We've Tested Dozens of Teeth Whitening Kits—Our Favorite Whitens Teeth In Just 1 Week (2024)

SmileDirectClub Update

On Friday, December 8, 2023, SmileDirectClub announced it was shutting down all production immediately. Though we've tested and included their products in the past, we have removed all of their products from our recommendations in light of this news. We continuously test products and monitor the news to ensure our readers have the most up-to-date information about top products on the market.

• Our Picks

• How We Tested

• We Also Tested

• What to Look For

• FAQ

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Whitening strips can be a messy, awkward affair, but the Crest 3D Whitestrips for Sensitive Teeth could not have been easier for us to use. The strips went on and came off without any trouble and didn’t cause any pain, stinging, or sensitivity during or after use. And they worked, too—we were able to see a noticeable difference as soon as we took the first strip off our teeth and felt confident that the results would keep improving from there (with this particular kit, you’re directed to use the strips for 28 days).

In terms of convenience and value, we thought the compact, minimal packaging made the strips easy to store. And while these strips are a little pricey when you take quantity into consideration, we think the convenience of being able to seamlessly integrate the strips into our daily dental routine makes the price worth it. Plus, we thought it delivered real results—our teeth were noticeably whiter after using all 14 strips.

Combining comfort with a gentle formulation, the Spotlight Oral Care Dental Teeth Whitening Strips are our pick for the best strips for sensitive teeth. In testing, we found these strips fit our teeth nicely. We felt like the product adhered to both the front and back of our teeth effectively. And the adhesion created a “vacuum-sealed” effect that made them comfortable to wear for the full hour you’re supposed to keep them in place. More importantly, we didn’t feel any discomfort or sensitivity during whitening or after wearing these strips, and they worked quickly, too. After all 14 included strips had been used, we felt like our teeth looked visibly brighter.

Considering how well they work, we found these strips to be a great deal. Plus, Spotlight throws in a few freebies—notably, a convenient on-the-go travel pouch and vitamin E oil for soothing your gums post-treatment, both of which were much appreciated.

Many whitening products can leave you with a sloppy mess on your hands (and teeth!), but we found the iSmile Teeth Whitening Kit to be a tidier and more effective alternative to some of the other kits we tested. As we tested, we realized you can apply the gel to the mouthpiece before inserting it, which aids in making sure you’ve got the right amount and that all the whitening solution really covers your teeth.

We did find the whitening process to be slightly less comfortable; the solution was pretty tasteless, and our gums experienced some discomfort. Swallowing was also awkward because the solution can produce excess saliva, but you aren’t supposed to swallow the solution. However, the application time here is only 10 minutes, so we thought this was a totally manageable inconvenience for the amount of time needed to whiten.

Finally, we were surprised how much brighter our teeth became in testing this product—we felt the kit more than earns its place on our list and is well worth its cost. We even think it may have been more effective than previous whitening treatments we've done in the past at the dentist's office.

These prefilled trays by Opalescence won’t be for everyone (people with sensitive teeth, beware!), but they were definitely the easiest and least messy whitening tray option we tested, which is why we’ve placed them here as our best tray pick.

Essentially, you position the upper and lower trays on your teeth, bite down for a few seconds, and then remove the colored outer tray, leaving behind a more snug-fitting inner tray containing the whitening gel. This allows you to get a snug and comfortable fit every time. However, this option isn’t entirely painless. In testing, we found that the upper tray caused some serious gum discomfort (even after we brushed our teeth to remove the gel). We'd describe it as being similar to the feeling of applying an acid facial peel or retinoid for the first time—painful but bearable.

Initially, we couldn’t leave the tray in for the recommended 15 minutes because it was so uncomfortable. But over time, we did get used to it. The best part was that our teethwhitened. Even though we only left it in for about eight minutes, our teeth went up a full shade. It hurt, but the pain was worth it in our eyes. We also started with the highest concentration possible, which we wouldn’t recommend if you have sensitive teeth or have never whitened your teeth before (in that case, you may want to start with the lowest concentration and work your way up from there).

The main reason to opt for a whitening pen and not a more comprehensive kit is convenience, and this pen by AuraGlow is nothing if not convenient. You won’t get mega-white brightening results here—we noted it lightens maybe a shade, at most—but you will get an easy and painless application process and the ability to easily whiten minor stains on the go.

The application process is similar to other gel whiteners in that you paint on the product, but after that, you just have to allow it to dry (without rinsing or swallowing, which we did find to be a bit tricky!). There was a slight tingling upon application that we observed during testing, but nothing that persisted. The big bonus here is the pen’s convenience; we liked that there’s nothing overly complicated about the whitening process here and that the pen can go with you literally anywhere. We think it could be worked easily into a nighttime brushing routine since you can’t eat or drink for an hour after using it.

This isn’t the most efficient option on the list, but we were shocked by the whitening results with the Auraglow Deluxe Teeth Whitening Kit. And we felt that, after two weeks of use, it was more than worth its minor annoyances. The setup process is easy—just charge the LED light, fill the tray with gel, then pop it in your mouth—and the tray itself is soft and flexible.

