Have you ever wished you could have a whiter smile? As you get older, it's basically impossible to avoid yellow staining on your teeth. Dental procedures to whiten the teeth can be inconvenient and costly.
But what if there were ways to whiten your teeth at home?
The great news is: There are! As long as you understand what risks to watch out for, selecting a home whitening kit shouldn't be difficult. We've taken a look at some of our favorite kits on the market.
Best Home Teeth Whitening Kits Review
#1. Snow Teeth Whitening Kit
The Snow whitening kit is the top whitening kit on the market. In fact, the product is so effective that the manufacturer guarantees results. There are two main kits: an original and a wireless design.
Another advantage of the design is that it's built for individuals with sensitive teeth. If you're worried about how traditional whitening might affect your nerves, this is a great alternative.
The traditional kit comes with 75 total treatments. Around nine out of every ten users notice that their smile is whiter after just a single treatment. That's a huge deal, since each treatment takes just nine minutes a day - much less than the two-hour dental procedures you might have heard of!
The kit can target wine, soda, coffee, and even tobacco stains. It's also safe for use with various dental implants like crowns and veneers.
After you paint your teeth with the serum, you'll wear the LED mouthpiece for nine minutes. The LED lights improve the whitening effects with light therapy.
The wireless kit was revamped in January of 2021. The updated design is simpler to use. Like the traditional kit, it incorporates a whitening serum and LED mouthpiece. The mouthpiece charges when placed in the carrying case.
There is also an automatic sanitization procedure when the mouthpiece is put into the case. A specialized UV light kills bacteria and germs.
The updated wireless design uses two types of LED light therapy. The blue lights whiten teeth, and the red help strengthen your gums. Since the pieces are water-resistant, you can use the device in the shower to save time.
The traditional kit is great for those who want guaranteed teeth whitening at an affordable price. Meanwhile, the wireless kit is ideal for those who want a portable, travel-friendly design. It's a little more expensive, but the extra price is often worth it for those on the go.
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#2. Crest 3D Whitestrips Teeth Whitening Kit
The Crest 3D Whitestrips are one of the best known whitening kits on the market, and for good reason. They're the most affordable option that will still give you excellent DIY results.
You can purchase the strips in your choice of Charcoal Mint or Arctic Mint. Each box comes with 28 white strips, which allows for 14 total treatments. One strip goes on the top teeth, the other strip on the bottom. A flavor serum tube is also included.
The treatment has been shown to be safe and effective. You can easily use the strips, and they only need to be left on for 30 minutes per day.
All you need to do is put on the strips, place a few dots of flavor serum on top, and let the strips sit for a half hour. The flavor serum improves the whitening and creates a blast of fresh air in your mouth.
This treatment isn't quite as effective as professional whitening. But it's much more affordable than a professional-grade kit, and it comes with 25 times the whitening power of a whitening toothpaste. If you're looking for whiter teeth without breaking the bank, this is the model to try.
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#3. Auraglow Teeth Whitening Kit
The Auraglow kit is a deluxe whitening system for use at home. Like many professional-grade kits, it incorporates LED lights into the whitening system. The whitening gel is also designed for those with tooth sensitivity, so it's safe to use on your enamel.
Each treatment takes about 30 minutes. During the session, the white LED lights will activate compounds in the whitening gel to create a more effective experience. Each LED mouthpiece comes with five bulbs. There's also a 10-minute timer that lets you track your sessions.
Thirty minutes for tooth whitening can be a pain if you need to haul around a cord. But the kit connects to a mouth tray, allowing for a hands-free whitening experience. Each kit also comes with batteries, which provide enough charge for anywhere from 24 to 48 hours of prolonged use.
The teeth whitening gel uses a powerful 35 percent solution of carbamide peroxide. This is the same active ingredient typically used by professional dentists. The other ingredients help to protect the surface of the teeth by providing minerals, preventing side effects like pain and sensitivity.
There are also multiple ethical advantages to this kit. It's never tested on animals, vegan-friendly, uses organic ingredients, and doesn't use GMOs. The ingredients are also kosher. No artificial coloration is used. Every product is manufactured in the United States.
The fit tray is built to be comfortable. Unlike hard plastic trays, which require a customized molding, this kit comes with a soft silicone design. That means that the tray will conform to the shape of your mouth no matter what. It's a single piece that attaches to the lights and fits into the mouth to whiten both rows of teeth.
Each kit comes with 20 treatments. You can either use it once per day for 20 days, or twice per day for 10 days. Every treatment lasts a half hour. The kit removes smoking, wine, and coffee stains.
