The Best Dentist-Approved Teeth Whitening Strips and Kits for a Red Carpet-Ready Smile (2024)

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Meeting new people can be one of the most anxiety-inducing social occasions. The added insecurity of a dull smile, combined with the effects of daily coffees or a love for red wine, can turn a megawatt smile into a closed-lip smize. Lucky for you, the best teeth whitening products can help you flash brighter pearly whites when you return to the office or school.

The teeth whitening industry has moved mountains in recent years with new brightening technology that safely lightens your chompers. Before taking matters into your own hands, though, consult with your dentist to ensure safe practices and longevity for your teeth. In the meantime, when strolling through the oral-care aisle, remember these tips from Dr. Brian Harris, DDS/DMD, lead medical adviser for oral care brands Snow and Frost.

First, home in on your specific oral-care issues, whether that’s accounting for sensitivity, heavy-duty stains or preventive care. Harris stresses the importance of “understanding which products are going to be best for your specific situation.”

Second, look for hydrogen peroxide or carbamide peroxide on the ingredients list. “Hydrogen peroxide releases most of its whitening power within 60 minutes,” explains Harris, “while carbamide peroxide releases about 50 percent of its whitening power in the first two hours and can remain active for up to six additional hours.”

With those pro tips in mind, keep reading below for some of the best teeth whitening products — from toothpaste and kits to plastic-free options — that’ll have you singingChip Skylark’s catchy2002 hit, “My Shiny Teeth and Me.”

1. Snow Portable At-Home Teeth Whitening Kit

BEST LED TEETH WHITENING KIT

Nine minutes a day is all you need for white, shiny teeth with Snow’s At-Home Teeth Whitening Kit. The two-step product comes in a five-piece set that includes the LED whitening accelerating technology mouthpiece and three tubes of the teeth whitening serum. Reviewers see teeth lighten one to three shades after consistent use.

2. Colgate Optic White Overnight Pen

BEST TEETH WHITENING PEN

It can’t get any easier than this. Colgate’s Optic White Overnight Pen is as simple as it sounds. After brushing before bed, paint an even coating across each tooth and hit the hay — Colgate will do the rest. One full use of the pen claims to remove 15 years of set-in stains.

3. Crest 3D Whitestrips

BEST WHITE STRIPS OVERALL

Crest’s 3D Whitestrips are best-sellers for a reason. With more than 75 percent of reviewers rating these five stars, the teeth whitening strips are designed to remove more than 20 years of stains in 22 days. They’re safe for enamel and come with two one-hour express whiteners; the strips are also available in other options, including for sensitive teeth, in Glamorous White and more.

4.SmileDirectClub Bright On Premium Teeth Whitening Kit

BEST AFFORDABLE LED TEETH WHITENING SYSTEM

Star-loved Smile Direct Club’slineup of whitenersincludes the Bright On Premium Teeth Whitening kit with professional-strength hydrogen peroxide that features the same enamel-safe whitening agents used by dentists and helps to reduce plaque buildup. The brand says that the LED kit leaves teeth two times brighter in one week and results can last for up to six months.

The two-step system uses the stain-resistant ProActivate whitening accelerator paste to prep your pearly whites, followed by the ProBrighten gel and LED light that makes teeth up to nine shades brighter. (Queer Eye‘s Jonathan Van Ness, Peloton teacher Tunde Oyeneyin andLove Islandhost Arielle Vandenberg are among the brand’s Confidence Council celebrity ambassadors.)

8. Co. by Colgate’s Later, Stains Foaming Anti-Stain Mouth Rinse

BEST TEETH WHITENING FOAM RINSE

Arguably the most unique of the teeth-whitening products, Co. by Colgate’s Later, Stains is a foaming rinse that protects your teeth from day-to-day stains like coffee, wine and food. Used after brushing but before eating, the vegan, gluten-free formula functions as a shield to combat long-lasting damage while focusing on preventive care.

9. Bite Teeth Whitening Gel Kit

BEST PLASTIC-FREE TEETH WHITENER

Bite’s Teeth Whitening Kit is the only plastic-free teeth whitening system on the market. Falling in line with the brand’s zero-waste premise, this vegan, gel-based formula features a compostable applicator to brush the serum on each tooth. For $24 (or $20 when you sign up for a subscription), the kit is affordable, sustainable and effective, with reviewers seeing results within just 14 days.

This story was originally published June 29, 2022.