Top Whitening Mouthwash Review (My Thoughts)

Dentist Tested and Reviewed

Matt Hannan, DDS
Updated: April 16, 2024

Most mouthwashes you find at the store seek to reduce the microbial load in your mouth.

However, other oral rinses treat various issues, including dry mouth, oral fungus, halitosis-stained teeth, and oral pain.

Today, you can find the most whitening mouthwash ingredients with varying concentrations. But what is the best whitening mouthwash?

As an experienced dentist with years of experience, I’ve tested and evaluated 300+ dental products. I strive to find the best products for achieving excellent oral hygiene, so let’s take a closer look at the Best Whitening Mouthwash from a dentist’s perspective.

Buying Guide

1. Best Overall: Crest 3D White Brilliance Mouthwash
2. Best Extended Whitening: ACT Whitening Anticavity Fluoride Mouthwash
3. Best Budget: Amazon Basics Whitening Anticavity Mouthwash
4. Best Anticavity: Listerine Healthy White Vibrant Mouthwash
5. Best Flavor: Colgate Optic White Advanced Whitening Mouthwash

Evaluation Criteria

I test each product for 7-14 days, detailing its pros and cons, and rate it from 1 to 5 in four key areas.

• Effectiveness: Does the mouthwash treat the advertised need? How effective were the results?
• Comfort: Are you able to swish for recommended time? Did it sting or burn? How did the mouth feel afterwards?
• Taste: How was the overall taste? Was it tolerable? Did it alter your sense of taste?
• Likeability: Were the directions clear and simple to understand? Do they desire unrealistic expectations?

Related Reviews

• SNOW LED Whitening Electric Toothbrush Review 2024
• SNOW Cosmetics At-Home Teeth Whitening Kit Review 2024
• BURST Teeth Whitening Trays Review 2024 + PROMO Code
• Best Whitening Toothpaste Review 2024

1. Best Overall | Crest 3D White Brilliance Mouthwash

Best Peroxide

Crest 3D White Brilliance Teeth Whitening Toothpaste

$22.49 ($2.14 / Ounce)

Crest 3D White Brilliance Hydrogen Peroxide, 4% Toothpaste, features advanced whitening formula and is Crest's highest level of hydrogen peroxide toothpaste.

This revitalizing formula nourishes enamel with fluoride and deeply penetrates surface stains with foaming action.

Buy Now

We earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.

04/18/2024 08:35 am GMT

Dentist Review

Pros

Crest has excelled in the whitening space, and this product is no different. It was most effective at removing surface stains and most comfortable to swish because it’s peroxide-free.

Also, the clean mint flavor was satisfying. There was no taste alteration or dryness after spitting.

Cons

This product contains sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS), which can irritate people with sensitive gums. Also, sodium fluoride is not included in this product for cavity control.

Best for patients that desire effective whitening with no dryness or foaming.

2. Best Extended Whitening | ACT Whitening Anticavity Fluoride Mouthwash

Best Extended Whitening

ACT Whitening + Anticavity Fluoride Mouthwash

$7.06 ($0.42 / Fl Oz)

Care for your teeth and get a brighter smile with ACT Whitening + Anticavity Fluoride Mouthwash.

This alcohol-free mouthwash helps you go beyond brushing and flossing by strengthening teeth for superior cavity protection and freshening breath with a Gentle Mint flavor.

ACT Whitening + Anticavity Fluoride Mouthwash is formulated to help whiten teeth with no dyes and no alcohol. In fact, you can enjoy a whiter smile in just four days* when you rinse with ACT Whitening Mouthwash.

Best of all, this fluoride mouthwash kills bad breath germs.

Buy Now

We earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.

04/18/2024 08:50 pm GMT

Dentist Review

Pros

This product has a fantastic taste and is comfortable to swish between teeth. Hydrogen peroxide is a whitening agent which provides a soothing foaming sensation.

Due to the absence of alcohol, there was no dryness after rinsing. After four days of use, we observed a whiter smile.

A benefit to this product is the inclusion of fluoride to strengthen the enamel and protect teeth from tooth decay.

Cons

Although this product has no alcohol, there was slight burning when swishing, which was eliminated upon spitting out the rinse.

Also, some people may find the foaming sensation uncomfortable, and subtle taste alteration was observed.

Best for patients that desire cavity protection with whitening effectiveness.

3. Best Budget | Amazon Basics Whitening Anticavity Mouthwash

Best Budget

Amazon Basics Whitening Mouthwash (Previously Solimo)

$19.08 ($0.15 / Fl Oz)

Amazon Basics Whitening Mouthwash is an alcohol-free formula, which offers a clean mint flavor to freshen your breath. Recommended for use morning and night, it can contribute to better oral hygiene.

