Crest vs Colgate Toothpaste Comparison
Crest vs Colgate toothpaste - a showdown between the two biggest drugstore oral care brands in the world. As you’ll learn in this Colgate vs Crest toothpaste comparison, though, they’re more or less the exact same thing. Just a different name.
Each has a range of formulas tailored to whitening, gum health, cavity prevention, and sensitivity. They use many of the same active ingredients - fluoride, for instance. Both are cheap and easy to find at your local drugstore. The truth is, though, choosing between Crest and Colgate toothpaste means settling for less than the best in your oral hygiene.
Formulas like LIVFRESH do what these toothpastes could never do - improve gum health by 190% and remove plaque up to 250% better. All while helping remineralize teeth. That’s because LIVRFRESH gel toothpaste is powered by activated edathamil, a patented ingredient.
Learn more about Colgate and Crest below, and how LIVFRESH compares.
“My teeth are much cleaner and brighter after a few weeks’ regular use. I had very yellow teeth on top. I’m much less self-conscious of my smile and feel my gums are much healthier (waaay less bleeding).” - Carol
“Love the way my mouth feels, fresh, smooth and clean! Definitely will continue to use LIVFRESH!!” - Ursula
“Love using this toothpaste. Teeth feel so much cleaner.” - Alex
Key Takeaways From Our Colgate vs Crest Toothpaste Comparison
- Crest and Colgate both rely on similar fluoride-based formulas. Everyday cavity protection and general cleaning power are nearly identical.
- Their specialty options (whitening, sensitivity, enamel repair, and gum care) cover the same categories and use many of the same active ingredients.
- Anyone looking for tangible improvements in plaque removal or gum health should go with LIVFRESH. It’s backed by 26 clinical studies and thousands of dental professionals.
The Colgate Toothpaste Line
Colgate is owned by Colgate-Palmolive, a massive multinational company that also makes Tom’s of Maine, Palmolive, Irish Spring, and countless others. This has been a household name for decades, and one of the first toothpastes you’d find at your local drugstore.
Some of the most popular toothpaste formulas Colgate makes are:
- Colgate Total: Uses stannous fluoride for antibacterial action, 24-hour plaque control, and gingivitis protection. Also has humectants and mild abrasives for a smoother feel and everyday stain cleanup.
- Colgate Total Plaque Pro-Release: Combines stannous fluoride with the brand’s “SmartFoam” system to reach tight gumline areas where biofilm tends to collect. Designed to improve plaque breakdown and reduce early gum irritation.
- Colgate Optic White: Uses hydrogen peroxide for stain lifting rather than enamel abrasion. The “Pro Series” versions use more peroxide for deeper whitening, while the base Optic White formula is gentler for daily use.
- Colgate Sensitive Complete Protection: Potassium nitrate calms sensitivity and sodium fluoride fights cavities. The polishing system is gentler than other Colgate whitening products. Good for exposed dentin/post-procedure sensitivity.
- Colgate Enamel Renewal / Enamel Strength: Remineralizes teeth with fluoride and low-abrasion cleaning agents. These formulas help rebuild weakened enamel. Often recommended for managing acid wear.
- Colgate Zero: A simpler ingredient profile without artificial flavors, dyes, or sweeteners. Still uses fluoride, but with fewer additives for users who want a “cleaner” formula without high strength essential-oil blends or heavy foaming agents.
It’s easy to see the appeal of Colgate toothpaste: familiarity and affordability. You can find it anywhere, and for less than $5 a tube. But as you’ll learn in this Colgate vs Crest toothpaste comparison, you get what you pay for.
The Crest Toothpaste Line
Crest is owned by an even bigger company than Colgate - Proctor & Gamble. The same conglomerate that owns Tide, Pampers, Gillette, Head & Shoulders, Dawn, and even other toothpaste brands like Oral-B. The list goes on and on.
You’ll see tons of overlap in what Crest toothpaste is designed to do compared to Colgate toothpaste. Formulas address the most common issues in oral care: plaque, stains, gum irritation, and sensitivity. Here are some of the most popular toothpastes:
- Crest Pro-Health: Uses stannous fluoride for antibacterial support, plaque control, and cavity protection. Also targets early gum irritation and has mild cleaning agents.
- Crest Pro-Health Advanced Gum Protection: Built around the same stannous fluoride base but with a focus on improving gum health and reducing tenderness. Helps limit the bacteria linked to bleeding and early gum issues.
- Crest 3D White: Lifts stains and whitens the tooth surface with hydrogen peroxide. Radiant Mint & Brilliance versions use peroxide strength for deeper whitening while staying low-abrasion.
- Crest 3D White Brilliance/Glamorous White: Crest’s strongest OTC whitening pastes. They pair peroxide with silica polishing particles for a more dramatic brightness boost.
- Crest Complete: A simpler fluoride formula with added flavor oils, mild abrasives, and breath-cleaning agents for freshness and cavity protection at a low price point.
- Crest Gum Detoxify: Uses stannous fluoride with a foam-expanding system to reach below the gumline. It helps lift away plaque and soothes irritated areas around the gumline where buildup settles.
- Crest Charcoal (3D White Charcoal): Combines silica abrasives with activated charcoal for a stronger polishing effect. Designed for cosmetic stain removal rather than long-term enamel care.
Like Colgate, Crest toothpastes are based upon well-studied active ingredients. The brand makes reliable, familiar, affordable toothpastes when you just want something simple that gets the job done. But which is better between Crest vs Colgate toothpaste?
