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Brushing at least twice a day is critical to your health and hygiene, but if you really want your smile to sparkle, you may want to grab a pack of teeth-whitening strips.

While there's no shortage of teeth-whitening products available over the counter, I have sensitive gums, so for me, a good teeth-whitening product is one that's effective but doesn't sear my gum tissue. I know not everyone has tooth sensitivity; to help you find the best ones for your teeth, I've rounded up the best whitening strips on the market right now below. 

A note before you get started: Wanting a brighter smile is valid, but maintaining healthy teeth is important. It's a good idea to consult with your dentist before you try any at-home whitening kit. This may be especially important if your dentist has told you in the past that you have some enamel erosion (enamel is the protective layer on your teeth), or if you know you need dental work, like a cavity filled. Also, whitening strips won't work on existing dental work like veneers, filings, crowns or caps.

What are the best teeth-whitening strips?

Crest 3D Whitestrips are our pick as the best overall teeth-whitening strips, because our tests determined that they had the best results with the most effective active ingredients. If you have stains from years and years of tea, coffee and wine, Crest 3D Whitestrips can effectively whiten your teeth by as much as 23 levels.  

Best teeth-whitening strips of 2024

$46 at Amazon $46 at Walmart $46 at Amazon

Best overall whitening strips

Crest 3D Whitestrips Professional Effects

$46 at Amazon $46 at Walmart

Crest 3D Whitestrips are truly a classic. They're easy to find and easy to use, and I've used them many times in the past. Each Crest 3D Whitestrips Professional Effects box contains 48 strips for 24 treatments. Wear one strip a day for 30 minutes, and Crest claims that you can remove up to 14 years of stains by the end of your last treatment.  

One thing to keep in mind is the coverage is a little less than other brands on this list (such as the Rembrandt strips). I found that the cover was OK, I just wished the strips would reach over my canines more. Despite that, Crest 3D is still my No. 1 on this list, because time and time again they're effective.  

• Price: $$
• Number of pieces: 48
• Active ingredient: Hydrogen peroxide
• Cruelty-free: No
• Results in: About 24 days
• Level of whitening: About 23

Pros:

• Up to 23 levels whiter teeth in about 24 days
• Remove up to 14 years of stains
• Active ingredient is hydrogen peroxide

Cons:

• You might find the coverage to be less than you want
• Most expensive on this list

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$40 at Amazon $40 at Amazon

Best dissolving whitening strips

Moon Dissolving Whitening Strips

$40 at Amazon

If you don’t like the feeling of whitening strips sitting on your teeth for up to 30 minutes, you can try dissolving strips, instead. Moon Dissolving Whitening Strips are applied just like any other strips, but after 15 minutes, they completely dissolve. There’s no unnecessary waste nor mess and no need to rinse. The strips are also peppermint flavored.

Moon states that in two weeks or less, you can whiten your teeth up to seven shades lighter. In addition to being vegan and cruelty-free, these dissolving whitening strips are free from SLS/SLES (which can irritate skin), triclosan, parabens and artificial flavors. 

• Price: $$
• Number of pieces: 56
• Active ingredient: Hydrogen peroxide
• Cruelty-free: Yes
• Results in: 14 days or less
• Level of whitening: Up to 7 shades

Pros:

• Dissolves within 15 minutes 
• Vegan and cruelty-free
• A refreshing mint flavor 

Cons:

• On the expensive side
• Must avoid eating and drinking for 30 minutes after application

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$45 at Amazon $45 at Amazon

Best whitening strips for sensitive teeth

Lumineux Oral Essentials Whitening Strips

$45 at Amazon

Anyone who has sensitive teeth should check out Lumineux Oral Essentials. Lumineux products don't include hydrogen peroxide and instead use a combination of dead sea salt, essential oils, coconut oil and aloe vera. The fit and coverage were great, although they did slip around a bit. Lumineux products are also cruelty-free.  

I tested these for three consecutive days, so I can't speak to the long-term efficacy compared with other brands, but Lumineux did conduct a clinical trial that concluded Crest 3D Whitestrips were no more effective than Lumineux natural whitening strips. (The study was funded in part by Lumineux, so keep that in mind.) Still, I think they're worth a shot for people with sensitive teeth and gums.

