We Tested 16 Teeth Whitening Strips, And These Gave Major Shade — In A Good Way (2024)

The Ultimate Guide to Your Brightest, Whitest Teeth

We found the Crest 3DWhitestrips 1-Hour Express Dental Whitening Kit to be the top contender for a number of reasons. For starters, they’re easy to use. The kit says not to brush your teeth prior to use (as it’s supposed to help prevent excess sensitivity), so we simply wiped our teeth dry and applied the strips so that they would adequately stick. The side meant to hug your teeth is slightly textured and gummy, which we found made them adhere easily.

From a comfort stance, these strips fit easily over teeth and stay in place once on. While it’s apparent that you have a film over your teeth, we found the strips to be smooth and comfortable while wearing.

Most importantly, they’re effective and the value can’t be beaten. The kit includes seven to 10 treatments depending on the version you buy. When we cycled through the entire kit, our teeth got six shades whiter—which was a welcome surprise in just a week. Best of all, the results are said to last upwards of six months.

One word to the wise: While the strips are meant to be worn for an hour a day for seven to 10 days, we found that spacing them out (ie: wearing them once every two to three days) made for less sensitivity post-treatment, without taking away from the whitened results.

Duration: 60 minutes︱# of strips included: 7-10 upper and 7-10 lower (depends on the exact kit you purchase)︱Active ingredients: Hydrogen peroxide and sodium hydroxide︱Usage: Daily for seven days; Results last 6+ months

One of the biggest complaints about teeth whitening strips is that they cause sensitivity. The iSmile Teeth Whitening Strips are formulated with this in mind. With mint and coconut oils at the forefront, these strips are not only more pleasant to use, they’re gentler, too.

To see just how well these strips live up to their claims, we tested them on someone who has long-avoided whitening strips due to how sensitive they make their teeth. After wearing the strips for 30 minutes a day for seven days straight, we found that the strips adequately whitened their teeth a full eight shades—all without triggering any pain in the process.

Two things to keep in mind, though. First, these plastic strips (which fold over each row of teeth) are heavily saturated with gel, so they may feel noticeable on teeth. Don’t fret, though. The product won’t leech out onto gums. Secondly, this treatment is meant to be seven days long, but the kit includes enough strips for 11 days of whitening. When we reached out to the brand about this, they confirmed that the four additional sets of strips are meant for touch-ups between full treatments.

Duration: 30 minutes︱# of strips included: 22 upper and 22 lower︱Active ingredients: Hydrogen peroxide︱Usage: Daily for seven days; Results longevity not advertised

If you’re looking for quick, dentist-approved results, we found that the Crest 3DWhitestrips Glamorous White Dental Whitening Kit works well. (It also happens to tout the American Dental Association’s Seal of Acceptance, which means that the product is safe to use, of the utmost quality, and proven effective). The kit comes with strips designed for the upper and lower rows of teeth, and are designed to hug each set securely. Although we didn’t find these strips to be the most comfortable to wear—simply because they trigger excess saliva production which in turn makes them slip from place if you’re not keeping your teeth clenched—we were admittedly impressed by the strips’ whitening effect.

For best results, the kit says to apply the strips one to two times a day for seven consecutive days. In doing so, we found that these strips brightened our teeth two full shades. While that may not seem like much, it was enough for folks around us to take notice. That said, it was also gradual enough to not cause any excess sensitivity.

Duration: 30 minutes︱# of strips included: 14 upper and 14 lower︱Active ingredients: Hydrogen peroxide and sodium hydroxide︱Usage: Daily for seven days; Results last 6+ months

If you’re looking for a teeth-whitening treatment that works well on the go, consider the Moon Oral Care Dissolving Whitening Strips. These fan-favorite teeth whitening strips come in the form of slim rectangles that can be comfortably folded over the top and bottom rows of teeth. The very best part about these strips is that once on, they immediately get to work and start dissolving in the process, so there’s no clean-up at the end of treatment. The only downside, though, is that while dissolving, the strips become a bit slimy, which may be uncomfortable for some (though, never painful or sensitive).

While these teeth whitening strips are particularly easy to use, it’s worth mentioning that the results aren’t long-lasting. Although our teeth looked notably whiter after each use, we found that they re-accumulated yellowing throughout the day, so by the end of the 14-day treatment, our teeth were the same shade that we started with. Because of this, you may want to reserve these dissolving whitening strips for special occasions like dates, parties, weddings, and other big events where you want a burst of brightness for a few hours on end.

Duration: 15 minutes︱# of strips included: 56 universal strips︱Active ingredients: Hydrogen peroxide︱Usage: Daily for two weeks; Results longevity not advertised

If the idea of wearing whitening strips for an hour feels like a prison sentence, allow us to turn your attention to the Crest 3DWhitestrips Bright Dental Whitening Kit, which takes just 30 minutes to process. The kit comes with enough strips for 11 days' worth of whitening.

When we tested these strips, we found that they were easy to apply—but that it’s important to take your time. The strips are designed to be pressed into teeth and folded over the edge. When done with care, these thin strips will stay in place, however, if done hastily, they will slide around and not be as effective.