Crest vs Colgate Toothpaste: Side-by-Side Comparison
You won’t see a very dramatic difference in this Crest vs Colgate toothpaste comparison. These brands sit side-by-side on every drugstore shelf because they more or less serve the same purpose. They’re cheap, basic toothpastes that clean your teeth.
Now, some formulas do bring extra support for sensitivity, gum health, whitening, or cavity prevention. But behind the brand and product names, you’ll see virtually indistinguishable formulas. Let’s take a closer look at our Colgate vs Crest toothpaste comparison.
Active Ingredients and How They Work
Both of these brands use fluoride across their toothpastes, but with a slight distinction.
Crest leans heavily on stannous fluoride for antibacterial support alongside cavity protection. Meanwhile, Colgate uses sodium fluoride in most pastes. The Colgate Total and Gum Renewal lines do use stannous fluoride, though.
Either form protects enamel. But you might be left wondering if there’s a better alternative to fluoride toothpaste out there - learn more in our fluoride vs fluoride-free toothpaste comparison.
Plaque and Tartar Control
Plaque is the root of all evil in oral hygiene. It turns into tartar if it’s given time to harden. That’s where real oral health complications can arise. So, it goes without saying your toothpaste needs to be able to fight plaque effectively.
Colgate Total formulas use stannous fluoride to help slow plaque regrowth throughout the day. Crest Pro-Health does the same through its stabilized stannous fluoride system.
Here’s the thing, though. Neither brand is doing anything particularly groundbreaking here. They mainly help prevent new buildup. For comparison, LIVFRESH can remove plaque up to 250% better - while preventing new plaque from gripping the tooth!
Gum Health Support
Crest’s Gum Detoxify and Pro-Health Advanced lines target early irritation, using stannous fluoride and a foam-expanding system to sweep along the gumline. Colgate’s Total Gum Health and Renewal lines also use this ingredient.
They’re nearly identical - which isn’t exactly a good thing. Both can help with mild discomfort, but neither formula disrupts hardened buildup or biofilm structure. For context, LIVFRESH improves gum health by 190% more.
Whitening Performance
Colgate and Crest both have formulas tailored to the cosmetic side of oral care.
For example, Crest’s 3D White line (especially the Brilliance and Glamour White) rely on hydrogen peroxide and silica polishing agents. This gives them more stain-lifting power than most Colgate formulas.
Colgate has its own approach here in its Optic White line. But this is one area of the Crest vs Colgate toothpaste comparison where you can see a difference in performance. Most people say Crest does a better job whitening their teeth.
Sensitivity Relief Options
Sensodyne may be the toothpaste that comes to mind when you think of sensitivity, but Colgate and Crest have formulas for relief as well.
Colgate Sensitive Pro-Relief uses arginine and calcium carbonate to fight sensitivity fast, while Sensitivity Repair uses stannous fluoride. Crest handles sensitivity through stannous fluoride alone. So, you just have more options to choose from with Colgate.
But both formulas are more or less just masking the symptom - sensitivity - without addressing the underlying cause (usually gum recession/irritation). Keep that in mind as you compare Colgate vs Crest toothpaste.
Flavor and Brushing Experience
Expect a virtually identical brushing experience with Crest and Colgate toothpaste. They use the same types of ingredients, and their flavor profiles mirror one another.
We’ve seen people say Crest is stronger and sometimes almost metallic because of stannous fluoride. Colgate leans toward softer mints and smoother pastes with a lighter aftertaste. But you’d be hard-pressed to find the difference in a blind taste test.
Cost and Availability
Either brand is available at your local drugstore for less than $5 per tube. That’s why Crest and Colgate are so popular - they’re everywhere, and they’re cheap.
But are Crest and Colgate really serving you from an oral care perspective? Once you realize what other types of toothpaste on the market are capable of, it feels like settling for less.
How is LIVFRESH Toothpaste Different From Crest and Colgate?
LIVFRESH plaque removal toothpaste is unlike anything on the market because it’s the only toothpaste that uses activated edathamil, an ingredient protected by more than 40 patents.
This ingredient goes after the one thing that drives most oral health issues: the bond that keeps plaque stuck to enamel. Instead of relying on abrasives, foam systems, peroxide, or stabilizers, it alters the surface charge of teeth and prevents plaque from keeping its grip. It also prevents new plaque from sticking as easily.
Clinical studies showed it removes up to 250% more plaque and improves gum health 190% more than a leading ADA-accepted toothpaste. It can also help remineralize teeth. The formula is also free of SLS, harsh abrasives, artificial flavoring, parabens, and preservatives.
It’s the best toothpaste for plaque removal, the best toothpaste for gingivitis, and a clear upgrade over Crest or Colgate toothpaste. LIVFRESH is endorsed by thousands of dentists and backed by even more 5-star reviews. Try it risk-free for 30 days.
Closing Thoughts on Our Crest vs Colgate Toothpaste Comparison
That does it for our Crest vs Colgate toothpaste comparison. At the end of the day, the formulas these brands make perform more alike than different. Both offer reliable fluoride protection, solid everyday cleaning, and a long list of nearly interchangeable variants.
In other words, neither brand delivers the kind of plaque-breakdown power that actually changes your oral health long term if you want something that goes beyond surface cleaning.
Our blog has more comparisons of Listerine vs Crest mouthwash or Toms vs Hello toothpaste if you want to learn more. Otherwise, it’s time to upgrade from Crest or Colgate toothpaste with LIVFRESH. Try it today to see and feel the difference firsthand.
