For some, oral care is like making dinner: Most people aren’t thrilled by the idea of it but you have to do it daily.
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you → make → it
You can order takeout when you’re out of meal ideas, but you can’t phone in brushing your teeth.
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you → order → teeth
That’s why having the best oral care products is key, especially if you want to prevent cavities, plaque buildup and bad breath.
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you → ’ → cavities
“When you’re sleeping, your mouth dries out and your saliva cannot rinse away the leftover substances from whatever you ate or drank that day,” says Dr. Kandis Smith, General Dentist and Owner of SmileVana.
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Smith → sleep → SmileVana
“This is a perfect environment for the bacteria in the mouth to feed on these leftover food substances and produce an acid that dissolves the enamel of your teeth, which is essentially the process of how a cavity is formed.”
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cavity → feed → teeth
This makes brushing, flossing, and other dental upkeep non-negotiable.
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brushing → make → ?
Over the years, NBC Selected staff has tested hundreds of oral care products — some of which have won NBC Selected Wellness Awards.
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some → test → Awards
Below, we’re sharing our top 50 picks: from basic toothpastes to fancy water flossers and more.
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As basic as it may seem, toothpaste is essential, and the right one will set the foundation for your oral care routine.
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Here are the picks that impressed our team after testing dozens.
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that → impress → dozens
If you’re looking for a basic fluoride toothpaste that gets the job done, this is your pick (and ours too).
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this → look → toothpaste
It protects against cavities, according to the brand, and cleans teeth well and freshens breath, say reviewers.
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reviewers → protect → breath
Its soft foam circulates easily, helping your whole mouth feel clean and refreshed.
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mouth → circulate → ?
Just be mindful that it contains sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS), which can be irritating or drying for some.
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which → contain → some
This NBC Selected Wellness Award winner turns into a thick, foamy lather as you brush, leaving your teeth feeling clean and fresh, according to our reviewers.
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you → turn → reviewers
Colgate also says that the foam dissolves plaque and lifts it off teeth, especially along the gum line.
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foam → say → line
Our team takes whitening seriously, with many staffers exclusively using the whitening toothpastes below both morning and night.
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staffers → take → toothpastes
These toothpastes freshen breath, clean mouths and keep chompers looking pearly white.
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toothpastes → freshen → chompers
This Colgate toothpaste won an NBC Selected Wellness Award for its long-lasting flavor and whitening abilities.
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toothpaste → win → abilities
According to Colgate, it removes surface stains, relieves sensitivity, strengthens enamel, and prevents tartar, plaque, cavities and gingivitis.
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it → accord → tartar
According to our staffers, it cleans teeth and freshens the mouth without being overpowering.
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it → accord → mouth
“There’s a reason this brand is a classic.
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It’s just a great toothpaste.
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It leaves my teeth feeling clean and the minty taste lingers more throughout the day than the other options,
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taste → leave → options
“I’ve tried so many weird and ‘fancy’ toothpastes, but I always come back to the classics because they get the job done.”
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job → try → classics
“This toothpaste actually whitens without making your teeth chatter or tingle when a slight wind blows,” says NBC Selected editorial operations associate Jem Alabi.
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Alabi → whiten → ?
“The formula is gentle so I feel comfortable using it everyday without worrying about damaging my enamel.
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I → feel → enamel
It doesn’t have the strong menthol burn that most toothpastes have.”
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toothpastes → have → that
Alabi also says that just a dollop of the gel is enough for a good brushing session and that it foams up well.
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it → say → session
“My teeth have definitely whitened over the last few months.
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teeth → whiten → months
I drink tea almost every day and have seen years of stains go away with this brand,” she continues.
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she → drink → brand
She notices that her breath is a lot fresher, especially when she wakes up in the morning, and says that even though a tube of this toothpaste is pricey, “I think it’s worth it because it has lasted me such a long time.”
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it → notice → time
Top toothpastes for sensitive teeth
Not all toothpastes are the same, and if you have sensitive teeth, you know this all too well.
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“If you have sensitive teeth, you’ll want to look for a toothpaste that contains potassium nitrate, which is an active ingredient in many toothpaste products that help with sensitivity,” says Smith.
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Smith → have → sensitivity
These picks contain that ingredient (or others she suggests looking out for), are gentle on sensitive teeth, keep breath fresh and fight typical erosion issues.
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she → contain → issues
This NBC Selected Wellness Award winner stood out for its ability to whiten sensitive teeth without causing pain or discomfort.
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winner → stand → pain
It has a minty flavor that’s not abrasive or overwhelming, and it easily comes out of the tube.
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it → have → tube
While it doesn’t contain potassium nitrate, it does have stannous fluoride, an ingredient Smith says has antimicrobial properties that slow the growth of the bacteria that cause gingivitis and periodontal disease.
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that → contain → gingivitis
“I have somewhat sensitive teeth, so I’m always careful about what products I try out,” says NBC Selected commerce editor Cory Fernandez.
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Fernandez → have → products
“This toothpaste didn’t give me any irritation and it didn’t burn at all.”
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it → give → irritation
…and 156 more, not listed.
The Aporia
