Best Toothpastes for Every Need
- 1/9
Brush up! Brush up on what you brush with: Of 44 tubes tested, these squeezed out the others.
- 2/9
Aquafresh Iso-Active Whitening Fresh Impact. This gel’s plentiful bubbles froth up when they hit your tongue and penetrate deep between teeth, leaving behind a well-scrubbed feel. To buy: $4 at drugstores.
- 3/9
Best Innovation. Arm & Hammer Whitening Booster Plus With Enamel Strengthening. If you already have a toothpaste that you love, top it with this liquid-calcium concentrate. It lightens stains and can help fill in tiny cracks. To buy: $5.50 at drugstores.
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- 4/9
Best Overall. Colgate Total Enamel Strength. The gel-paste hybrid keeps your mouth feeling clean and fights germs for 12 hours. Plus, it protects enamel from acids found in foods and drinks. To buy: $3.50 at drugstores.
- 5/9
Pro’s Healing Pick. Tom’s of Maine Clean & Gentle Care. “It soothes bitten cheeks, sore gums, and even an achy throat with licorice root,” says New York City periodontist Greg Diamond. To buy: $6, tomsofmaine.com.
- 6/9
Best Botanical. Burt’s Bees Fluoride-Free Natural Whitening Toothpaste. This herbal wonder fights plaque with cranberry extract, polishes with silica, and it contains no artificial flavors, colors, or sweeteners. To buy: $5, burtsbees.com.
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- 7/9
Best for Sensitive Teeth: Crest Pro-Health Sensitive Shield. It forms an imperceptible barrier around teeth to calm delicate nerves that are agitated by pain triggers, like hot and cold drinks. To buy: $3 at drugstores.
- 8/9
Best On-the-Go: Supersmile Quikee. Squirt a dollop of this no-rinse paste onto your tongue, then run your tongue over your teeth to fade stains with calcium peroxide and freshen breath in an instant. To buy: $18, amazon.com.
- 9/9
Best Whitening: Luster White 7 Toothpaste. With—you guessed it—seven polishing agents, including bamboo, silica, and peroxide, this stain blaster can brighten teeth in one week. Testers loved its mild, sweet flavor, too. To buy: $7, lusterpremiumwhite.com.
By Sarah Smith, Real Simple
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