If you're a fan of Crest 3D White, you might be interested in giving Amazon Basics Whitening Mouthwash a try.

Buy Now

We earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.

04/20/2024 12:12 am GMT

Dentist Review

Pros

This product has a refreshing taste and is comfortable to swish. It contains fluoride for cavity protection and peroxide to remove surface stains.

The peroxide foam was comfortable, and no taste alteration was observed. Whitening was observed; however, not as noticeable as ACT Whitening Mouthwash or Crest 3D White Brilliance.

Cons

There was slight burning during the first 20 seconds of swishing; however, it subsided. Also, this product contains alcohol, so mouth dryness was observed after rinsing.

Best for patients that desire powerful mint flavor and fluoride protection.

4. Best Anticavity | Listerine Healthy White Vibrant Mouthwash

Best Anticavity

Listerine Healthy White Vibrant Fluoride Mouth Rinse

Listerine Healthy White Vibrant Multi-Action Fluoride Anticavity Mouthwash is a mouth rinse with extra teeth whitening power that starts to work on contact for a brighter smile in 5 days*.

This teeth-whitening mouthwash with sodium fluoride also helps prevent cavities. With dynamic foaming action, the daily oral rinse works to effectively whiten teeth, even in hard-to-reach places, without damaging enamel.

Designed to be used as part of a regular oral care routine twice each day, the refreshing Clean Mint-flavored mouthwash also kills the germs that cause bad breath. *Individual results may vary.

Buy Now

We earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.

Dentist Review

Pros

Listerine developed a great whitening rinse that had the best overall flavor. It was comfortable to swish with a foaming sensation during and after rinsing.

Also, it was very effective at removing stains and whitening teeth.

Cons

There was slight tingling and burning observed while rinsing. Also, because of the alcohol, there was mouth dryness and subtle taste alteration.

Best for patients that desire cavity protection and whitening effects.

5. Best Flavor | Colgate Optic White Advanced Whitening Mouthwash

Best Flavor

Colgate Optic White Whitening Mouthwash

$23.97 $18.95 ($0.20 / Fl Oz)

Finishing touch to a whiter smile.

Effectively whitens teeth (by removing surface stains) and freshens breath. Helps protect against future stains. Reaches hard-to-brush areas. Kills bad-breath germs.

Enamel safe. Dynamic foaming action reaches hard-to-brush places, helping to whiten teeth and freshen breath. Made in USA

Buy Now (Amazon) Buy Now (Colgate)

We earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.

04/19/2024 11:25 pm GMT

Dentist Review

Pros

Colgate Optic White features exceptional flavor and effectiveness. I was impressed with how quickly it whitened my teeth.

Cons

Although the flavor was great, there was slight tingling and burning observed while rinsing.

Best for patients that desire a fresh falvor.

Overall Champion | Crest 3D White Brilliance Mouthwash

Best Overall

Crest 3D White Brilliance Alcohol-Free Whitening Mouthwash

$14.99 ($0.89 / Fl Oz)

Crest, the maker of Whitestrips, brings you 3D White Brilliance Mouthwash.

Discover a whitening mouthwash with an advanced whitening experience that is peroxide and alcohol-free.

Crest 3D White Brilliance will whiten your teeth in just 7 days* guaranteed (If you're not satisfied with your results, Crest 3D White will refund your purchase.

Buy Now

We earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.

04/20/2024 12:19 am GMT

Final Thoughts

Crest has dominated the oral care whitening space and continues to produce effective products.

Crest 3D White Brilliance captured a perfect score (and crowned best whitening mouthwash) because of its whitening effectiveness and minimal side effects. It had a refreshing flavor and no dryness or peroxide foaming.

As mentioned above, a few concerns are the lack of sodium fluoride for cavity protection and sodium lauryl sulfate, that may irritate sensitive gums.

Overall, this product is well-equipped to give you an advanced whitening experience with a peroxide-free taste.

ACT Whitening Anticavity Fluoride Mouthwash is recommended if cavity protection is desired with whitening effectiveness.

Final Rankings

1. Crest 3D White Brilliance Mouthwash 20/20
2. ACT Whitening Anticavity Fluoride Mouthwash 19/20
3. Listerine Healthy White Vibrant Mouthwash 19/20
4. Colgate Optic White Advanced Whitening Mouthwash 17/20
5. Amazon Basics Whitening Anticavity Mouthwash 16/20

* My Dental Advocate product reviews are based on individual experience and your results with the products may vary.

Need a second opinion? We can help! Learn more. Knowledge is power when cultivating healthy dental habits. The more informed you are, the better positioned you'll be to prevent avoidable and potentially costly dental procedures for you and your family. Watch for future blog posts, where we'll continue sharing important information, product reviews and practical advice!