Knowing this, we took a few extra seconds with each application to ensure they were snugly adhered to our teeth. As a result, after seven days of consecutive use, we noticed that our teeth had shifted a full four shades whiter. And considering we tested these strips on a self-proclaimed coffee addict, that’s saying something!

Duration: 30 minutes︱# of strips included: 11 upper and 11 lower︱Active ingredients: Hydrogen peroxide and sodium hydroxide︱Usage: Daily for 11 days; Results last 6+ months

Not all teeth whitening strips require shelling out $30 or more. The PERSMAX Teeth Whitening Strips are an Amazon top seller, and for good reason. The textured rectangular strips are designed to fit the upper and lower teeth with ease. Said to be safe for enamel and formulated to not trigger sensitivity, we were eager to put them to the test. When we did, we found that these strips grip teeth exceptionally well, without slipping around or edging into the gumline. More remarkably, they offer instant results. When we removed these strips after 30 minutes of processing, our teeth looked a full two shades whiter.

Duration: 30 minutes︱# of strips included: 14 upper and 14 lower︱Active ingredients: Hydrogen peroxide︱Usage: Daily for two weeks; Results last for three to six months

The Rembrandt Deeply White + Peroxide 1 Week Teeth Whitening Kit promises 90 percent whiter teeth in just seven days. Thinking it was too good to be true, we put the top-rated strips to the test. In doing so—by wearing them on our top and bottom teeth for 30 minutes a day for seven days straight—we found that our teeth looked a whopping 14 shades whiter. As if the stunning results weren’t enough to make us lifelong fans, the easy application process certainly is. These strips are a bit larger than the others we’ve tried, but we found that they stick firmly to teeth to deliver stellar whitening results sans any discomfort in the process.

Duration: 30 minutes︱# of strips included: 14 upper and 14 lower︱Active ingredients: Hydrogen peroxide and sodium hydroxide︱Usage: Twice a day for seven days; Results longevity not advertised

Formulated with coconut oil and aloe vera alongside hydrogen peroxide, the Burst Oral Care Teeth Whitening Strips are said to be some of the gentlest on the market. During our testing, we found that the textured adhesive strips were easy to apply and stayed put once stuck on. While they lived up to their gentle claim and even brightened our teeth two shades, we found that the strips didn’t offer the most dramatic results. That said, if your goal is to gradually transform your teeth, these gentle strips might be fully in line with your wants and needs.

Duration: 15 minutes︱# of strips included: 10 upper and 10 lower︱Active ingredients: Hydrogen peroxide︱Usage: Daily for seven days; Results longevity not advertised

Last but not least, we have the Snow The Magic Strips. This kit of teeth whitening strips has earned high praise for its fast-acting brightening abilities and we were glad to see that they actually delivered. While these strips were easy to use and whitened our teeth a full six levels, though, we found that the size was a bit too small for our liking. Even on someone with smaller teeth, these strips have a hard time covering every edge, which means they may not offer the most uniform results on larger teeth.

Duration: 15 minutes︱# of strips included: 28 universal strips︱Active ingredients: Hydrogen peroxide︱Usage: Daily for seven days; Results longevity not advertised

Frequently Asked Questions

• Are whitening strips bad for your teeth?

  Not usually. Many whitening strips are created in conjunction with dentists or are recommended by dentists, so you can have faith in them as long as you use them as intended.

  “When using a whitening strip, try not to let the strip extend beyond the teeth and onto the gums, as the whitening gel can be irritating to your gums,” says Dr. Chrystle Cu, DDS and Co-Founder of Cocofloss. Additionally, she says to only wear the strips for as long as the manufacturer recommends. “And, importantly, pay attention to how your teeth feel afterward,” she adds, noting the sensitivity may develop. “I recommend waiting until tooth sensitivity has resolved fully before whitening again with another set of strips. This can take anywhere from one day to several weeks depending on the product and patient.”

• Are there gentle teeth whitening strips for sensitive mouths?

  “Today some brands come in sensitive formulas, and some are focusing on teeth health in addition to whitening,” Sands says. “We see brands adding sea salts, minerals, essential oils, coconut oil, and aloe vera, as well as different flavors, to make the overall experience of whitening less uncomfortable.”

• Should I brush my teeth before or after using teeth whitening strips?

  It’s best to follow the manufacturer’s exact instructions. If there aren’t any, though, Gonchar says that it’s fine to brush your teeth beforehand. “Brushing prior to using whitening strips will eliminate any surface plaque, food debris, and surface stains on the teeth and allow for deeper penetration of the whitening solution—it also prevents surface plaque from interfering with the whitening process,” she says. “Additionally, most toothpaste contains fluoride which is helpful in preventing tooth sensitivity associated with the use of whitening strips.”

  As far as after, proceed with care. Most whitening strips advise against eating or drinking anything aside from water for 30 minutes post-treatment to ensure the whitening formula has enough time to sink into teeth. That said, you may want to wait to brush until bedtime.