• Price: $$
• Number of pieces: 42
• Active ingredient: Coconut oil
• Cruelty-free: Yes
• Results in: 3 weeks or less
• Level of whitening: Up to 14 shades

Pros:

• Natural alternative -- coconut oil is the active ingredient 
• Contains 21 treatments in one box
• Up to 14 shades lighter in a maximum of three weeks

Cons:

• On the pricey side
• May slip around

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$20 at Amazon $31 at Walmart $20 at Amazon

Best affordable whitening strips

Zimba Teeth Whitening Strips

$20 at Amazon $31 at Walmart

Zimba whitening strips are both affordable and effective at lightening the shade of your teeth. One pack comes with 28 strips for results in 14 days or less. Wear one strip for 30 minutes a day. 

This cruelty-free brand has found a way to combat one of the negatives of whitening strips -- the strong, bitter taste. Zimba offers 10 different flavors to choose from, like watermelon or spearmint. On top of that, the strips have a nonslip design that grip the teeth during each treatment.   

• Price: $
• Number of pieces: 28
• Active ingredient: Hydrogen peroxide
• Cruelty-free: Yes
• Results in: 14 days or less
• Level of whitening: Not listed

Pros:

• 10 flavors to choose from including mint, coconut, strawberry and wintergreen
• Nonslip design 
• Results in two weeks or less

Cons:

• The brand doesn’t say how many levels of whitening is possible 
• May not be suitable for sensitive teeth

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How we chose teeth-whitening strips

I began this list of whitening strips with products that could potentially make it into this roundup, looking at things like brand reputation, buyer reviews on Amazon and full reviews by other writers. After narrowing the lengthy list of teeth-whitening strips, I started testing.

Because it would be impossible to test the long-term efficacy of all of these whitening strips without annihilating my enamel and gum tissue (or working on this project for literal years, because I wouldn't be able to adequately judge how much whiter each of them made my teeth by using them back to back), I judged each product against a few criteria that I think will help you make a buying decision. 

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Factors to consider when choosing teeth-whitening strips

Before buying your next box of teeth-whitening strips, consider these factors.

Fit

You want your strips to fully cover your teeth and not go up over your gums -- that can cause gum sensitivity. Additionally, their fit should be snug. While you go about your day, waiting for it to be time to take the strips off, they should not slip and slide around your mouth. 

Coverage

While whitening your molars is not necessary (since you hardly see them anyway), your whitening strips should still cover a good percentage of your teeth. After you apply the strip, smile and look in the mirror. Is the strip touching all of the teeth you can see in your normal smile? If not, time to try another brand. 

Ease of use

Whitening strips should be simple. Apply the product, wait a specified amount of time and take them off. If the teeth-whitening strips require other steps or seem difficult to use, try another brand. 

Sensations 

If you have sensitive teeth or gums, look for products that will give you the least amount of sensitivity. Oftentimes, hydrogen peroxide is too strong for sensitive teeth, so try coconut oil, instead. Don’t suffer through a product if it burns your gums or hurts your teeth.  

Length of wear

Most strips require at least 30 minutes of wear in order to get the best results. If you have sensitive teeth or not enough time for whitening strips, look for products that don’t require much wear.   

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Best teeth-whitening strip FAQs

Are teeth-whitening strips OK for your teeth?

If you have healthy teeth and good oral health, using a reputable whitening kit should be fine when used as directed. However, whitening products are only meant to be used occasionally and in moderation, and it's always a better idea to speak with your dentist first about finding the best option for you. Additionally, steer clear of whitening strips that contain chlorine dioxide.

People who need dental work or have tooth pain should consult with their dentist to find out if teeth whitening is right for them.

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Do whitening strips work on really yellow teeth?

Over-the-counter whitening products may not be powerful enough for very stained teeth. If you're looking for exceptional results for yellow teeth, consult your dentist. 

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What are the negatives of teeth-whitening strips?

The negatives of teeth-whitening strips include possible tooth and gum sensitivity. If you use whitening strips too often, it can damage your enamel, and some of the results might not be the exact shade you imagine.

