All toothpastes remove surface stains through the action of tiny abrasives. Some whitening toothpastes contain gentle polishing or chemical agents that provide additional stain removal. Whitening toothpastes can remove surface stains only ; whereas professional whitening products contain hydrogen peroxide (a bleaching substance) that helps remove deeper stains on the tooth surface as well as tobacoo stains. None of the home whitening toothpastes can come even close to producing the bleaching effect you get from your dentist’s office. Whitening toothpastes can lighten your tooth’s shade by about one shade. In contrast, light-activated whitening conducted in your dentist’s office can make your teeth three to eight shades lighter.