WHITENING TOOTHPASTES

These days everyone wants whiter looking teeth. The best and most effective tooth whitening is achieved with professional bleaching products such as OPALESCENCE, FLASH or ZOOM products. Any professional whitening needs to be maintained – this can be done with a home bleaching kit, Opalescence GO or a whitening toothpaste. These products are usually only available from a dental professional. Tooth bleaching should only be done by a dental professional (dentist or oral hygienist) NOT a beautician or hairdresser – it is actually against the law in South Africa. If you suffer from sensitive teeth, please discuss your different tooth bleaching options with your dentist – you do have options!

*** A whitening toothpaste alone is not going to achieve dramatic whitening results ***

There are numerous whitening toothpastes on the market. The only effective ones in my opinion are:

1. CARBAMIDE PEROXIDE TOOTHPASTES

These are professional toothpastes and are not likely to be found on the supermarket shelves. They are the most effective in achieving whitening with a toothpaste. The peroxide containing toothpaste I would recommend is the YOTUEL toothpaste from CuraProx as it has a pleasant taste and doesn’t harm the enamel. It only contains 0.1% Carbamide Peroxide which means it is safe to use on a daily basis for maintaining stain removal. It also contains Fluoride, Calcium and Phosphates to help remineralise and protect the teeth.

2. ACTIVATED CHARCOAL “CARBON” TOOTHPASTES

The most important thing to be wary of with ANY black or activated charcoal toothpaste is its abrasiveness. Please do NOT use a crushed activated carbon tablet mixed with toothpaste!!!! NUMEROUS products do NOT inform you just how abrasive the toothpaste is and that it can cause serious enamel and gum damage. Activated carbon toothpastes whiten teeth by absorbing the particles that cause discoloration. The best charcoal toothpaste on the market (in my opinion) is the BLACK IS WHITE toothpaste from CuraProx as it is SAFE. The Black is White toothpaste, unlike its competitors, actually tastes nice and contains Hydroxyapatite and Fluoride which remineralises and protects the teeth whilst whitening them. The activated charcoal/carbon toothpastes are a more natural way of whitening teeth as they do not contains chemicals (carbamide peroxide or triclosan). Please be VERY careful when buying or choosing a charcoal toothpaste. A recent study was done in the UK which showed that only 7% of the “black” toothpastes on the market are truly safe to use and there are articles that discredit charcoal as a whitening agent as well.

3. BICARBONATE TOOTHPASTES

These toothpastes are freely available on the supermarket shelves as they are safe toothpastes. PLEASE DO NOT USE NORMAL BICARB MIXED WITH TOOTHPASTE TO MAKE YOUR OWN WHITENING TOOHTPASTE. YOU WILL CAUSE DAMAGE TO THE ENAMEL AND GUMS!!!!

A wonderful brand is Elgydium Whitening which is available in most Dischem and Clicks stores. If you are travelling abroad you can be on the look out for the “Arm and Hammer” range of toothpastes which are fantastic. The downside to these toothpastes is the taste as it is sometimes not quite what you expect from a toothpaste and not very nice!

Please ask your dentist or oral hygienist for advice if you’re unsure about a toothpaste. The harm you can cause by using the incorrect product is usually irreversible and may cost a lot to fix. Please do NOT try homemade concoctions!!!! If you want to whiten your teeth rather do it properly and safely the first time…