We all want a whiter smile. But when it comes to whitening your teeth, not all methods are created equal. Many big-brand whitening toothpastes rely on harsh abrasives or bleaching chemicals to remove surface stains. 

While they may deliver short-term results, the long-term effects on your teeth enamel can be more harmful than helpful.

So, is whitening bad for your teeth? The answer: it depends on how you do it.

Does teeth whitening damage enamel?

Traditional whitening products can damage your enamel over time. Many whitening toothpastes use high levels of abrasives to physically scrub away stains. These abrasives work a bit like exfoliators for your skin — except some are more like sandpaper than a gentle face scrub. The problem? Your enamel doesn’t grow back. Once it’s gone, it’s gone.

This leads to what dentists call tooth wear. As enamel wears away, the underlying dentin becomes more visible. Dentin is yellower than enamel, which is why your teeth may start to look more yellow over time — even if you're using a whitening toothpaste. In fact, excessive use of highly abrasive toothpaste is one of the lesser-known reasons behind yellow teeth.

What are abrasives in toothpaste?

Abrasives in toothpaste are tiny particles added to help scrub away plaque and surface stains. Common abrasives include calcium carbonate, baking soda, and hydrated silica. They’re rated on something called the Relative Dentin Abrasivity (RDA) scale — the higher the RDA, the more abrasive the toothpaste.

Toothpastes with a high RDA can lead to increased tooth wear and enamel erosion if used regularly. An RDA of 250 is considered the upper safe limit — but even toothpastes well below that can be too harsh if you're using them every day.

Is whitening toothpaste bad?

Not all whitening toothpastes are created equal. Some rely heavily on abrasives or peroxide-based bleaching agents. Others, like ours, use a gentler approach.

Whitening toothpaste becomes problematic when it sacrifices your enamel for the sake of short-term brightness. A toothpaste that’s too abrasive can polish away more than just stains — it can wear down your enamel, leading to tooth sensitivity, dullness, and yes, yellow teeth.

Can whitening toothpaste make my teeth yellow?

Here’s the thing: the more you scrub your teeth with harsh abrasives, the more enamel you lose. And underneath your enamel? Dentin — which is naturally more yellow.

So if you’ve been using whitening toothpaste religiously and still wondering why your teeth look less white, it could be due to enamel erosion. In this case, the whitening process could actually be backfiring.

How to whiten teeth without damaging enamel

Think of it like skincare. You wouldn’t use a gritty exfoliator on your face twice a day, right? The same logic applies to your teeth.

To safely whiten your teeth, look for a toothpaste with:

- A lower RDA score (to protect against tooth wear)

- Natural stain removal (instead of chemical bleaches)

- Gentle abrasives (like hydrated silica), which polish without scratching

Choose a gentler alternative

We created a whitening toothpaste that works with your enamel, not against it.

Our Daily Whitening Toothpaste features papain, a natural enzyme from papaya that gently breaks down the proteins in surface stains — think of it as exfoliation for your smile. We’ve paired it with hydrated silica, a milder abrasive with a low Relative Dentin Abrasivity score of 64, to polish without damage.

Our resident dental expert, Majedeh Mazraei, explains:

"The combination of papain and low-abrasivity hydrated silica allows us to deliver effective whitening results without accelerating enamel erosion. We’ve worked hard to develop a formula that’s both gentle and effective, prioritising long-term oral health over quick fixes."

The result? A brighter smile that doesn’t compromise your enamel — and a toothpaste that’s safe enough to use twice a day, every day.