Canstar Blue’s toothpaste review has seen Grants of Australia, Sensodyne, ALDI Dentitex, Colgate, Macleans, Oral-B, Pearl Drops, White Glo & Coles rated on feel of teeth, effectiveness, taste, texture, value for money, packaging & customer satisfaction.
See our Ratings Methodology.
Grants of Australia was rated best in Canstar Blue’s latest toothpaste customer ratings, receiving five stars for feel of teeth after using it, effectiveness, taste, texture, packaging, value for money & overall satisfaction.
Teeth can make a big first impression, with plenty of us wanting to put our best foot forward through our pearly whites. While for some it’s simply a chore to do before bed, for others it’s a way to take better care of ourselves. Although there are plenty of aspects to achieving a healthy mouth – including your type of toothbrush, flossing, mouthwash and keeping your gums and tongue all healthy – the type of toothpaste you’re putting on your toothbrush may be the first, and most important, aspect of dental health.
While picking a toothpaste shouldn’t have you grinding your teeth in frustration, Aussies do have plenty of options when it comes to different brands and types, with a wide selection of whitening, sensitive and anti-plaque varieties all readily available on supermarket shelves. To help you decide which brand is best for your circumstances and preferences, Canstar Blue has produced this toothpaste review based on the experiences of more than 2,500 adults.
Survey respondents were asked to rate their toothpaste brand of choice on several key factors, including how it leaves their teeth feeling after brushing, how well it cleans their teeth, the taste, the texture, and whether it represents good value for money.
The nine brands included in our 2020 toothpaste review were rated in the following order for overall customer satisfaction:
Grants of Australia brushed up best, scoring top marks for overall satisfaction and all other categories. Sensodyne, ALDI Dentitex, Colgate, Macleans and Oral-B followed closely behind on four stars. Meanwhile, last year’s winner White Glow had to settle for three stars alongside Pearl Drops and Coles.
There weren’t many other five-star ratings to smile about in this year’s review, with Sensodyne being the only other brand apart from Grants of Australia to earn five stars for effectiveness, while ALDI got top marks on value for money. Read on for details about the brands compared.
Grants of Australia is an Aussie brand which promises to provide fluoride-free toothpaste, alongside a variety of other “affordable”, “natural” oral care products for the next generation of health conscious families”. Its range includes Propolis, Sensitive, Whitening, Cinnamon, Xilitol, Kids and even travel size options with all toothpastes claimed to be fluoride-free. Prices range from $2 and go up to around $7 for the 100g varieties. There’s also a 12-tube bulk pack for about $47.40.
A brand operating under the British pharmaceutical company GSK, Sensodyne is often the go-to option for those who suffer from sensitive teeth. Sensodyne’s range of toothpastes includes its Rapid Relief, Repair and Protect, 24/7 Protection and Complete Care, giving shoppers plenty to choose from. One of the more expensive brands on offer – setting you back over $10 per 100g tube – it may be a small price to pay for those who suffer from sensitive teeth.
Discount supermarket chain ALDI offers a number of toothpaste products for shoppers who regularly visit its stores. While predominantly offering classic and sensitive varieties, in typical ALDI fashion, its ‘Dentitex’ brand is usually cheaper than most others, generally priced at under $4 per tube.
One of the most recognisable toothpaste brands, Colgate has been cleaning teeth for almost 150 years, with a wide range of products for shoppers to choose from. Choices include Advanced Whitening, Cavity Protection, Max Fresh, Optic White, Sensitive Enamel, Triple Action and even a children’s range as well, meaning Colgate has the whole family covered. Priced between $4 and $10, select Colgate products come in packages up to 190g, ideal for those looking to get the most bang for their buck.
Another brand part of the GSK label, Macleans has been a staple within the toothpaste industry, offering Aussie shoppers plenty of options to choose from. Reasonably-priced at around $5 per 170g tube, Macleans offers Multi Action, Protect, Extreme Clean and Whitening varieties, plus a ‘Little Teeth’ range for young children.
One of the most common toothpaste names on supermarket shelves, American brand Oral-B is available in a number of varieties, including 3D White, Gum Detoxify, Pro-Health and Kids, each priced between $5 and $10 per 100g tube. One of a few brands that additionally offers electric toothbrushes and whitening strips, Oral-B may well be worth checking out if you’re looking to brush up on all aspects of your dental health.
Available at Woolworths, Target, Big W, Priceline, Chemist Warehouse, Metcash and selected pharmacies, Pearl Drops offers a number of options for consumers. The ranges include Luminous Bright White, Strong Polished White, Instant Natural White, Extra White and Extreme White. These are available in 100 or 110g varieties with prices ranging from $9 to $12. Its Extra White line is claimed to be Australia’s first whitening toothpaste, aimed to help you achieve the three main benefits of whiter teeth, good dental hygiene and fresh breath.
