Dreaming of pearly white teeth? At-home teeth whitening kits have made this dream come true using advanced DIY teeth whitening products. With today’s increasingly hectic life and pricy tags of in-office whitening treatments, at-home teeth whitening products will brighten and whiten in the comfort of your home. Although these OTC products are mostly peroxide-based, the low percentage of active whitening agents such as hydrogen peroxide will not be a tooth sensitivity issue.
Most people who want an instant result to erase the much stubborn stains off of their teeth may go for a professional in-office teeth whitening under dentists’ supervision.
However, some people may want an affordable, teeth cleaning product that can at least equal those solutions made in dental clinics. Over-the-counter teeth whitening products are the closest to go for. At-home teeth whitening products are made using the same formula for hydrogen peroxide or carbamide peroxide. These are common bleaching ingredients, but with lesser concentration for home use to avoid sensitivity and irritations in your teeth.
What is the cause of tooth discoloration?
Teeth discolor and most of us experience that in various levels. We may enjoy our morning coffee or tea or we may quench our thirst with soda in hot summers. But we don’t want to be distracted by what can happen to teeth in our peace and quiet.
In fact, anything we eat or drink can potentially leave stains on our teeth and cause decay if teeth are not cleaned regularly. Smoking, drinking red wine or soft drinks like soda, eating high-acidic fruits, and even berries or sauces can stain teeth.
The biggest culprit lurking around on the surface of your teeth is dental plaque, where colonies of bacteria feed on the remaining foods and produce acids. Then, the acid erodes the enamel (the outer layer of your teeth). The plaque turns into tartar and hardens, making it difficult to remove. However, if you maintain your oral health through brushing your teeth, plaque can be removed and chances of tooth decay and stained teeth is reduced.
How to choose the best at-home teeth whitening kits?
At-home teeth whitening have come a long way to offer noticeable results for pearly whites. People may go chemical-free and select botanical completely natural forms of tooth whitening. The downside is the whitening cannot have visible results and is slow. Therefore, at-home teeth whitening products, which are based on hydrogen peroxide and carbamide peroxide formula, come into play.
Dentists have incorporated the peroxide-based bleaches to get rid of yellow teeth in a number of programmed sessions with mostly stronger formula. The advantage of at-home teeth whiteners are diverse forms and lower percentage of peroxide concentrations.
The common at-home teeth whitening options are:
Teeth whitening strips
Whitening strips are one of the highly effective OTC whitening products to brighten teeth. The kit includes the whitening gel on plastic strips for both lower and upper teeth to fit on your teeth. The whitening strips can accompany LED light kit, which you place against the strips.
Depending on kit, each application can take 30 minutes to two hours for a single use. This way of application can be repeated for a period of 2-3 weeks. The packaging information will provide how to use the strips. You will see the results even in the first sessions since the strips can expose your teeth for longer times to the whitening agents.
Teeth whitening pens
Teeth whitening pens have become a user-friendly and no-mess product available in the market. The pen contains the whitening gel which you brush on the surface of your teeth. Some whitening pens are meant to stay overnight on your teeth, whereas others can be rinsed off after just a while or let it be washed off by your saliva.
Teeth whitening LED kit with tray
Some whitening kits offer LED device to speed up whitening effects and activate the whitening gel. The LED device helps to break apart the thickened gel to expand and fit the bleaching gel well on all parts of teeth. There are popular whitening kits that the LED device is attached to a mouthpiece of the tray, making it easier to work with. The whitening strips can also have an LED kit, which you hold on the light against the strips after application.
Whitening toothpastes
What whitening toothpastes specifically do is to get rid of tooth stain through abrasive ingredients. One common mild abrasive is hydrated silica. Toothpastes also contain other ingredients such as sodium bicarbonate and calcium carbonate.
Therefore, toothpastes can mechanically remove plaque build-ups and stains from our teeth, but this is not enough for faster whitening treatments. For maximum stain removal process to happen, a low amount of hydrogen peroxide is added to whitening toothpastes. This way, the peroxide with its oxidizing mechanism removes stain in an aid to deliver a bleaching effect.