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Best in Class

The Strategist’s carefully chosen and rigorously vetted flagship shopping guides. Learn about our methodology here, and find all our Best in Class guides here.

Photo: Marcus McDonald

As the Strategist’s dental-hygiene expert, I’m constantly trying the latest oral-health products, from toothpaste to tongue scrapers. Teeth-whitening treatments are relatively new to my own routine, and I’ve noticed that with consistent use, they help me keep that just-left-the-dentist-clean look (especially a month or two after a cleaning). If you’re considering dipping into at-home teeth whiteners, the first thing to do is figure out what kinds of stains you’re dealing with. In some cases, deep stains can’t be removed through whitening. But at-home teeth whiteners can make a real difference against common culprits like staining caused by coffee, tea, red wine, soy sauce, or anything else that can stain a white T-shirt. And generally, if you’re getting in-office cleanings twice a year and the occasional whitening treatment, at-home whiteners can be very helpful for maintaining your pearly whites.

Next, you’ll want to consider what method you’ll be most consistent with, from simply switching to a whitening toothpaste to using more time-consuming gel trays and strips. To find the best teeth whiteners out there, I spoke to nine dentists about the proper active ingredients and what to avoid (more on that below) and asked which teeth whiteners they would recommend to their patients. Then, I started to try some of the teeth whiteners myself. As of right now, I’ve mainly tested for ease of use, but I’ll be sure to update this article once I’ve had more time to use each product. Read on for what dentists told me are the most effective ingredients to look for, or use the table of contents to skip right ahead to the type of teeth whitener you’re interested in. And, if you’re looking for more oral-health recommendations, we’ve got you covered on the best electric toothbrushes and water flossers too.

What

we’re

looking

for

Active ingredient

According to the American Dental Association (ADA) and the nine dentists we spoke to, either hydrogen peroxide or ​carbamide peroxide is what you should look for in whitening products. “If it doesn’t have that ingredient, it’s not going to be whitening your teeth,” says Dr. Ben Winters, a.k.a “the Bentist.” The ADA website says, “The bleaching action in chemically induced whitening is due primarily to the effects of carbamide peroxide, which releases about one-third of its content as hydrogen peroxide, a strong oxidizing agent.”

Obviously there are other whitening agents and alternative ingredients out there, but experts say it’s best to avoid trendy, gimmicky products like LED whitening lights or charcoal, which might actually end up causing harm. “Charcoal is like brushing with sandpaper — it will take off the stain, but in the long term, your teeth get yellower over time because you’re removing an enamel layer,” Winters says. Hydrogen and carbamide peroxides are the gold standard of at-home teeth whitening. If you’re looking to go a chemical-free route, coconut oil won’t cause any sensitivity, according to Dr. Sharon Huang, the founder of Les Belles NYC. It also fights plaque and gingivitis, but the downside is that it is slower and less effective than hydrogen and carbamide peroxide.

Method

While looking for peroxide is a good start, it can come in many different forms. You’ve got whitening gels, strips, toothpastes, and more to choose from. The ADA has only given its seal of acceptance to toothpastes and whitening strips, but Dr. Chris Salierno, chief dental officer at Tend, told me in an email that hydrogen peroxide or ​carbamide peroxide are “most effective in a gel form that is held against your teeth (think whitening strips, gel in trays, etc.).” Each method will have a different percentage of the active ingredient in it. There’s typically a higher percentage of hydrogen peroxide in a whitening gel or strip than there will be in toothpaste, but the best option for you will be something that fits with your lifestyle.

Ease of use

Which brings me to ease of use. You won’t see results with any of the below products unless you use them with some consistency and as instructed. If you don’t think you’ll take the time to add an extra step into your oral-hygiene routine — like wearing whitening strips for about 30 minutes daily for two weeks straight — maybe the better option for you is to just replace something already in your routine, like your toothpaste, with a whitening version. Whitening products in general can be messy, which can also be a deterrent. Having to fill trays with gel or dealing with strips that slip off can be frustrating, so below we’ve only included extra-grippy strips and foolproof methods of at-home whitening.

