New oral care products let you grin and bare it

As if store shelves aren't already groaning with all manner of dental products, more new SKUs have joined the fray.

Whitening pens Toothpaste infused with mini breath strips ... Toothbrush bristles with polishing cups ... These are the latest innovations from manufacturers in their quest to help consumers get their pearly whites whiter. Here's a look at these new products:

The Gillette Co. is rolling out the Oral-B Rembrandt Whitening Pen. The firm claims the pen provides a better way to whiten teeth as you sleep. According to Gillette, consumers can expect results in 14 days. The whitening device, which has a soft, flexible tip and provides a taste of mint, has a suggested retail price of $14.99.

Oral-B Rembrandt Whitening Strips is Gillette's third new entry. The manufacturer claims the soft flexible strips fit to the curves of the teeth and that once-a-day use for 30 minutes provides noticeable whitening in five days. The suggested retail price is $29.99.

Colgate-Palmolive is getting into the act with Colgate Max Fresh Toothpaste with Mini Breath Strips. The breath strips dissolve in the mouth instantly at brushing, releasing an extra rush of breath-freshening power. Colgate is offering Colgate Max Fresh in a 6.0-oz. laydown tube and a 4.6-oz. liquid gel. Both forms will be available in two flavors: Cool Mint (peppermint) and Clean Mint (spearmint). To enable consumers to try both flavors, Colgate-Palmolive has created a two-pack trial size, with 0.75-oz. tubes of each flavor. The company is also planning TV and Internet advertising, multiple free-standing inserts, in-store displays, and sampling. Free-standing inserts, which feature a $1 coupon, state that the toothpaste is "packed to the max with cool mini breath strips."

For those consumers who like the taste of vanilla, Procter & Gamble is making available Crest Whitening Expressions Refreshing Vanilla Mint and Whitening Expressions Refreshing Vanilla Mint liquid toothpaste in stand-up dispensers.

GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare is not sitting on the sidelines. The company is introducing Aquafresh Extreme Clean Whitening toothpaste. The copy in print ads claims: "As you brush, New Extreme Clean Whitening bursts into rich Micro-Active Foam, showering your whole mouth as it kills germs, whitens your teeth, and leaves you with a cool tingling that just won't quit." The toothpaste is available in Mint Experience, Original, and Empowermint. The suggested retail prices are $2.76 for 4.3 oz., $3.31 for 5.6 oz., and $3.90 for 7 oz.