Are at-home teeth whitening kits safe?
Yes, as long as you keep up with the recommended use and avoid overusing in the long run. The hydrogen peroxide gels whiten teeth with oxidation process and does not harm enamel. Generally, tooth sensitivity can occur in mild forms. But with less amount of peroxide (hydrogen and carbamide) and less abrasive ingredients, the sensitivity issue is reduced or even eliminated.
Another potential problem can be gum irritation. This happens when the gel has contacts with gums. Thus, with the careful application of the strips or using trays, you will not experience any irritation. Whitening kits provide trays to prevent leakage to gums and soft tissues.
Remember:
Do not overuse any teeth whitening product. If you feel severe sensitivity that doesn’t go away after weeks, you may have an existing teeth condition, which requires dental visit.
To find the most effective at-home teeth whitening products on the market, we asked dentists, experts and researchers for a more optimized and dentist-approved suggestion. We checked hundreds of online reviewers considering the pros and cons in terms of teeth sensitivity, irritations, buying factors or the budget levels. This top-rated list is gathered after taking all the factors into consideration.
Read on to see the high-quality professional teeth whitening kits that can satisfy your needs for brighter and whiter smile.
Now it is time to find out the best at-home teeth whitening kits:
1. Snow Teeth Whitening
Best Overall Teeth Whitening Kit
With 4.4 stars out of 5 in amazon and many hundreds of other positive customer reviews online, Snow® teeth whitening kit is truly a high-rated at-home teeth whitening product.
It comes with whitening gel in pens or serums formats to apply on your teeth and an LED mouthpiece tray. The kit is complete and offers around 75 treatments in one package. The whitening effect is visible in 21 days with daily usage. According to what Snow® teeth whitening kit claims, the kit is made with the concept that no teeth sensitivity is caused while brighter and whiter teeth are achieved in a short span of time.
Cost: $149
2. Glo Science Brilliant Teeth Whitening Kit
Best LED Kit For Sensitive Teeth
Made by professional NYC cosmetic dentists, the Glo Brilliant has all that you need in a whitening kit. Glo Brilliant is an ultra-modern teeth whitening kit that has combined LED light and heat technology to gently activate the whitening gel, which whitens teeth without sensitivity. The hydrogen peroxide-based bleaching gel in Glo Brilliant has been specially formulated to offer a sensitivity-free experience.
Designed with GLO (Guided Light Optics) technology, the LED mouthpiece works much faster and gentler to achieve a professional whitening process. Each application takes 8 minutes and the built-in timer makes it easy to follow your treatment by recommended time. For maximum brighter and whiter teeth, you can try 4 in-a-row 8-minute application each day for a period of 5 days, according to the company.
As an added bonus, this high-end at-home device is FDA-registered, which shows it is clinically proven and is a safe bet. No surprise that the Glo Brilliant is a pro-style kit built for home use while trusted by dentists and having the same features used in dental offices.
Cost: $199
3. AuraGlow Teeth Whitening Kit with LED Light
Best LED Kit
AuraGlow® has combined a powerful LED kit and dental-grade clinically proven whitening gel in an all-in-one package. The whitening gel is backed by 35 percent carbamide peroxide and a combination of other ingredients such as xylitol to whiten up your teeth comfortably.
Also, the kit comes with a compact LED light on a tray to wear easily on your teeth and carbamide peroxide gel tubes. Use the device for 30 minutes daily to eliminate stains and bring about white-looking teeth. For a glowing smile and the best visible whitening effects, you can keep up with this daily usage for 7-14 days, as AuraGlow recommends.
Cost: $48
4. Crest 3D White Professional Effects Whitestrips
Best Whitening Strips
When it comes to teeth whitening strips, Crest 3D whitestrips® are the top over-the-counter kit options for home use. This highly popular teeth whitening strip is introduced to offer high levels of whitening effects using active bleaching agents such as hydrogen peroxide. You want faster results? Crest 3D Whitestrips will remove stains for you and brighten teeth ASAP. Faster-acting features may mean mild sensitivity in teeth that disappears normally. The strips provide no difficulty in usage, so no extra work is required. Just peel and apply and you should see significant results.
