Pro-Approved Whitening Toothpastes You Don't Have To Splurge On

The trusted dentist’s recommendation is classic canon in the toothpaste ad sales game. Sometimes, a voiceover tells us that nine out of 10 dentists prefer a certain toothpaste. Other times, a white-coated “dentist” (who may or may not be an actor) explains why a particular paste is the only one good enough for his or her own teeth. Either way, we never really know what dentists like best. It’s a worthy question that we even neglect to ask at our own dental appointments, as we become so overwhelmed by what’s about to go down in the chair that all logical inquiries go out the window.

In order to get to the bottom of what should be a NBD question once and for all, we asked top dentists to share their top pick for whitening toothpastes. As it turns out, deciding factors boil down to much more than optimal minty freshness or even overall tooth whitening ability — like with most beauty products, texture, ingredients, and technology play a big part.

Ahead, see what celebrity dentists really use to magnify their pearly whites.