The effectiveness of whitening toothpastes on your teeth will depend on why they don’t look white in the first place. Whitening toothpastes chemically or mechanically help to remove stain on the tooth surface. There is no evidence they can whiten teeth from internal discoloration. The only whitening agents in toothpastes are abrasives that help rub off stains from coffee, tea, or red wine for example. If you believe your teeth are not as white as they should be, Rory Knapp, DDS can advise you on what whitening method would work best for you. Because most toothpastes contain mild abrasives, they may not be strong enough to remove heavy external stains that need to be scaled and polishes off professionally at our office.