Cost: $ 45
5. Crest 3Dwhitestrips Original Teeth Whitening Kit with LED Light
Best Whitening Strips With LED
If you are looking for a safe and effective at-home teeth whitening treatment, let’s remain with one of the dentist-recommended options of Crest®. The Crest 3DWhitestrips Original Teeth Whitening Kit has an American Dental Association (ADA) Seal of Acceptance, which ensures a safer and much effective teeth whitening process to take place when properly used.
The package provides 14 treatments, and you apply the whitening strips on your teeth for 30 minutes daily. The kit comes with an LED light to activate the gel on strips, which you hold against the strips for 5 minutes.
Make your day with brighter and whiter teeth since this new version of Crest® 3D whitening strips does make a big difference.
Cost: $70
6. Colgate Optic White Advanced Whitening Toothpaste
Best Whitening Toothpaste
Colgate Optic White Advanced® whitening toothpaste is formulated with 2 percent hydrogen peroxide to effectively whiten your teeth. The hydrogen peroxide-based formula meets dentist-recommended standard.
It is a vegan and gluten-free toothpaste and it has the benefit of protecting teeth against cavities using its fluoride ingredient.
Cost: $ (check the price on amazon)
7. Colgate Optic White ComfortFit LED Teeth Whitening Kit
Best all-in-one whitening kit
If you are determined to use Colgate brand but you might want a more complete at-home option, you can use Colgate Optic White ComfortFit LED teeth whitening kit. It has promoted teeth whitening with an LED whitening device to faster activate the stain-removing hydrogen peroxide gel.
It is designed to whiten teeth without sensitivity. The process is simple. First, apply a thin layer of the whitening pen to each tooth. Wait 10-15 seconds for the serum to dry. Finally, plug the LED tray device into your phone, turn it on, and place it in your mouth. The device will let you know that you are done after ten minutes.
If want a significant whitening boost, follow the daily 10-minute treatment time for 10 days. This is according to what Colgate instructs for experiencing a highly visible brighter smile.
Cost: $50
8. SmileDirectClub’s bright on™ Premium Teeth Whitening Kit
Best Budget-Friendly Kit
SmileDirectClub’s company not only produces whitening kits but it is also known for other oral care products such as orthodontic aligners.
The SmileDirectClub’s Premium teeth whitening kit is unique and large for longer treatment sessions. The package has 8 whitening pens and a patented 20-LED light to faster achieve whitening results. After using the kit for 5 minutes twice daily in 1 week, you should see big difference coming on your smile.
In addition, the kit offers a Touch-up Whitening Pen, which boosts your on-the-go brighter teeth experience while traveling or away from home.
Cost: $40
9.AuraGlow Teeth Whitening Pen
Best Whitening Pen
AuraGlow’ whitening pen can’t be skipped if you are opting for whitening pens. The AuraGlow teeth whitening pen provides effective whitening results while offering a more portable and lighter kit. The sleek pen is powered by 35 percent carbamide peroxide whitening gel to deeply erase stained spots on the surface of your teeth. It is easy to use. You just need to glide the brush pen on teeth surface once or twice daily. AuraGlows’ whitening pen presents a much comfortable at-home treatment that is widely picked up as an on-the-go kit.
Cost: $22
10. Zimba Teeth Whitening Strip
Best Taste Whitening Strips
If you are looking for a sensitivity-free teeth whitening product with the best tastes in the market, consider Zimba teeth whitening strips. In fact, the enamel-safe and tasty whitening strips by Zimba have caught many eyes with different flavors.
This whitening strip is made with a gentler formula of hydrogen peroxide. Therefore, it can be considered as an option for those people who have been experiencing sensitivity issues previously with other brands.
The package comes with 28 strips for both upper and lower teeth, enough for 14 treatments. It is extremely easy to use and very affordable. Peel and apply the strips on your teeth and leave them on for 30 minutes before rinsing your mouth. Take advantage of the smooth flavoring ingredients while making your teeth brighter and whiter.
Cost: $24
