Best Whitening Mouthwash (Full Review)

Dentist Tested and Reviewed

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
2. Best Extended Whitening: ACT Whitening Anticavity Fluoride
3. Best Budget: Amazon Basics Whitening Anticavity
4. Best Anticavity: Listerine Healthy White Vibrant
5. Best Flavor: Colgate Optic White Advanced Whitening

Evaluation Criteria

I (Dr. Hannan) tested each product for 7-14 days, detailing its pros and cons, and rated 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?

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1. Best Overall | Crest 3D White Brilliance

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.

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2. Best Extended Whitening | ACT Whitening Anticavity Fluoride

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.

This product benefits from the inclusion of fluoride, which strengthens the enamel and protects 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.

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3. Best Budget | Amazon Basics Whitening Anticavity

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.

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4. Best Anticavity | Listerine Healthy White Vibrant

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

While rinsing, slight tingling and burning were observed. Also, because of the alcohol, mouth dryness and a subtle taste alteration were present.

Best for patients that desire cavity protection and whitening effects.

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5. Best Flavor | Colgate Optic White Advanced Whitening

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.

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Overall Champion | Crest 3D White Brilliance

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!