Whitening strips are an inexpensive, convenient method to restore the natural color of your teeth in the privacy of your home. Strips don’t require a prescription, and results are nearly as good as professional teeth whitening services.
Most whitening strips are made of a thin, elastic type of plastic called polyethylene. Strips have a coating that includes a whitening ingredient, such as some form, or several forms, of peroxide or bleach at various levels. The whitening ingredient penetrates your tooth enamel without destroying it.
Hydrogen peroxide is the most popular bleaching agent. It’s also the one that most dentists use to perform teeth whitening in their office. Hydrogen peroxide whitens teeth by passing through teeth enamel and oxidizing stain compounds.
Tips For Choosing Teeth Whitening Strips
- Look for a proven whitening ingredient, such as carbamide peroxide or hydrogen peroxide
- Check that the whitening ingredient density is at least 5 percent
- Make sure the manufacturer clearly discloses how often you have to use its strips, how many days you have to consistently apply them and how long the results last
Here’s our top ten best Teeth Whitening Strips
Bright Whitening Teeth Whitening Strips
This mint-flavored product is from the Premium Line by Lovely Smile. It includes 28 strips total: 14 for your lower teeth and 14 for your upper teeth. See results in as little as 14 days, with each treatment lasting one hour.
Engineered with non-slip technology (which is fairly standard), these strips remain anchored to your teeth even when you drink water or talk. The strips are professional strength, and results last up to one year. Hygienic foil packaging ensures sanitary application.
DentaPro 2000 3D Professional Whitening Strips
DentaPro 2000 removes up to 10 years worth of stains, including stains from wine, coffee and smoking. This particular kit includes 28 strips total, with an even number for upper and lower teeth. Treatment sessions of 30 minutes are sufficient to achieve immediate results.
The whitening ingredient is safe for enamel and sensitive teeth. There is no stickiness or mess, so these strips are great for travel or quick, kosher applications, like before a photo shoot. The overall packaging is on the small side and fits snugly into your gym bag or carry-on, so you can whiten whenever you like.
Harmony Life Teeth Whitening Strips
Harmony Life Teeth Whitening Strips contain a minty flavor and 6 percent hydrogen peroxide, which is higher than most. The two-week supply consists of 28 strips total in individually sealed packages for traveling and mess-free application.
Each strip molds to the shape of your teeth and is potent enough to remove teeth stains without adversely affecting your enamel. A bonus shade guide helps you to track your progress toward whiter teeth.
Harmony Life is so sure of its product’s efficacy, the company offers a money back guarantee in the event the product does not work for you.
Crest 3D White Gentle Routine
It’s impossible to compile a list of top teeth whitening strips without including Crest. The company has a plethora of different types of whitening strips for various purposes and concerns, such as this 14-treatment kit specially designed for teeth sensitive to whitening.
Suggested treatments span 30 minutes daily for safe, gradual whitening. Despite that this product is gentle on teeth, its whitening ingredient might still slightly irritate sensitive teeth (according to the manufacturer and customer feedback). Results and reactions vary, although most are positive.
Lumeeno Gentle Teeth Whitening Strips
If you have super sensitive teeth and want to avoid peroxide entirely, give Lumeeno Gentle Teeth Whitening Strips a try. Instead of peroxide, they contain sodium bicarbonate and polysorbate-80. The latter is a surfactant whose whitening properties increase when combined with the former.
Lumeeno offers a two-week supply of whitening strips, with two strips in each sealed aluminum package. An enclosed shade guide enables you to gauge your progress between each treatment and to evaluate your teeth prior to your first treatment and after your final treatment.
You have the option of administering 15-minute or 30-minute treatment sessions without worries about aggravating your teeth or gums.
Advanced Teeth Whitening Strips
Advanced Teeth Whitening Strips by White 360 are your basic, high-peroxide, two-week strips at about $.40 per treatment. Hydrogen peroxide at a concentration of 6 percent and sodium bicarbonate provide the main whitening action.
Like several other kits in the same price point, the 14 lower strips are slightly curved to accommodate the shape of your lower bite. Results are apparent after the first treatment, but White 360 recommends all 14 treatments. You have the option of 15 to 30 minute sessions, but the manufacturer endorses the 30 minute treatment for optimal results.
Bright White Express Strips
Bright White Express Strips by MLMSY are a powerful, inexpensive alternative to Crest, with treatments averaging about $.50 each. Each strip contours precisely to the surface of your teeth, delivery supreme whitening power.
If you’re trying to remove years and years of stains but want to avoid the substantial dollar value attached to national name brand whitening strips, consider Bright White Express Strips.
Past users assert that this product is just as good as Crest for much less. These are great all-around teeth whitening strips if you’re a frugal individual, a student or an entertainer seeking a quick, powerful, economic teeth whitening system.
Crest 3D Whitestrips With Light
This is the only product on this list that combines whitening strips with light. The engineered blue light is handheld, water-resistant and shuts off automatically, signaling the end of your treatment. The light weakens stains beneath your enamel, which dramatically enhances the effects of the whitening strips.
Results last for up to 36 months. This kit is the absolute closest you’ll come to a teeth whitening session at the dentist, which also entails an engineered light to break down the molecular structure of stains beneath your enamel. The kit’s cost is a fraction of what you would spend at the dentist.
Crest itself describes this as its best, fastest whitening technology, and customers rave about how easy this system is to use and how well it works.
Sheer White! Teeth Whitening Strips
Sheer White! Teeth Whitening Strips come in second place primarily for their amount of teeth whitening ingredient, which is a whopping 20 percent of carbamide peroxide. This is serious, professional-quality teeth whitening power available over the counter at less than $3 per treatment.
The entire regimen includes 10 strips for a five-day regiment: five strips each for the lower and upper teeth. The strips fit and adhere to teeth exquisitely and whiten your teeth at a faster rate than strips with lower amounts of peroxide.
Dental hygienists endorse Sheer White! Teeth Whitening Strips as a basic, highly-effective teeth whitening system for both first-timers and seasoned users who want a quick, powerful regimen that spans less than a week.
Crest Whitestrips Supreme Professional Whitening
Crest Supreme Professional Whitening is aptly named, boasting peroxide levels of 14 percent. This box packs 84 strips into 42 sealed pouches that can go anywhere with you: the gym, vacation or a business trip.
Owing to this product’s high peroxide level, you can use fewer strips and treatments to obtain your desired results. Whitestrips remove stains from coffee, tea, food, tobacco and even age. Results are visible after your first treatment, and marked differences manifest in less than two weeks.
Note: this product is extremely powerful. A disclaimer on the box identifies this as a formula as strong as dentist might use in-office. This is not recommended for sensitive teeth at all, and even experienced users should proceed carefully. There is the risk of whitening your fingertips after handling these strips, but the whiteness passes.
The quantity of strips at this price point breaks down to less than $1.50 per treatment, which is a ridiculous steal. Crest’s reputation and the obvious efficacy of this product justify its first place status. Definitely worth a try.
Teeth whitening strips are an easy, quick, semi-DIY method for reversing years of teeth stains. Some strips utilize a form of peroxide or non-irritating alternatives, such as polysorbate-80. Higher percentages of peroxide whiten your teeth more quickly and are especially useful for general whitening or touch-ups in the days leading up to milestone events, such as weddings, performances or photo shoots.