Crest vs. Colgate Toothpaste

Crest and Colgate are two of the leading brands of toothpaste in the United States. Both products want to be considered the most effective toothpaste on the market.

If you look at a tube of either brand, you'll see claims about all the major oral health categories, such as cavity prevention, teeth whitening, and breath freshening.

The two brands of toothpaste are alike in some ways but very different in others.

This article will go over everything you need to know about Crest and Colgate toothpaste. You can use this information to pick the brand that's right for you.

Colgate

Colgate makes several different kinds of toothpaste for adults and children. The active ingredients aren't always the same.

• Colgate Total. This product's only active ingredient is stannous fluoride. The company advertises Colgate Total as a "multiple benefit" toothpaste for fighting cavities that can be used by those with and without sensitive teeth. Colgate Total was the first toothpaste approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat gingivitis.
• Colgate MaxFresh contains sodium fluoride. Besides fighting cavities, this product is intended to prevent bad breath and whiten teeth.
  
• Colgate Revitalizing White is made with activated charcoal to help remove stains and freshen breath. Its active ingredient is sodium monofluorophosphate.
• Colgate Optic White is a whitening toothpaste containing sodium monofluorophosphate and a 1% concentration of hydrogen peroxide, an ingredient found in other teeth-whitening products.
• Colgate Kids toothpaste is designed to prevent cavities in kids ages 2 and up. Its active ingredient is sodium fluoride.
• Colgate Sensitive is intended to fight cavities in people with sensitive teeth. Its active ingredients are potassium nitrate and sodium fluoride.
  

Crest

Crest also offers a large variety of toothpaste brands, including:

• Crest Complete. This toothpaste is designed to fight cavities and comes in many different formulations that help whiten teeth, freshen breath, or "deep clean." The active ingredient is sodium fluoride.
• Crest 3D White. These products contain "micro-cleansing" teeth whiteners that the company says can remove up to 100% of stains in just five days. It also contains the cavity-fighting active ingredient sodium fluoride. 
• Crest Premium is marketed as a "deep cleaning" product that removes stains and fights tartar and cavities. The active ingredient is sodium fluoride.
• Crest Pro-Health. This line includes a whitening brand with activated charcoal and a breath-freshening brand. Its active ingredient is stannous fluoride.
• Crest Gum. This toothpaste comes in different formulas like "Gum and Breath Purify Deep Clean," "Gum Detoxify Gentle Whitening," and "Gum and Enamel Repair." Crest Gum contains stannous fluoride as an active ingredient.
• Crest Kids. These toothpastes are designed to fight cavities in kids ages 2 and up. They come in various flavors and contain sodium fluoride as an active ingredient.
  

Staining of Teeth

Sodium lauryl sulfate is an ingredient in most toothpaste, including Crest and Colgate.

The ingredient can cause some side effects. Sodium lauryl sulfate may:

• Stain the teeth
• Cause the thin surface layer of the gums to peel away (sloughing)

Gum sloughing can be strange to experience but it's not harmful. However, it might make your gums more sensitive to certain things, like spices in food.

Summary

Crest and Colgate are two of the most popular toothpaste brands you can buy. While they are alike in many ways, they do have some key differences. The main difference between the two products is the type of fluoride that they use.

A Word From Verywell

Toothpaste is a key tool in your oral care routine. Dentists recommend that you use toothpaste with fluoride in it. Crest and Colgate are two options that have fluoride in them—they just use different kinds.

Whichever brand of toothpaste you pick, brush your teeth at least twice a day, floss at least once a day, and visit your dentist for regular checkups and cleanings.