These LED Teeth Whitening Kits Actually Made Our Teeth Up to 16 Shades Lighter (2024)

This product was by far the most pleasant whitening experience we've had. We loved the Crest Whitening Emulsions With LED Light is super easy and comfortable to use, and results in quick and impressive whitening. In our tests, we appreciated that the instructions are very easy to follow, and the kit also provides QR codes that you can scan for in-depth instructional videos to make sure your whitening process goes extra smoothly. You just apply the gel, proceed with life as normal for 30 minutes (you can even close your mouth and swallow comfortably), and then put the LED device in your mouth for 3 minutes to accelerate the whitening. (A plus: the LED light doesn't require charging.)

We didn't feel any immediate discomfort when applying the whitening solution — it just felt cold on the gums, similar to a freshly brushed teeth feeling. And we especially loved how lightweight the product felt on our teeth. Unlike Crest Whitestrips, these didn't shift around on our teeth or create a foamlike mess that starts bubbling up. Instead, this Crest kit boasts a "barely there" feel and not one bit of goopiness.

When testing this Crest kit, we started off with a pretty white shade, but the product got our teeth two shades lighter to an almost-perfect white. Plus, you can use this product up to four times a day to fast-track your whitening, which makes this perfect to use before an event or if you just want great results on a quick timeline. And even when using it multiple times a day, we didn't notice any gum sensitivity, which is a major win.

One tiny downside: While the kit does come in a box with a plastic stand for the wand and whitening product, we didn't love the box for storage purposes and would've appreciated if it came with a travel case instead. We ended up just storing the product in a toiletry bag.

Type of Kit: Teeth whitening treatment, one wand applicator, LED light | Number of Treatments per Kit: Up to 14 | Suggested Duration: 33 minutes | Whitening Claims: 100% whiter teeth | Active Ingredient: Hydrogen peroxide

The Linhart Whitening Kit is easy to use, and we achieved a color 16 shades whiter relatively quickly. This kit includes the LED teeth-whitening tray (which is rechargeable), a whitening gel (that you can use with your toothpaste), and four syringes that each contains the whitening gel that you apply to the tray. Overall, we found it to be a very good value considering the results.

First off, we loved that the instructions were clear and easy to understand — you just apply a small amount of whitening gel into the top and bottom half of the tray, turn it on, and hold it in your mouth for 16 minutes, and you can repeat this process for two to four times for better results. You can easily keep it by your bedside and do it as you're getting ready for bed. While testing, we noticed that the tray fit very comfortably and did not pull or cause any pain. It was easy enough to hold in our mouths but we still felt like we had a device in and actively had to keep our mouths closed.

The whitening solution didn't irritate our gums or lead to any sensitivity, but it did cause a little drooling, so you might not want to necessarily take a meeting with it on as with the Crest Whitening Emulsions With LED Light. While this product left a slight tingly sensation that persisted in our mouth for about 15 minutes after removing it, we did appreciate that it didn't cause any pain or tenderness.

Type of Kit: Gel syringes, LED light, whitening gel to add to toothpaste | Number of Treatments per Kit: 3 to 4 | Suggested Duration: 16 to 64 minutes | Whitening Claims: None | Active Ingredient: 35% carbamide peroxide gel

If you've used whitening strips before and hate how messy they are (and how much gel you end up swallowing throughout the whole process), you'll appreciate this Colgate kit. In our tests, we loved that using the Colgate Optic White ComfortFit LED Teeth Whitening Kit was completely hassle-free and we could hardly feel we had gel on our teeth.

The whole process was quick and easier than expected — all you have to do is apply the gel to your teeth and then plug the LED device into your phone (or computer) to power it up, and wear it for 10 minutes. The LED device fits very comfortably thanks to the flexible tray that molds to your mouth. Unlike other trays that are bulky and can even cut your lips, this product didn't make us feel like our lips are being stretched to hold the device in place. It comes with two little rubbers on the guard that you can bite down for a secure fit, while the guard is pressed perfectly against the teeth.

