Your Ideal Match: Whitening Toothpaste

Most days, we've got a to-do list that never ends. So sitting down for 30 minutes to an hour to whiten our teeth is not an option. That's why we rely on the one product we use every day anyways -- toothpaste. If your schedule (or lack of will) prevents you from taking the time to make your smile brighter, whitening toothpaste is a sneaky way to achieve a dazzling smile.

Whitening toothpaste makes teeth appear whiter by removing surface stains, especially for those who smoke or drink coffee on the regular. One important thing to note, though: Whitening toothpaste doesn't actually bleach your chompers. So if you have severely discolored teeth (think: gray) a whitening toothpaste is not going to do much. However, if you've got a slight yellow tint -- whitening toothpaste will scrub it out.

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If you want a whitening toothpaste that gets to work fast, try Colgate Optic White High Impact Toothpaste. This little teeth-whitening gem won the award for best oral care in our 2016 TotalBeauty Awards, and for good reason. Editors noticed teeth-whitening effects in as little as three days, and were impressed with how white their teeth became after a week of consistent use.

If your teeth tend to be a bit more sensitive, you're in luck. The zesty-flavored whitening toothpaste isn't harsh on gums or teeth, and safely whitens teeth with hydrogen peroxide.

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Besides leaving your mouth insanely fresh thanks to an intense spearmint flavor, Arm & Hammer Truly Radiant Clean & Fresh Toothpaste gently whitens teeth using a combination of baking soda and silica to lift and remove surface stains. Our editors saw major teeth whitening results in as little as a week.

While you're scrubbing your way to a whiter smile, this teeth whitening toothpaste also restores enamel and fights cavities -- without breaking the bank.

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Your Ideal Match: Electric Toothbrush

Besides being way more fun to use, electric toothbrushes can clean teeth more effectively than manual toothbrushes, which means their teeth whitening effects are much more apparent, explains cosmetic dentist Marc Lowenberg of Lowenberg, Lituchy & Kantor. "Electric toothbrushes don't actually whiten teeth, but they are "excellent" for removing surface stains, which makes teeth appear whiter," Lowenberg says.

If you have poor manual dexterity (aka aren't the best brusher), an electric toothbrush is your new best friend. Its ability to produce fast vibrations is a no-fail guarantee for cleaner and whiter teeth, and it effectively removes built up plaque, stains and gunk without you having to do much work. This is a perfect teeth-whitening solution for someone looking for a fuss-free option as well as a deep clean.

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Yes, the price tag of this teeth-whitening product might be a bit intimidating but it's worth every penny. The DiamondClean toothbrush whitens teeth two times faster than that of a manual toothbrush, leaves teeth luxuriously clean and helps reveal a whiter, brighter smile in just over a week.

This particular toothbrush features five different cleaning modes and comes with three brush heads, a glass charger (which looks adorable on your bathroom counter) and travel case (which also charges the toothbrush). However, the star quality of this electric toothbrush is its unique diamond-shaped brush heads. Combined with the Sonicare dynamic cleaning action (aka high-speed vibrations), the bristles of the brush gently remove surface stains and scrape away built up plaque. You need not worry about missing any places either. Thanks to its small brush heads, the electric toothbrush is able to get into those hard-to-reach places behind the molars and really give your mouth a deep clean, as the brush heads are shaped to follow the curve of your teeth.

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