those who regularly experience dry mouth, a sulphate-free toothpaste can help you avoid exacerbating the issue. After months of using plastic aligners to straighten their teeth, dry mouth had become a problem for me. This smooth, creamy-textured toothpaste has a refreshing minty taste, and left our tester’s teeth feeling extra clean. It lathers up nicely, despite being sulphate-free, and, after a month of use, I noticed a subtle improvement in the whiteness of my teeth. While it wasn’t a dramatic change, teeth were certainly left brighter, and I experienced less dryness, too.
Buy now £2.55, Boots.com
Spotlight Oral Care ultra whitening professional toothpaste
Best: Professional whitening toothpaste
Size: 100ml
Why we love it
- Long lasting fresh breath
- Kind to teeth and gums
Formulated by dentists, this toothpaste works to whiten while strengthening the teeth – making it a great option for those who want to brighten their smile in as gentle a manner as possible. The toothpaste is a little runny, which took some getting used to, but it foams up nicely during brushing, and the minty flavour is refreshing yet mild, leaving your mouth feeling fresh for hours, without any overpowering aftertaste. It's free from parabens, silicones, and sodium lauryl sulphate (SLS), so, it’s gentler on the gums and doesn’t leave that dry, uncomfortable feeling that some toothpastes can. As for the whitening effects, after using it daily for a month, we saw noticeable results. My teeth were more even toned and had less discolouration overall. The whitening was especially visible on areas that had previously been stained by coffee and tea. By the end of the month, I felt confident this toothpaste had successfully lightened our smile, while being kind to our teeth and gums.
Buy now £9.52, Boots.com
Swissdent extreme whitening toothpaste
Best: Hi-tech whitening toothpaste
Size: 100ml
Why we love it
- Patented formula
- Superior cleaning
Take note
- Pricey
I was somewhat surprised by the price of this toothpaste but it’s spenny for a reason. The patented formula is a mix of micronised calcium peroxide and fruit enzymes that gently dislodge pesky plaque, while polishing agents buff away stains. It also includes gold-standard skincare actives such as Coenzyme Q10 and vitamin E, to promote healthy gums. Did mine feel any different? Well, it’s hard to tell if there was any improvement in terms of gum health but I absolutely loved how clean my teeth felt after using this product. Build-up at the back of the teeth can sometimes be hard to brush away but, with this paste, getting my teeth clean was a breeze. When it came to whitening, I couldn’t fault it, either – though, I did achieve similar results from less expensive options, and bear in mind there is only so much whitening a toothpaste can do. However, you could argue the patented, well-considered, whitening and oral health focused actives can’t be found for high street prices.
Buy now £18.76, Amazon.co.uk
Your questions about whitening toothpastes answered
What is the best whitening toothpaste?
It’s best to be realistic about how white your teeth will really get when using a whitening toothpaste alone. If you smoke, and/or eat and drink a lot of teeth-staining ingredients, you may have decades of stains that toothpaste alone can’t fix. Plus, social media filters and the prevalence of veneers and bonding may have also skewed your idea of how white natural teeth can really get. As long as you keep all this in mind, though, I think, like me, you’ll be pleasantly surprised by how much of a difference switching to a tooth whitening toothpaste can make.
When it comes to picking the best of the bunch, the Rapid White daily whitening toothpaste came out on top. I was mightily impressed by the fact it didn’t cause any sensitivity, yet whitened so well, and at an impressive speed. Not only that, the reduction in plaque build-up I experienced added to the overall whiteness and brightness of my teeth, which made this my front runner.
How does whitening toothpaste work?
When it comes to teeth whitening at home, brands use a variety of ingredients. Charcoal is popular, which draws out impurities from the enamel (the outer layer of your teeth), while some use abrasives to dissolve stains. Other common whitening ingredients are hydrogen peroxide (which whitens teeth by bleaching) and silica, which can remove surface stains.
It can take several weeks to see a difference with regular use, so, consistency is key for whiter, brighter teeth. You can also help maintain the whiteness of your teeth by avoiding food and drink such as coffee, red wine, beetroot and blueberries.
Is whitening toothpaste safe?
If you’re using a surface stain removal toothpaste that contains abrasives to dissolve stains, it can weaken your enamel, in which case it’s always a good idea to also use an enamel-strengthening toothpaste. The healthier your enamel is, the better chance you have of protecting teeth from stains.
Most whitening toothpastes are designed for use every day, unless specified otherwise in the instructions. If you have particularly sensitive teeth, however, it is often recommended to alternate with your regular toothpaste.
How long does whitening toothpaste take to start having an effect?
Most whitening toothpastes can help you scrub away day-to-day discoloration before it becomes a permanent part of your smile, however, this typically takes between two and six weeks of regular use, depending on the level of surface stains. If you’re looking for quicker results, opt for a formula that contains blue covarine, which can whiten teeth with immediate effect.
How I selected the best whitening toothpastes
I tested each of these teeth whitening kits for a month at a time. I brushed day and night, for the recommended two minutes a session, using the Oral-B iO 9 ultimate clean electric toothbrush, to ensure consistency. When it came to my final score, I took into consideration:
Why you can trust IndyBest reviews
Amerley Ollennu is an award-winning beauty and lifestyle writer. She has a particular interest in the intersection between beauty and health, often covering topics such as stigmas around weight loss, adult acne and hair health. That’s why you can trust she looked as closely at the ingredients of the whitening toothpastes as she did at the final results.
Meet the expert
If toothpaste just won’t cut it, read our review of the best teeth whitening kits