You can easily try this kit while doing your nighttime skincare routine or the morning before an event, but it's recommended to repeat the process for 10 days to achieve the best results. We achieved a color two shades lighter (but it's worth noting that we started off already pretty white). While this product worked well, it only comes with one whitening gel applicator, so we wished the kit included more for additional treatments.

Type of Kit: Whitening gel, LED device | Number of Treatments per Kit: One | Suggested Duration: 10 minutes | Whitening Claims: "Removed 10 years of stains in 3 days" | Active ingredient: Hydrogen peroxide

Byte BrightByte Pro's on-the-go kit lets you whiten your teeth in the car, on a plane, or on a train in just 16 minutes. The process is quick and simple as you'll just apply the gel and the LED device while it's connected to your phone to power it up — so no need to ever charge the device — and then let it work its magic. Plus, this kit comes with a handy travel bag that makes this easy to take with you anywhere.

While the whole process was painless, we did feel that the LED device was a little uncomfortable in our mouths. We felt pressure on our jaw, but that dissipated after a few minutes of wear. However, we're pleased to note that aside from the tray being a bit bulky, this kit didn't cause any sensitivity and our gums and teeth did not feel any pain or irritation. If you do have sensitivity though, you'll be happy to hear that this kit comes with a desensitizing gel that's recommended to apply for 5 minutes and pair it with different settings on the LED device — including a massage mode! — to help soothe the teeth after treatment. As for this kit's results, we noticed a change after the second use and ended up achieving about four shades lighter. FYI, the brand recommends using it for at least three consecutive days.

Type of Kit: Whitening gel, LED device | Number of Treatments per Kit: One | Suggested Duration: 16 minutes for at least 3 days | Whitening Claims: None | Active Ingredient: N/A

These tried-and-true Crest 3DWhitestrips get a whitening boost thanks to the LED light that fast-tracks you to Pearly White Town. In our tests, we noticed that these strips are easy to use and the LED device fit perfectly in our mouths for a fully comfortable experience. We loved that the strips stick well without sliding around or off and they're pretty comfortable to wear.

Here's how the process goes: You'll peel the plastic off the strips and apply the strips to the upper and lower teeth; wear the strips for an hour; and then place the LED light device against the strips for 5 minutes. The light will automatically turn off after 5 minutes, after which you'll remove the strips.

The brand recommends using the entire kit, so you'll apply it every day for 19 consecutive days (and you can use up to two kits per year). We get that this is a bit of a time commitment, but we saw noticeably impressive results after about a week, and we achieved a whopping seven shades lighter after the full treatment course.

Type of Kit: Strips, LED light | Number of Treatments per Kit: One | Suggested Duration: 65 minutes for 19 days | Whitening Claims: "Removes over 10 years of tough, set-in stains." | Active Ingredient: Peroxide

If you want a gentle, seriously effective system that doesn't feel overwhelming to use, get your hands on the Periosciences LED Whitening Kit. While testing, we appreciated that this kit's instructions were extremely simple and streamlined, and we were very impressed by achieving about 16 shades lighter (coming from a frequent coffee drinker). In fact, we found not a single thing about this process complex or annoying.

Just slap on the whitening gel and stick the LED light in your mouth, and wear it for 15 minutes. Even in the instances where we got some of the gel on our gums, it was a cinch to wipe off and never caused irritation. The LED device fit nicely, but it took some maneuvering to get it in there; once in, though, it doesn't pull at the sides. The tray fit snugly against the gums thanks to the silicone inner ring, and our only complaint is that it holds a lot of saliva, so pulling it out can get a little gross. While we didn't feel any initial discomfort, tingling, or burning, after using it for a few days, we noticed some very minor increased sensitivity, so we slowed down to using it three to five times per week and that did the trick. The sensitivity faded with continued use, and the LED light didn't seem to exacerbate it.

We noticed a pretty steep change after just the initial use, which seemed to wash away those surface-level stains that show up after drinking coffee. And after using this for the recommended 10 to 15 days, we achieved a smile that was an impressive 16 shades whiter.