The components in the kit include:
This product provides a somewhat less intensive whitening treatment than the Snow kit. It only comes with 20 treatments as opposed to 75. But this makes it a much more affordable choice for people who are looking for a professional-grade experience instead of white strips.
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#4. Smile Direct Teeth Whitening Kit
Smile Direct is one of the best-known companies when it comes to at-home teeth whitening. They pioneered some of the breakthrough technologies that have made teeth whitening so accessible in today's modern world.
Rather than focusing on LED lights, Smile Direct utilizes bright whitening pens. Each pen comes with the same whitening ingredients used by professional dentists, but it's synthesized at a much lower cost. The design is also built for those with sensitive teeth.
There are still LED lights incorporated into the design. The white light therapy helps to improve and speed the whitening process.
The brush-style application makes it easy to paint your teeth with the gel. You don't have to fumble with strips or oddly-shaped molds. The whitening agent just sits directly on the enamel.
The manufacturer has designed the product for just a week of use. If you need whiter teeth in a short amount of time, this is a great place to turn. You'll go through fourteen treatments, once each morning and once each evening.
At the end of that single week, your teeth will be noticeably whiter. The effect can last for a maximum of six months. Multiple years of stains can be lifted. Some people have had their teeth become nine shades more white in a single week.
The LED technology uses a hands-free tray for convenient operation. It's even compatible with smartphone operating systems like iOS and Android. Unlike cumbersome designs with cords, this kit is extremely portable, making it great for people on the go.
Each tube of gel is infused with a refreshing mint flavor that tastes like you've just brushed your teeth. The LED lights are designed for low battery consumption, so one battery charge can last hours.
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#5. Plus White 5 Minute Teeth Whitening System
The Plus White system is the best choice for people who want the fastest whitening option on the market. Each treatment takes just five minutes.
Plus White has been an industry leader for more than 25 years. They have a range of whitening products at different price points. The five-minute system is the best option because it combines the features of their kits and gels with additional components.
Some of the features include:
All of these combined qualities make it the best system you can get that will whiten teeth in five minutes. If your teeth are extremely stained from smoking, coffee, or wine, you'll have best results if you leave the gel on for about twenty minutes.
Like the best kits on the market, this option uses the same ingredients and components that you'll find in a professional dentist's office. It's also easier to apply the gel if you don't like "painting" your teeth. Simply squeeze a small amount evenly into the tray and then bite down.
You can also purchase a whitening kit or tubes of whitening gel from Plus White. These are the same components found in the system, but they're more inexpensive when bought alone.
The cheapest option is a 0.5 ounce bottle of whitening gel. This gel uses dental-quality ingredients to penetrate the teeth and whiten within five minutes. But there's only enough in the tube for a few treatments.
Another option is a 2 ounce bottle. This is the same gel, but there's four times as much in the package, so it will last four times as long. You'll get significantly more pronounced whitening effects.
The whitening kit comes with both the gel and the full coverage tray. It's only missing the stain guard technology. But if you want maximum whiteness, the stain guard is an important addition that's worth the price.
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Conclusion
You don't have to go to the dentist to get professional-quality whitening treatments. There are multiple proven kits that offer professional results right from home.
Our top overall choice is the Snow whitening system. Each kit comes with 75 total treatments, and the powerful LED technology improves the results. The revamped wireless kit even has specialized red LED lights to protect your gums.
The best choice for speed is the Plus White system. The gel can remove stains within five minutes, and the stain protection keeps your teeth white for longer. With that said, those with heavily stained teeth will need to leave the gel for about 20 minutes.
The Auraglow kit is the most comfortable and affordable LED whitening solution. The silicone mouthpiece conforms to your mouth. Every treatment takes a half hour, though, so it might not be the best for those seeking a quick solution.
If you don't want to invest in a heavy-duty whitening kit, the Crest white strips are a great alternative. They're simple and easy to use. You don't need to paint your teeth or use any complicated technology. All you need to do is put the strips on your teeth and leave them for a half hour.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1. What do LEDs in teeth whitening kits do?
Many DIY teeth whitening kits incorporate LED lights. Why? Because science shows that the bright white light helps to speed the chemical process of the whitening gel. That means that the gel whitens teeth faster than it would without the light.
The faster and more powerfully the gel works, the more stains will be removed. Stain removal is what restores the white appearance of your teeth.
Q2. Do teeth whitening kits work right away?
Some professional tooth whitening kits show results after the first treatment. This especially goes for options with LED lights. The pricier a kit is, the more effective you can expect it to be.
Traditional whitening strips often take longer. It might be up to three weeks before you see a noticeable difference. So if you need fast whitening, an LED kit is the way to go.