You can spend up to 11 euros on a tube of toothpaste – or just 55 cents. Our test shows: Among the best toothpastes there are also very cheap ones. Some of the most expensive fail. And comparing is not only worthwhile in terms of price: there is also a wide range of grades. It ranges from very good to poor.
After unlocking the test, you will receive test results for 40 toothpastes. 31 toothpastes were included in the latest study, the others are available unchanged from previous tests.
Why the toothpaste test is worthwhile for you
- Testergebnisse. Read the test results for 40 toothpastes. There are brands from Aldi, Lidl, dm or Rossmann, well-known brands such as Colgate, Blend-a-med, Odol-med-3 or Elmex as well as natural cosmetic pastes.
- The best toothpaste for you. You can filter the test results according to your needs, for example according to which pastes are particularly effective at removing tooth discoloration or which are certified natural cosmetics. You can save your individual test winners as a PDF.
- Background. We explain whether the common ingredients fluoride, titanium dioxide and zinc are necessary for dental care and whether they can be harmful.
- Magazine article as PDF. If you activate the toothpaste test, you will receive the PDFs of the test reports from test 7/2022 and from previous years.
Fluoride in toothpaste prevents tooth decay
Although numerous high-quality studies prove the protective effect against caries, some suppliers do not add fluoride – especially natural cosmetics manufacturers. But there are also recommendable fluoride-containing toothpastes with a natural cosmetic seal. Fear of fluoride is unfounded: it is not harmful in the amounts usually absorbed when cleaning.
Tipp: You can filter the toothpastes in the test according to the type of fluoride, among other things. Amine, tin and sodium fluoride are very well suited for caries prophylaxis. Even before activation, you can see content from the table – for example all tested products. To do this, click on the gray bar at the top that says “Test Results”.
Three types: universal, sensitive and whitening toothpastes
Anyone standing in front of the shelf with toothpaste will usually find three types to choose from in the huge range of tubes: universal toothpaste, sensitive toothpaste and toothpaste with a white claim.
- Universal toothpastes offer the standard care for normal teeth. They usually promise positive effects for teeth, gums and, above all, protection against tooth decay. Because good universal toothpaste is suitable for all teeth, this time we only tested this type of toothpaste.
- Sensitive toothpastes specially designed for people with sensitive teeth. The problem affects about every fourth German.
- whitening toothpastes promise particularly white teeth. Much of their action relies on discoloration removal. Some universal pastes are also excellent at this – and some of them are significantly cheaper. Some whitening and universal pastes contain the dye Blue Covarine, which makes teeth appear less yellow in the short term. In the test results you can see which toothpaste contains this substance. You can find out what else whitens the teeth in our FAQ White teeth.
It also works without titanium dioxide
Many manufacturers color their pastes white with the pigment titanium dioxide. But the material has fallen into disrepute. From August it will be banned in food across the EU – as it may damage the genetic material if it enters the body (details in the titanium dioxide FAQ).
Since toothpaste can be swallowed when brushing and titanium dioxide is unnecessary for dental care, Stiftung Warentest recommends pastes without the pigment for reasons of preventive consumer protection: 19 toothpastes without titanium dioxide can be found in the test.
Toothpaste for children
The children’s toothpaste test by Stiftung Warentest reveals which toothpastes best protect milk teeth from tooth decay. By the age of six, junior toothpastes should come on the brush. These contain more fluoride than children’s toothpaste. However, schoolchildren can also brush with universal toothpastes without zinc if they are not too harsh.
Test results for 40 universal toothpastes
The abrasion of the toothpaste is also crucial
Toothpaste is designed to help remove unsightly discolouration caused by coffee, black tea or cigarettes. Depending on the amount, size, shape and type of cleaning agent added, toothpastes have different levels of abrasion.
A low level of abrasion is recommended for exposed tooth necks and sensitive teeth. Even high abrasion cannot harm healthy teeth. There is usually no information on the abrasion on the packaging – that’s why we determine it in the laboratory. Our tests show that some pastes are effective at removing discolouration even with low abrasion.
Tipp: The toothbrush also plays an important role. Our test of electric toothbrushes shows suitable products. We also tested dental floss and interdental brushes as well as mouthwash.