Another reviewer said: "A difference from the 1st use, being a coffee drinker my teeth are not the whitest so Pearl Drops are helping remove staining.... would I recommend? Yes indeed."

Can you recycle toothpaste tubes? Find out why they shouldn't go in your recycling bin, and what to do insteadThey were in broad agreement that this toothpaste would whiten your teeth by removing surface stains - and help prevent future staining - thanks to ingredients such as sodium hexametaphosphate and sodium fluoride. Colgate emphasised the temporary nature of optical enhancement when we asked, but couldn’t tell us exactly how long it lasted. Both this and the Pearl Drops toothpaste also contain traditional whitening ingredients, such as mild abrasives which remove stains, but you'll find these in other basic whitening toothpastes too. Both the toothpastes we looked at contain other ingredients that could help to remove staining, such as silica in the Hello toothpaste, and phthalimidoperoxycaproic acid (PAP) in the iWhite toothpaste.

A whiter, brighter smile is always a coveted goal and some Superdrug shoppers think they've found the answer with Pearl Drops Luminous Bright White Toothpolish. iWhite also claims to include ingredients that act as a film to prevent future staining, but our experts didn’t find evidence to support this in the research provided by the manufacturer. The Lush tabs that our experts analysed are fluoride-free, so they’re marketed purely as a whitening product. But this does raise questions over whether you would need them, as you can find fluoride toothpastes with stain-removal effects quite easily that will cover both bases. Our experts felt that optical enhancement was stretching the boundaries of what whitening traditionally means, but if a temporary fix appeals, just be aware that any improvements may be short-lived. Another shopper added: "I have been using this toothpaste for around 3 weeks now and I can account for the claims of instant results. The luminous pink paste is quite runny but the taste is pleasant and the effect is instant whilst also being long lasting.

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Ash said: "I’ve been purchasing this brand and specifically the luminous bright as I have always noticed the difference and brightness within seconds. Amazing and recommend to everyone." However, either there is some witchcraft in this marvellous little mix or its the pink colour dyeing my lips/gums darker so my teeth look brighter. Ps it is messy and be careful if you're like me and end up with a toothpaste beard because it will stain your face pink. But overall, AMAZING. I've spent fortunes (literal, fortunes!) on teeth whitening and this little gem is the best I've ever tried!" They were generally sceptical of the benefits of charcoal-based products over other whitening toothpastes. In fact, there’s some evidence that charcoal could be too abrasive for teeth, doing more harm than good by damaging enamel. The inclusion of PAP proved noteworthy. PAP acts to brighten teeth, rather than just remove stains, but clinical research supporting PAP’s effectiveness looks at the ingredient’s use in a tooth-whitening tray, rather than in a toothpaste. Our experts questioned whether the levels permitted in toothpaste are high enough to have a whitening effect.