Focussed solely on whitening toothpastes, Australian-owned White Glo is available at both supermarkets and pharmacies, with the brand competitively priced between $5 to $7, depending on which product you put in the shopping trolley. With a range that consists of Charcoal Deep Stain Remover, Herbal Whitening, Anti-Plaque, Professional Choice, and even toothpaste specifically directed at smokers and regular coffee drinkers, White Glo looks to have you covered regardless of your lifestyle habits.
One of the cheapest options available, Coles brand toothpaste might not offer the same variety as others, but may be suited for those on a budget, or those who aren’t after anything special. Coles provides three options for shoppers, including Total Care (140g), Total Whitening (140g) and Denture Toothpaste (115g), with each tube of toothpaste available between $1.50 and $3, depending on what you’re after.
When it comes to selecting a toothpaste, there are a few areas to consider. Our research identified these drivers of customer satisfaction, listed in order or importance:
Below is a bit more about each factor, and why you should keep them in mind the next time you visit the supermarket. But first, here are some of the other standout findings from our research:
Nobody enjoys having ‘furry’ teeth, meaning that the toothpaste you end up putting on your toothbrush should leave you ready to flash a smile. While you can argue that how your teeth feel after brushing comes down to how long you actually brush them for, having a toothpaste that makes you feel nice and fresh is among the most important considerations for consumers.
Toothpaste has the job of protecting your teeth and mouth from bacteria, build-up, bad breath and conditions like mouth ulcers that can be caused by poor dental hygiene. As a result, you want something that continuously does the job, as well as protect you in between dentist visits. While 45% of survey respondents always purchase the same brand of toothpaste, if it’s not doing the best job possible, don’t be afraid to sink your teeth into another product.
The mouth is one of the most sensitive areas of the human body, with plenty of nerve endings located around your teeth, tongue and cheeks, meaning it picks up on every little detail of your toothpaste. Grainy toothpastes, or those that may ‘foam up’ too much, may impact which brand you scan at the checkout.
While it may not be a purchase you have to make every time you step into a supermarket, toothpaste can be an expensive purchase over time, particularly if you’re after something specific. As a result, 25% of our survey respondents stated that they purchased whichever brand is on special, meaning shoppers are still after a bargain.
If your toothpaste doesn’t taste very nice, brushing for the recommended two minutes can feel like an eternity, meaning going with a brand and product that tastes good will not only make the experience of brushing more bearable, but won’t leave you with a bad taste in your mouth.
While it may not help make your teeth whiter, the packaging of the toothpaste can be important to your overall brushing experience. Easy squeeze tubes, outside packaging with clear ingredients, as well as a cap that works after weeks of daily use will all impact on which brand you end up using. Do you want to get all the toothpaste out of the tube, or are you happy leaving some behind? Some people even cut the tube in half to get it all…
The brand of toothpaste you decide to take to the checkout will depend on a number of factors including your budget and teeth needs. While one brand might target a specific area, others might have just the right taste to help cleaning your teeth a little more enjoyable. So, if your current toothpaste isn’t getting the job done for you, there’s plenty of other brands out there to check out!
This report was written by Canstar Blue’s Home & Lifestyle Content Lead, Megan Birot. She’s an expert on household appliances, health & beauty products, as well as all things grocery and shopping. When she’s not writing up our research-based ratings reports, Megan spends her time helping consumers make better purchase decisions, whether it’s at the supermarket, other retailers, or online, highlighting the best deals and flagging anything you need to be aware of.
Picture credits: Zonda/shutterstock.com (infographic background), bbernard/shutterstock.com, Iakov Filimonov/shutterstock.com, Prostock-studio/shutterstock.com
Our latest customer satisfaction ratings on toothpaste saw a range of brands rated best in different categories:
Canstar Blue surveyed 3,000 Australian adults across a range of categories to measure and track customer satisfaction, via ISO 26362 accredited research panels managed by Qualtrics. The outcomes reported are the results from customers within the survey group who have purchased and used toothpaste in the last 3 months – in this case, 2,520 people.
Brands must have received at least 30 responses to be included. Results are comparative and it should be noted that brands receiving three stars have still achieved a satisfaction measure of at least six out of 10. Not all brands available in the market have been compared in this survey. The ratings table is first sorted by star ratings and then by mean overall satisfaction. A rated brand may receive a ‘N/A’ (Not Applicable) rating if it does not receive the minimum number of responses for that criteria.
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