Best teeth-whitening kit overall

Opalescence Go 15 Percent Kit

$84

The company is the world’s best pap whitening strips OEM supplier. We are your one-stop shop for all needs. Our staff are highly-specialized and will help you find the product you need.

$84

Active ingredient: 15 percent hydrogen peroxide | Method: Gel trays | Ease of use: Easy

Gels are one of the most effective forms of at-home whitening. It’s a similar experience to an in-office or prescription-strength whitening session, which typically involves a high percentage of hydrogen peroxide and a custom-fit bleaching tray. In those cases, you’re usually given a syringe of whitening gel that you can pump into the tray, but this Opalescence Go kit has trays that are pre-loaded with gel to streamline the process even more. When I tested the trays for myself, the process was mess-free and fast. The trays aren’t custom fit, but they’re labeled U for upper and L for lower. I placed them in my mouth, bit down for a couple of seconds, and took off the green outer trays. The application itself took about a minute, if that, and I could carry on doing stuff around my apartment while I waited for the recommended 15 minutes to pass. Afterward, I simply brushed my teeth to remove any leftover gel.

The trays can be used for up to an hour and come with varying concentrations of hydrogen peroxide — 10 percent, 15 percent, 20 percent, and 35 percent — which you can purchase based on your desired results and tooth sensitivity. As for how effective they are, cosmetic dentist Dr. Edward A. Alvarez and Winters both recommend this kit to their patients as a more affordable alternative to custom bleaching trays. One thing to note: Unlike custom-made bleaching trays that you can use indefinitely, Opalescence Go trays are disposable, so you’ll have to buy a new kit once you run out of trays. If you already wear a retainer, though, Winter suggests using it to create a DIY whitening tray every now and then by using just the Opalescence syringe-gel refills: “Put a little stream of whitening gel into the retainer and wear it at night.”

$84

at Amazon

Buy

$84

at Amazon

Buy

Best brush-on teeth-whitening gel

Bite Whitening Gel

$24

Active ingredient: 36 percent carbamide peroxide | Method: Gel | Ease of use: Messy

Bite’s whitening gel cuts out the need for the tray, as you can brush the gel directly on to your teeth. Compared to the Opalescence Go Kit, this one is a little messier and labor-intensive to use. I followed the instructions by drying my teeth with a washcloth, dipping the tiny brush into the gel, and painting each tooth. (A small amount of the gel dripped onto my bathroom counter in the process, but it wasn’t a significant amount.) Once the gel was applied, I set a timer on my phone, held a smile for two minutes while the gel bubbled up on my teeth, and spit out the excess formula. The entire process took about five minutes, but I was hovering over my sink the entire time. Per the instructions, I also didn’t eat or drink anything for half an hour after the application. This option, while somewhat messy, is plastic-free and offers a similar-strength formula to the Opalescence Go kit. It contains 36 percent carbamide peroxide, which is the equivalent of approximately 12.6 percent hydrogen peroxide. It has aloe vera in it, too, which Dr. Huang says is soothing to teeth.

$24

at Bite

Buy

Best teeth-whitening pen

Auraglow Teeth Whitening Pen

$20

$20

Active ingredient: 35 percent carbamide peroxide | Method: Gel pen | Ease of use: Easy

If you want a paint-it-on option that’s a bit easier to manage than Bite’s kit, a whitening pen might be your best bet. Auraglow’s whitening gel dispenses with the click of a button on the bottom of the pen, so you don’t have to dip a brush repeatedly. The rest of the process is similar to Bite’s application: You apply a thin layer of gel to your teeth and hold a wide smile for one minute. The time difference compared to Bite’s two-minute recommendation was much less strenuous for me. There also weren’t any instructions to refrain from food and drink for 30 minutes afterward. It contains 35 percent carbamide peroxide — just one percent less than Bite’s formula — which is enough to be effective in between in-office whitening treatments, says Dr. Richard Lipari of NY Great Smiles. Note, though, that this method isn’t plastic-free and the formula doesn’t contain aloe vera like Bite’s does.

