I received two free sample-sized tubes of the "Oral B Pro Expert" toothpaste recently, after completing a 'freebies' form online. My tubes are only 15ml each, and I believe this size is not available to purchase in shops or online. The full sized, 75ml tube is available to purchase from retailers such as Boots, where the full-sized tube will cost you £3.60. You can also order online at www.boots.com.

The packaging is pretty standard for a toothpaste product, but that is an observation rather than being a criticism, and I find the blue shades and colours used on the tube offer a pleasant contrast on the white-coloured tube. The Oral B branding appears in bold font, together with several statements and claims.

The toothpaste itself is a pale blue colour, and it's consistency is that of a gel. What I have found, however, is that the gel is not completely smooth in its appearance or its texture, as it appears to have a small 'sprinkling' of small granules throughout. That is not to say that I have found this texture feels 'grainy' in the mouth during use, and in fact these grains/granules are really only noticeable visually.

The "Clean Mint" flavouring of the paste is very pleasant, being that of a general 'mint' type flavour and taste. I find that the flavour is not so strong as to be completely over-powering, so this makes it more palatable for me than other pastes I have used in the past that felt rather too 'hot' for my liking. I can't confess to preferring a toothpaste with a stronger, slightly 'menthol' taste as they can often feel 'nippy' in my sensitive mouth. Based on these opinions that I have, I find the 'strength' of the Oral B Pro Expert paste is rather ideal for me.

The Oral B paste is as easy to use as any other brand of toothpaste that I use regularly. All I need to do is squeeze a small amount onto my brush and this is more than sufficient to cleanse my teeth thoroughly. I find that the gel 'foams' during use, but it does so gently and without a vigorous lather, which I confess I would find off-putting. Instead, the Oral B paste feels thinner and more gentle, providing a pleasant, light 'foam' which coats my teeth expertly. The paste doesn't linger in my mouth either, and it rinses easily from the teeth and gums, which is obviously preferable in terms of time and convenience. There is nothing about using the Oral B Pro Expert paste that feels more difficult than any other similar product in my view.

I find that after use, my teeth and whole mouth feels wonderfully refreshed and quite spotless. My breath feels minty and fresh, certainly to the same extent that I am used to achieving from the use of my Colgate-branded toothpaste. I have to confess that I don't find the Oral B's mint-based flavour and taste lasts particularly long after brushing, but this is the same effect achieved after using my regular Colgate product, so I don't really feel disappointed or let down by this result.

The Oral B Pro Expert paste is marketed as being an "Antibacterial & Fluoride Toothpaste" and I confess that I felt reassured by these claims, together with the promises made on the packaging which inform me the product offers "All-Around Protection." There is a small list on the tube too, detailing "Cavities, Gum, Plaque, Sensitivity, Enamel, Tartar, Whitening, Breath" to ensure that the consumer feels confident in the product. I cannot comment on the paste's effectiveness at dealing with my overall dental health as I have not discussed its use with my dentist, but as a consumer, I confess that I did feel rather reassured that the paste was not 'skimping over' any aspect of oral hygiene, providing a reassurance by way of the claims made on the packaging.

In terms of sensitivity, this is not a specific issue that affects me on a daily basis, but certain food and drinks will cause a slight tingling at my teeth which is rather unpleasant. I was slightly cautious of the Oral B toothpaste's ability to help with this issue, mainly because it has a rather sweet 'edge' to its flavour. Similar toothpastes that I have used before have caused a slight 'tingle' to be present after use as a result of their sweetness, but I can confirm that no such side-effect was evident after using the Oral B Pro Expert paste. Indeed, no sensitivity was experienced during use of the toothpaste, and I felt it performed quite well in coping with this irritating occurrence.

In terms of claiming to have a 'Whitening' protection aspect within its ingredients, I can't confess to noticing any real noticeable difference to the colour of my teeth throughout the use of the Oral B Pro Expert paste. True, I don't think I necessarily suffer with discolouration to my teeth, so perhaps I am not the best judge of this aspect of the product. I wondered too if perhaps I hadn't used the product for long enough to put these claims to their fullest test, especially considering the small size of the tubes I received. Either way, I don't feel it necessary to either complain or praise the product's ability in this regard; I noticed no difference in terms of improvement, but neither did I think the toothpaste performed poorly or offered no protection.

All in all, I was impressed enough with the Oral B Pro Expert toothpaste to consider using it again in the future. It didn't offer enough of a 'wow' factor to tempt me away from my usual purchase, but neither did it feel like a poor product that was of an inferior quality. For these reasons, I would most definitely repurchase it in the future, but probably only if it was a promotional purchase or if my usual choice was unavailable for some reason. As I am unable to find any fault or discrepancies with either the product or the claims made, I feel it is only fair to award the toothpaste full marks in the product rating.