(REVIEW) Do Whitening Toothpastes Work? We Tried The ZenyumBright Range For 28 Days to Find Out

However, after doing some reading on the topic, the causes can be age (I’m 30 and old), or staining from food and drinks (tea, soy sauce, and even dark chocolate). I’ve tried a whitening toothpaste from the famous C brand but it didn’t seem to have any effect on my horribly yellow teeth. I also considered getting them whitened at a dentist but these treatments are pricey (typically costing between RM900-RM1800).

So when Singaporean brand Zenyum (which you’ve probably seen at Guardian or Watson) reached out for a review, I jumped at the chance. I used the five products they sent me for a total of 28 days.

Zenyum has an advanced teeth whitening range, the Zenyum Bright Series which is designed to elevate everyday oral care routines. The ZenyumBright Instant Colour Corrector and ZenyumBright Active Whitening Serum are two of their newly launched products.

They have a very extensive range of oral care products including electric and travel toothbrushes, invisible braces (starting at RM7,499) waterflossers, regular floss, mouthwash, and even an adorable ZenyumSonic Go Pokémon Collection which we’re really tempted to buy.

ZenyumFresh Toothpaste Day! & Night (RM23.90 each)

There are two separate toothpastes for day and night, which are packaged in lovely ombre tones. According to the label, “this toothpaste is like perfume or cologne, a little bit goes a long way”, so you don’t have to use too much.

The Day toothpaste has papaya enzymes which work to brighten smiles but you can’t taste this (which is a good thing for toothpastes really. It also contains Vitamin E and natural mint flavours for better breath. The Field Mint flavour does make my breath feel fresher after each use.

Using the Night toothpaste took some getting used to because it’s basically black in colour as it contains ultra-fine-grade activated charcoal that gently whitens and polishes stains at night. It also contains sodium fluoride and aloe vera help prevent cavities. Between the two, I preferred the Day one because it left me with a subtle minty taste which I liked.

ZenyumBright Active Whitening Serum (Worth RM125)

This serum doesn’t come cheap at RM125. After using it for half a month it looks like there’s half a bottle left. I used 1-2 pumps of serum in the morning as it has to be used together with the Day toothpaste. The serum is a transparent blue gel and also has a cool mint flavour. It claims to result in up to teeth which are two shades whiter and is designed to break down stubborn stains and maintain teeth brightness.

ZenyumBright Instant Colour Corrector (Worth RM125)

This serum is also priced at RM125, but I can’t see how much I’ve used because the colour is solid (but I assume that there’s half left as well). I used this at night because it has to be used separately from the Night toothpaste and you have to brush for two minutes – which I don’t really have time for in the morning.

The serum is dark purple, which is its colour-correcting formula which helps to neutralise yellow tones. It also contains peppermint oil to keep smiles fresh. What I wish would be for the packaging to be less bulky so that I could easily pack this for travelling. What’s great is that these can be used every day because it's safe for daily use.

ZenyumBright Invisible Whitening Strips (Worth RM119)

I’ve always wanted to find Crest strips which I always heard Americans mention in books and on TV but they aren’t readily available here and are priced at around RM280 online. These are priced at a more affordable RM119 and come with 14 strips. But you have to use the 2 strips at one go for your top teeth and bottom teeth, so technically you can use them 7 times which works out at RM17 per use.

The plus side to this is that you can use them on the go. You need to stick them directly on your teeth and avoid your gums. The strips will appear invisible shortly after application and dissolve in 15-20 minutes. Although it didn’t turn my teeth 4 shades white like it claimed to, it was a bit noticeably whiter, so I recommend slapping two of these on before a big event or a date.

Results & our verdict

These are the photos of what my teeth look like after 28 days of use (apologies for the gross images). Honestly, the images aren’t a good indicator of the progress because my teeth seem yellower after using them but in actuality, my teeth are slightly whiter. My mum also randomly commented, “Have you been using the teeth whitening products? Your teeth seem whiter.” I also feel like there’s less plaque on my teeth.

Although there isn’t a huge improvement yet, I will continue using it as I see some differences. Over time, I hope to see my teeth become sparkling white too!