12 Best Teeth Whitening Kits and Products, Tested by Experts

The Good Housekeeping Institute Beauty Lab rigorously tests all types of teeth whitening products including toothpaste, strips, pens and more. In the Lab, scientists measure testers' tooth shades under standardized lighting before and after using a label-masked teeth whitening product as directed over a specified time period to gauge changes in tooth color.

Testers also evaluate the products at home on factors such as ease of use, flavor, tooth sensitivity, cleaning efficacy (if applicable) and perceived whitening effects. Beauty Lab scientists then tally hundreds of data points to find out whether each product performs before determining the best whitening kits.

✔️ Active ingredients: For optimal teeth whitening results at home, "look for the active lightening ingredients hydrogen or carbamide peroxide," advises Sharon Huang, D.D.S., MICOI, a cosmetic dentist and founder of Les Belles NYC in New York City. Note that although hydrogen peroxide produces excellent whitening effects, it can sometimes result in temporary tooth sensitivity, Dr. Gonchar says.

✔️ Potency level: The maximum percentage of active teeth lightening ingredients is 10% for over-the-counter products, Dr. Huang says. "Higher concentrations will result in faster and better results, yet may cause tooth sensitivity," Dr. Gonchar explains. "Lower-concentration products will take longer to achieve the desired results, but may be more appropriate for those with sensitive teeth or other dental needs."

✔️ Sensitivity-friendly ingredients: If you have sensitive teeth, "carbamide peroxide is less sensitizing than hydrogen peroxide because it takes more time for the whitening action to occur," Dr. Huang explains. For extremely sensitive teeth, there are also products that don’t contain peroxide, and instead are made with ingredients like aloe vera and coconut oil, which have natural whitening effects that pull stains from the teeth, she says. "They're not as effective as peroxide, but are a good natural option that’s gentler on the teeth," Dr. Huang notes.

✔️ Form: As for the best teeth whitener form,"I recommend whitening strips and use them personally," Dr. Huang says. "Since the strip wraps around the teeth, the whitening solution has constant contact with teeth, and they’re the easiest to keep in the mouth for the prescribed amount of time." (See below for a list and description of of teeth whitener forms.)

There are four main types of at-home teeth whitenining products: whitening strips and trays, LED light devices, pens or gels and toothpastes. "The effectiveness of at-home teeth whitening products can vary from person to person, and what works best for one individual may not yield the same results for another," Dr. Katz notes. Here's a guide to what differentiates each of the options and how they function so you can choose the right form for you, according to the dental experts:

✔️ Whitening strips and trays: These kits contain a plastic strip, tray or mold, which is used to apply the bleaching ingredient hydrogen peroxide directly to teeth. Each session lasts 30 minutes to two hours (follow the directions on the teeth whitening kit's packaging for how to use), so results can be visible in one day, though you'll need up to three weeks of repeated application for full results. If you want to make your teeth white fast or you want to turn yellow teeth white, strips are one of the most effective OTC teeth whiteners, as the active ingredient is left on teeth for an extended period of time.

✔️ Whitening light devices: A whitening agent is directly applied to teeth; then a blue LED light is held over them to increase penetration and accelerate results. Like teeth whitening strips, light devices are very effective because of the amount of time the active ingredient makes full contact with your teeth.

✔️ Whitening pens or gels: These formulas contain the active teeth lightening ingredient hydrogen peroxide in a pen or gel form that you glide over your teeth to whiten them. Some are left on teeth (even created to be left on overnight), while others are meant to be rinsed off. Because the ingredients can be diluted or washed away in your mouth over time, the whitening results are generally more moderate.

✔️ Whitening toothpaste: Pastes typically contain mild abrasives like hydrated silica, sodium bicarbonate and calcium carbonate to polish and remove surface stains and/or low concentrations of the active teeth whitening ingredient hydrogen peroxide to bleach teeth. "Most conventional whitening toothpastes largely work by using an abrasive called silica to mechanically scrape stains off of teeth, hence the 'whitened' result, not by actual bleaching," explains Justin Rashbaum, D.M.D., a general and cosmetic dentist in New York City for Supersmile. Look for pastes that contain hydrogen peroxide if you want noticeable results. You can expect to see visible effects after five or more days of twice-daily use, but only expect minimal to moderate whitening results, due to lower levels of bleaching ingredients.

Yes, as mentioned above, LED light can be an effective option for teeth whitening. "LED light helps to activate the whitening agent that is applied to the teeth, which helps to break down and dissolve stains caused by food, drinks and smoking," Dr. Wei explains. "The light also helps speed up the whitening process, allowing the bleaching agent to penetrate the enamel and dentin of the teeth to remove discoloration."

But note that using an LED light by itself on teeth won't whiten them. "LED lights alone do not have a whitening effect, but used in conjunction with chemical agents [like hydrogen peroxide] are meant to accelerate and enhance the whitening process," Dr. Gonchar says. "LED lights do not damage teeth and can be used safely, though you should avoid them if you have sensitive teeth."

If you have sensitive teeth, you'll want to take some extra precautions before using at-home whitening products. "I recommend seeing your dentist if you have sensitive teeth, as they may be a sign of dental problems," says Timothy Chase, D.M.D., cosmetic dentist and practicing partner at SmilesNY. "If your teeth are okay but you simply have sensitivity, your dentist can help with desensitizing treatments."

Look for products with a very low concentration of the teeth lightening active ingredient carbamide peroxide, Dr. Gonchar suggests. "It causes less tooth sensitivity compared to hydrogen peroxide," she says. "Other ingredients that provide active relief from sensitivity include fluoride and potassium nitrate." Just pay attention to how your teeth react. "If you experience sensitivity or if the edges of your teeth start to appear see-through, you should stop the whitening regimen," warns Dr. Chase.

It depends on whether you go pro and your lifestyle habits. "Professional whitening will provide results that last longer — people usually get touch-ups every six months to a year," Dr. Huang says, but "with at-home products like teeth whitening strips, you may need a touch-up every month to take the superficial stains off and keep teeth white over time."

What you eat and drink and whether you smoke also contribute to the longevity of teeth whitening effects. "If you’re meticulous at avoiding anything that will stain teeth and upkeep with whitening touch-up products, results will last longer," she explains. "Some of the most teeth-staining foods and drinks are tea (which actually stains more than coffee!), tobacco and red wine, then dark foods and juices like turmeric, beets, curry and blueberries."

To avoid darkening teeth, drink any colored beverage through a straw to keep it from coming in contact with your teeth, Dr. Huang advises. Or try rinsing your mouth with water immediately after drinking or eating to prevent staining (but don’t brush, because the enzymes in your mouth can make enamel softer and more prone to staining at that time), she says.

Pia Velasco is a beauty and fashion editor with over a decade experience at publications including Good Housekeeping, Woman's Day, Prevention and more. She contributed to the researching and writing of this article.

April Franzino is the Beauty Director of Good Housekeeping and contributed to the researching and writing of this article. She has over 15 years of experience researching, writing and editing beauty-related content across topics including teeth whitening, utilizing the expertise of Good Housekeeping Institute Beauty Lab scientists and top industry professionals.