Crest vs. Colgate: Similarities and Differences

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

If you look at a tube of any brand, you’ll see claims about all the major oral health categories, like cavity prevention, teeth whitening, and breath freshening.

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

This article will look at everything you need to know about Crest and Colgate toothpaste. You can use this information to choose the brand that is right for you.

Are Colgate and Crest the same company?

Colgate is made by Colgate-Palmolive and Crest is made by Proctor & Gamble.

Colgate

Colgate makes many different types of toothpaste for adults and children. The active ingredients are not always the same.

• Colgate Total has only one active ingredient: stannous fluoride. The company advertises Colgate Total as a multi-benefit, cavity-fighting toothpaste that can be used by people with and without sensitive teeth. Colgate Total was the first toothpaste approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of gingivitis.
• Colgate MaxFresh contains sodium fluoride. In addition to fighting tooth decay, this product is intended to prevent bad breath and whiten teeth.
• Colgate Revitalizing White it’s made with activated carbon to help remove stains and freshen breath. Its active ingredient is sodium monofluorophosphate.
• Colgate Optic White is a whitening toothpaste that contains sodium monofluorophosphate and a 1% concentration of hydrogen peroxide, an ingredient found in other teeth whitening products.
• Colgate Kids The toothpaste is designed to prevent tooth decay in children aged 2 years and older. Its active ingredient is sodium fluoride.
• Colgate Sensitive intended to fight tooth decay in people with sensitive teeth. Its active ingredients are potassium nitrate and sodium fluoride.

Colgate used to be made with an antibacterial called triclosan . The company stopped using it amid concerns that it could cause gut inflammation and endocrine disruption.

Ridge

Crest also offers a wide variety of toothpaste brands including:

• Crest Complete it is designed to fight tooth decay and is available in many different formulations to help whiten teeth, freshen breath or “deep clean”. The active ingredient is sodium fluoride.
• Crest 3D White The 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 marketed as a “deep cleaning” product that removes stains and fights tartar and cavities. The active ingredient is sodium fluoride.
• Crest Pro-Health The range includes a whitening brand with activated charcoal and a rejuvenating brand. Its active ingredient is stannous fluoride.
• Crest Gum 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 Toothpastes are designed to fight tooth decay in children aged 2 years and older. They come in various flavors and contain sodium fluoride as an active ingredient.

Studies have found that stannous fluoride may be better at fighting cavity-causing microbes than other types of fluoride.

Teeth painting

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

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

• Put the teeth
• Cause the thin surface layer of the gums to peel off (flaking)

Peeling gums can be strange to experience, but it is not harmful. However, it can make your gums more sensitive to certain things, such as spices in food.

Crest vs Colgate: Which is the best toothpaste?

A 2019 review concluded that stannous fluoride—the active ingredient in Colgate Total and Crest Pro-Health—had a stronger effect than other types of fluoride in reducing tartar build-up, plaque, gingivitis, stains and halitosis (bad breath). .

So either of these two options seems to be the best, and both Colgate Total and Crest Pro-Health have the American Dental Association (ADA) Seal of Acceptance.

Do more people use Crest or Colgate?

According to Statista, in 2019 more people used Crest and chose Crest 3D White which had $263.9 million in sales.

Summary

Toothpaste is an essential tool in your oral care routine. Dentists recommend using fluoride toothpaste.

Crest and Colgate are two of the most popular brands of toothpaste available. While they are similar in many ways, they have some key differences. The main difference between the two products is the type of fluoride they use.

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

• Is triclosan banned in the United States?

In 2016, the FDA banned the use of triclosan in over-the-counter soaps and cleaners, such as antibacterial hand soaps, bar soaps, and body washes. The FDA rule does not apply to toothpaste, but toothpaste manufacturers have voluntarily stopped putting triclosan in their products.

Stannous fluoride is an antimicrobial agent. It is very good at controlling dental plaque and treating gingivitis. Crest Pro-Health products use stannous fluoride instead of sodium fluoride (the fluoride in most brands of toothpaste, including Colgate).

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts in our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we verify and keep our content accurate, reliable and trustworthy.

1. Wang CF, Tian Y. Reproductive endocrine effects of triclosan: Population exposure, current evidence, and potential mechanisms. Environmental pollution. 2015? 1? 206: 195-201. doi:10.1016/j.envpol.2015.07.001
2. Cheng X, Liu J, Li J, et al. Comparative effect of a stannous fluoride toothpaste and a sodium fluoride toothpaste on multispecies biofilms. Arch Oral Biol. 2017? 74:5-11. doi:10.1016/j.archoralbio.2016.10.030
3. Pérez-López D, Varela-Centelles P, García-Pola MJ, Castelo-Baz P, García-Caballero L, Seoane-Romero JM. Oral mucosal scaling associated with toothpastes and mouthwashes: A systematic review.Med Oral Pathol Oral Cir Bucal. 2019 July 1; 24(4):e452-e460. doi:10.4317/medoral.22939
4. Johannsen A, Emilson CG, Johannsen G, et al. Effects of stannous fluoride stabilized toothpaste on calculus, plaque, gingivitis, halitosis and staining: A systematic review. Heliyon. 2019 Dec 9;5(12):e02850. doi: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2019.e02850
5. Statistics. Sales of Top Toothpaste Brands in the United States in 2019 (US$ Million).
6. FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION. FDA Issues Final Rule on Safety and Efficacy of Antibacterial Soaps.
7. Parkinson CR, Millman KR, Millman JL. The gingivitis efficacy of a 0.454% w/w stannous fluoride toothpaste: a 24-week randomized controlled trial. BMC Oral Health. 2020? 20(1):89. doi:10.1186/s12903-020-01079-6

• Huysmans MC, Young A, Ganss C. The role of fluoride in corrosion treatment. Monogr Oral Sci. 2014? 25:230-243. doi: 10.1159/000360555

By Joshua Austin, DDS

Joshua Austin, DDS, is a general dentist in San Antonio, Texas. His practice focuses on general, family and cosmetic dentistry.

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