The tricky part is walking around with an LED whitening tray sticking out of your mouth for 30 minutes. We found that actually finding the time to do the whitening treatment was a challenge. Half an hour with this large thing in our mouth that we couldn't talk around felt like a very long time, especially doing it every single day when we would have to not eat or drink right after. We even kept forgetting to use it and then needed to stay up an extra half hour later at night. We were also a little frustrated by the lack of a low battery notification, but still not enough to turn us off the product.

Overall, the whitening results were significant enough to make us recommend this product as a good choice, especially since it didn’t cause any pain or discomfort and is priced within the average range for a whitening kit.Given how much we know professional whitening costs, and remembering the pain and sensitivity we've had with other whitening products in the past, we absolutely think this is worth the price and the inconvenience for a couple of weeks.

You shouldn’t head into a whitening toothpaste expecting the same results as whitening strips or a kit with gels and trays. But a whitening toothpaste like this one from Opalescence can help whiten teeth or help maintain a whiter smile over time. We rated it high for convenience and comfort, mostly because it functioned like normal toothpaste. We liked that there was no learning curve to the application process; it was easy to work into our daily routine, and it didn’t cause any initial discomfort.

Wedidnotice some long-term discomfort over time, though, possibly because we felt like it was pretty abrasive. That created something of a catch-22 for us in testing—when we used the toothpaste, it whitened our teeth a couple of shades, but when we stopped using the toothpaste (because of sensitivity), we noticed that our teeth began yellowing and staining again almost immediately. The product felt like we needed to use it every single day to maintain an improved and brighter teeth shade. However, it noticeably caused teeth sensitivity that discouraged us from using it every day.

The bottom line is that this product can work, but only under certain circ*mstances. We think it’s best used for someone who wants to brighten their teeth for an event and doesn’t mind enduring some temporary abrasiveness or for someone who has pretty white teeth and wants to occasionally touch up their shade.

If you want whiter teeth fast, we recommend the Lumineux Teeth Whitening Strips. Despite not containing any peroxide (and opting instead for a mix of natural ingredients), we still found these strips to be a quick and easy way to whiten our teeth in just a couple of days.

Not only were these strips easy to apply, but we liked how they tasted refreshing (not plasticky) and also how they didn’t interfere with our conversations (yep, we could talk with these on!). In testing, we observed a gradual lightening of about two shades in under three days, which means you can definitely use these to get a super-short turnaround on brighter teeth.

The only downside was that the strips only cover the front six to eight of your teeth, so if you were hoping for sparkling molars, this won’t get you there. Still, you get 21 treatments, which we thought was a great value considering you’ll be seeing results in just three days. We also appreciated that this is an alternative to more chemical-based kits, which makes it a little friendlier for people with sensitive teeth.

Frequently Asked Questions

• How do teeth whitening products work?

  Teeth whitening products use common ingredients to minimize the appearance of stains and discoloration on your teeth. They do this through a combination of bleaching, lightening the appearance of stains on your teeth, and breaking down and removing the stains.

  Typically, in-office whitening procedures are more effective than at-home ones because dentists are able to use stronger, more concentrated ingredients to whiten (but it’s also usually more expensive). But the newer wave of at-home whitening products has stepped up to provide high-quality results, too.

• How much do teeth whitening products cost?

  Most at-home whitening kits cost around $50 or $60. There is a lot of variation, however: Some cheaper alternatives may come in closer to $25 or $30, and some luxury kits (like those with UV lighting) may cost well over $100.

  As Dr. Kalasho explained, most of what you’re paying for is the ingredient concentration of your product. When you opt for a cheaper whitening product, expect to get a lower concentration of whatever the active ingredient is and a higher concentration with more expensive products.

• Is teeth whitening safe?

  Yes, it is safe as long as you use a reputable product, according to Kendra Zappia, DDS, dentist and member of the New York State Dental Association. But you want to first check with your dentist to make sure it's safe for you in particular.

  "We want to make sure that your teeth are healthy, that you don't have any active decay, and that you don't have any active gum disease, gum loss, or bone loss," she says. "If we put bleach on top of that, we can do more harm than good, and the patient can be in a lot of pain."

  Additionally, people who are pregnant should avoid whitening. Whitening also only works on natural teeth, sodental work like crowns, bridges, and implantsmay also diminish the impact of treatments.

• How long does teeth whitening last?

  "For some people, it only lasts three or four months, and for other people, it can last up to a year or more," Dr. Zappia says. "It depends on your habits and the health of your teeth."

  So, if you're someone who drinks a lot of coffee, tea, wine, or soda, which can all stain your teeth, be prepared for this not to last as long.

• Do you brush your teeth after whitening strips?

  Dr. Zappia recommends that you brush and floss before to clear away any plaque that may interfere with the process but that after whitening, you wait a little bit before brushing again. She explains, "You might want to wait about 1/2 hour before brushing, the reasoning being that teeth have pores like your skin. When you bleach, you open those pores up so you can break the stain down, and it's going to take a little bit of time for those pores to close back up."

• What foods should you eat after teeth whitening?

  There are lots of foods to eat after whitening, as long as they don't discolor your teeth.

  "We kind of call it the white diet," Dr. Zappia says. "Anything that will not stain." So, cheese, yogurt, fresh fruits with the exception of berries, vegetables, pasta, and other foods that won't easily darken your teeth are all great choices.