I wanted to buy some whitening toothpaste (not the strips, etc.) but there were too many to choose from. Does anyone have a favorite toothpaste that really made a difference in whitening your teeth? Thanks!

I have used the rembrant products and arm and hammer whitening toothpaste with baking soda--both made my teeth noticeably whiter. good luck!

I like the Crest Dual Action Whitening toothpaste. I'm not sure that it actually made my teeth whiter, but it removes stains unlike any other whitening toothpaste I have ever used. Within a couple of weeks all of the dark brown coffee and smoke stains were gone. The last time I had been to the dentist they asked if I smoked because of the stains, after using the toothpaste they made no mention of any stains and my teeth had been pretty bad as it had been a year since my last cleaning.

whitening toothpastes contain an abrasive agent that will remove accumulatation of caffeine and tobbacco stains, if used consistently.
Other than that, they will not whiten your teeth.
the concentration of peroxide in them is not efficient enough to produce any results.
As I said before, they're abrasive and should not be used by everyone, especially not if the enamel of your teeth is soft.
For the best results, you need to either get custom trays done by your dentist and use them with an at-home bleaching gel, or splurge for the newest laser/light techniques, whic are the most expensive, but the most efficient, giving you the highest percentage of peroxide.
Good luck!

Anything with baking soda will work, you can use any toothpaste you want and just put some baking soda on it (after you spread it on your toothbrush) and it will whiten your teeth.

As Superfighter said, they won't so much whiten your teeth as help remove the stains, which of course will make them appear whiter. That's what actually gives your teeth that discolored, yellowish-tinged look is the staining that comes from drinking coffee, tea, smoking, etc. So yes, once you remove that, your teeth will appear to be cleaner. But it could also be the natural shading of your teeth you're seeing, in which case no whitening agent is going to help because this is simply the way your teeth are. Also take into account that many of these toothpastes are abrasive and could eventually do more damage than good. And studies have shown that the Rembrandt toothpastes are some of the worse you can use and are not highly recommended. You may want to try the cheapest and most gentle way first - use some baking soda and see if that works enough for you. If you are really intent on having your teeth whiter, you may want to ask your dentist about it first and get his suggestions and advice. Dentists have the trays you can use for whitening, and some other more expensive options, but be aware that the trays, though they are used by a dentist, can damage the enamel on your teeth and cause your gums to become very sensitive. I've always figured, if my own dentist and the people who work there don't use a particular technique on themselves, do I really want to use it, either?