One small inconvenience is that you'll have to add the LED light to your list of devices to charge. You have to remember to charge the light in advance, and the device didn't initially seem to hold a charge very well. The instructions mentioned charging the kit overnight, but we found that it required another round of charging. And while the kit doesn't come with a travel case included, the box it comes with travels well and feels like it's meant to last the lifetime of the product; plus, it looks pretty nice sitting on a bathroom shelf.

Type of Kit: Whitening pens and LED light device | Number of Treatments per Kit: 12 to 15 | Suggested Duration: 15 minutes for 10-15 days | Whitening Claims: None | Active Ingredient: 35% carbamide peroxide

This budget-friendly whitening kit brightens your teeth with 35% carbamide peroxide gel, the same active ingredient concentration as some other, more expensive options on our list, such as the Linhart kit. This Cali White kit comes with a medical-grade silicone mouth tray that you'll use in conjunction with a minty-fresh whitening gel that actually tastes pretty good. We found the whole whitening process to be quick and simple — just add the gel to the tray, put the tray in your mouth, turn on the light and the light will turn off automatically in 10 mins. The automatic timer made the whole process even more seamless, and the product didn't irritate our gums. All we felt was a slight warmth from the LED light, yet zero pain or discomfort.

While the actual silicone mouth trays fit nicely, the LED device was a little too big and we struggled to place the tray into our mouth. After the first whitening session, we noticed a few white spots on our teeth, and by the last (tenth) session, the patchiness disappeared and we achieved a color about four shades lighter. We loved that we had to wear this for just 10 minutes for 10 days to see the full results, while other kits require a much longer wear time (we're looking at you, Crest 3D Whitestrips With LED).

Other things to note: The LED light is battery-operated and doesn't require charging, which could be convenient if you think you'd forget to charge this before using but could also be a pain point if you don't have batteries on hand. Either way, the whitening process was simple, effective, and not one bit time-consuming. And it's a great option for folks who don't want to spend too much to brighten their smile.

Type of Kit: Whitening gel and LED device | Number of Treatments per Kit: One | Suggested Duration: 10 days | Whitening Claims: "Up to 8 shades whiter in 7 days" | Active Ingredient:

Frequently Asked Questions

• Are teeth whitening kits safe?

  Yes, at-home teeth-whitening kits are safe when used as directed. Some people may experience sensitivity in their gums or teeth when using whitening kits — but this is temporary and not a sign of long-term damage, per the Cleveland Clinic. Although a little discomfort is normal when whitening your teeth, you can use fluoride toothpaste or rinse after a treatment to lessen sensitivity, Lee says. Because teeth feel more exposed after bleaching, studies have shown that using fluoride after a whitening treatment helps to minimize sensitivity and strengthen enamel, Lee tells us.

  And although it might be tempting, make sure not to leave the treatment on longer than recommended, as this can lead to sensitivity.
  

• Can you use teeth whitening kits while pregnant?

  No. The American Pregnancy Association states that pregnant people should avoid teeth whitening (and other cosmetic dental procedures) to avoid exposing the developing baby to any potential risks.

• Are at-home whitening kits as effective as the dentist's?

  Whether you choose in-office or at-home treatment, the process to whiten teeth is actually the same. A bleaching agent (such as hydrogen peroxide or carbamide peroxide) is applied to your teeth, and it helps to lift color out of your enamel, which are like the pores of the outermost layer of your teeth, says Pia Lieb, DDS, founder of Cosmetic Dentistry Center NYC.

  Teeth whitening kits are great for brightening external stains—including those from coffee or wine—however, teeth discoloration caused by trauma or disease would need to be addressed by a dentist, says Lee.

  
  Professional teeth whitening achieves a whiter shade in one visit, whereas at-home kits aren't a one-and-done deal: You'll most likely have to use them for a few consecutive days to achieve a whiter smile. That's also why professional teeth whitening costs more than kits do.