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Choosing the right toothpaste is an essential part of oral hygiene , but the process can be confusing. All toothpastes clean teeth, but you may also need to address concerns like reducing sensitivity , whiten ing , and improving gum health .

I've been reporting on oral care for years now — at this point I practically have dentists on speed dial. To find the best toothpastes, I talked to dentists and used their guidance to round up options made with fluoride from brands like Crest, Colgate and Sensodyne. Many of the toothpastes we recommend have the American Dental Association’s Seal of Acceptance , and the NBC Select staff also tried a handful of them.

Selected. Our top picks

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The best toothpastes for adults in 2026

Best toothpaste for all-around protection

Crest Pro-Health Clean Mint Toothpaste

In addition to offering cavity, gum and enamel protection, this toothpaste removes plaque buildup and tartar. It’s also sensitive teeth friendly, according to the brand, and made with hydrated silica, a gently abrasive ingredient that scrubs surface stains off teeth. Plus, it comes in a recyclable carton.

Best basic toothpaste

1. Colgate Cavity Protection Fluoride Toothpaste

Consider this Colgate option if you’re looking for a basic fluoride toothpaste and don’t have specific dental needs. It protects against cavities, thoroughly cleans teeth and freshens breath, according to the brand.

Best plaque-removing toothpaste

Parodontax Toothpaste for Bleeding Gums

Plaque is a collection of bacteria, food and other debris that sticks to your teeth, experts told me. Without intervention, it can lead to issues like gingivitis, also known as early gum disease, as well as swollen, bleeding gums. Parodontax’s toothpaste is designed to break down and remove plaque, and kill bacteria on teeth, according to the brand.

Best foaming toothpaste

Colgate Total Active Prevention Plaque Cleanse Whitening Gel Toothpaste

Colgate’s Total Plaque Pro-Release Toothpaste won a NBC Select Wellness Award and our reviewers say it left their teeth feeling clean and fresh. As you brush, the paste, which offers antibacterial protection, turns into a thick, foamy later. The foam dissolves plaque and lifts it off teeth, especially along the gum line, according to the brand.

Best toothpaste for sensitive teeth

Sensodyne Fresh Mint Sensitive Protection Toothpaste

Dentin is the soft inner part of your teeth, and if it’s exposed due to enamel erosion, you may experience sensitivity to hot and cold food or beverages, experts told me. Sensodyne’s toothpaste, an NBC Select Wellness Award winner, contains potassium nitrate to help calm the nerves in your teeth and make them less sensitive, according to the brand.

Best whitening toothpaste for sensitive teeth

Sensodyne Pronamel Gentle Whitening

This Sensodyne toothpaste is also a NBC Select Wellness Award winner. It gently whitens teeth by removing stains and makes them less sensitive thanks to the potassium nitrate it’s formulated with. The toothpaste, whose tube, cap and carton are recyclable, also remineralizes enamel to strengthen it, according to the brand.

Best pH-balanced toothpaste

CloSYS Fluoride Toothpaste

CloSYS’s toothpaste offers cavity and enamel protection. It has a pH-balanced formula, which neutralizes plaque bacteria to create a non-acidic environment in the mouth and prevent bad breath, according to the brand.

Best whitening toothpaste

Nu Skin AP 24 Whitening Fluoride Toothpaste

Nu Skin’s whitening toothpaste is a NBC Select Wellness Award winner. It uses hydrated silica to remove surface stains from teeth, as well as aluminum hydroxide, a mild abrasive, according to the brand.

Best subscription toothpaste

Quip Anticavity Toothpaste

Quip automatically delivers toothpaste to your door every three months when you sign up for its subscription. That means you won’t have to remember to buy a new tube when you run out. The toothpaste comes in a recyclable tube and it’s also available for one-time purchases.

Best gel toothpaste

Aim Cavity Protection Toothpaste

Gel toothpastes typically have a smooth texture and don’t get as foamy as thick pastes, experts told me. Aim’s gel toothpaste helps prevent cavities, tooth decay and acid erosion while strengthening enamel and removing plaque, according to the brand.

Best natural toothpaste for sensitive teeth

AloeSense Fluoride Toothpaste

Many toothpastes for sensitive teeth contain potassium nitrate, but AloeSense’s toothpaste is a natural alternative. It’s made with aloe vera and allantoin, ingredients that naturally soothe sensitive teeth, according to the brand. Aloe vera works to moisturize the mouth, while allantoin gently cleans the teeth and gums.

Best toothpaste with baking soda

Arm & Hammer Complete Care Toothpaste 4-pack

Baking soda, also known as sodium bicarbonate, is the key ingredient in this toothpaste. It neutralizes acids in the mouth and gently removes surface stains from teeth to whiten them over time, according to the brand. The smooth toothpaste gets foamy while you brush to help clean along the gum line as well as between teeth.

Best toothpaste for enamel repair

Made By Dentists Enamel Rebuilding Toothpaste (2-pack)

Made By Dentists' toothpaste has ingredients that help remineralize lost enamel to make it stronger and harder. Hydroxyapatite, for example, is a compound that's naturally found in enamel, and it penetrates teeth to remineralize them from within, according to the brand. This toothpaste is also made with potassium nitrate, which can help reduce tooth pain and sensitivity.

How I picked the best toothpastes

To pull together our list of recommendations, I kept these expert-guided factors in mind:

What ingredients are in toothpaste?

Reading a toothpaste’s ingredient label can tell you a lot about the benefits it offers and what specific needs it targets. Beyond fluoride and SLS, we asked experts to define some common ingredients you may see and what they do — they’re listed below. If you have any questions about how these ingredients relate to your teeth specifically, consult your dentist since they know your oral health status the best, says Dr. Edmond Hewlett , a professor at the UCLA School of Dentistry.