Colgate Optic White vs. Crest 3D Vivid White

I'm a bit of a fanatic about white teeth. The whiter the better, though I'm wise enough not to tread into Chiclet territory. I used to use Crest Whitening Strips, which I think really get the job done in little to no time, but I unfortunately started experiencing tooth sensitivity which prompted me to start looking at methods that would provide close to equal results.

Within the last year or so, both Colgate and Crest introduced new whitening pastes, Optic White by Colgate and 3D White by Crest. I was super curious, but wasn't sure which one to try. I'd read an article where Optic White had received Glamour magazine's vote of approval, so I made a mental note to look for a tube on my next trip to Walmart.

I didn't have to look far.

As soon as I walked in the entrance there was a twenty foot long display with nothing but rows and rows and rows of Optic White's eyecatching red boxes. Ok, so decision made.

After about two weeks of twice daily use, Optic White wasn't getting my vote. It wasn't terrible or anything, it had great foaming action and my mouth felt fresh after brushing, but it wasn't performing any noticeable differences in the whitening department. It didn't seem any better than my regular whitening toothpaste (Mentadent).

So, next I decided to give 3D White a chance. On the down side, I don't think it produces enough foam, so I often find myself wanting to apply more paste. But I do think that it makes my smile look brighter. Not Whitestrips bright, but healthy teeth white. And shiny. I will admit that I was a bit lazier on the Crest test, so I didn't brush twice a day all the time, With that being said, I'm thinking that I'd be just that much more pleased if I used it like I did Optic White.

Needless to say, Crest gets my vote.