$20

at Amazon

Buy

$20

at Walmart

Buy

Best teeth-whitening strips

Crest 3D Whitestrips Professional Effects Whitening Strips

$46

$46

Active ingredient: Hydrogen Peroxide | Method: Strips | Ease of use: Easy

Crest’s 3D Whitening Strips are probably the most recognizable teeth whitening method on this list, and with good reason. The brand stands out as the No. 1 recommendation in this category, with dentists telling me their patients get good results within a week or two of using the strips every day. Plus, unlike the other methods mentioned so far, they have the ADA seal of acceptance, meaning they’ve been evaluated for their safety and efficacy. Crest uses hydrogen peroxide as the whitening agent in its strips, but according to a public-relations representative for the brand, it does not disclose ingredient percentages, which is proprietary information. However, a 2004 study did indicate that the Crest Professional Whitestrips have a 6.5 percent level of hydrogen peroxide.

I found the strips slightly easier to use than the trays and the brush-on options above, since I simply had to peel them off of the plastic backing, press them onto my teeth, and wait the recommended 30 minutes. They do take longer than the other methods, but I was able to carry on with my workday without any issues. And while whitening strips sometimes get a bad rap for not being super-adhesive, I found that these gripped my teeth and didn’t slide around. I also appreciated that they were thin enough for me to talk while wearing them, unlike Opalescence’s somewhat bulky trays.

$46

at Amazon

Buy

$46

at Amazon

Buy

Best all-natural teeth-whitening strips

Lumineux Teeth-Whitening Strips

$23

$23

Active ingredient: Coconut oil | Method: Strips | Ease of use: Easy

If you want a completely chemical-free whitening experience, Lumineux’s whitening strips use coconut oil as its active ingredient instead of hydrogen peroxide or carbamide peroxide. These strips also come recommended by Huang, who notes that they shouldn’t cause any irritation for the most sensitive teeth. The brand recommends wearing the strips for 30 minutes daily (similar to Crest’s strips) for seven days consecutively for best results.

$23

at Amazon

Buy

$23

at Amazon

Buy

Best teeth whitening foam

BrightByte Whitening Foam

$30

$30

Active ingredient: 6 percent carbamide peroxide | Method: Foam | Ease of use: Easy

If you wear an aligner, retainer, or night guard, cosmetic dentist Dr. Jon Marashi and Dr. Huang both say BrightByte’s teeth-whitening foam is gentle enough for daily use and effective. There’s a low likelihood that this will cause sensitivity since the formula has such a low carbamide peroxide percentage, according to Huang. This isn’t as effective as whitening strips, so you may not see a jump in shades, but it’s a good choice if you’re in between whitening sessions and want to prevent staining. Another plus is that it works as a retainer cleanser and breath freshener.

$30

at Byte

Buy

Best teeth-whitening toothpaste

Colgate Optic White Toothpaste

$13 for 3

Active ingredient: 2 percent hydrogen peroxide | Method: Toothpaste | Ease of use: Easy

Switching to a whitening toothpaste is by far the easiest method on this list. The downside is that whitening toothpastes contain lower percentages of hydrogen peroxide, if they contain any at all, so you might not see results when used alone. That’s why Dr. Mandy Kouroshnia of New York’s Cityzen Dental typically recommends using one in conjunction with other whitening solutions. Alvarez recommends this Colgate toothpaste in particular because it’s one of the few that actually uses a chemical whitener — it contains 2 percent hydrogen peroxide — where others rely on physical tooth polishers like silica or calcium carbonate, which can dull the surface of the enamel over time. Though it has a smaller concentration of hydrogen peroxide than other tooth whiteners on this list, it will still work to actually whiten or bleach your tooth enamel, resulting in a true color change. Dr. Elisa Mello of NYC Smile notes that it’s best used once a week instead of replacing regular toothpaste to avoid causing sensitivity.

$13 for 3

at Amazon

Buy

$15 for 3

at Target

Buy

Best teeth-whitening toothpaste for sensitive teeth

Arm & Hammer Advance White Baking Soda and Peroxide Toothpaste

$6 for 4

$7

now 14% off

$6 for 4

Active ingredient: Hydrogen peroxide | Method: Toothpaste | Ease of use: Easy

If you’re looking for a whitening toothpaste you can use daily without as much risk of causing sensitivity, Mello recommends Arm & Hammer’s Advance White Toothpaste. It ranks much lower than the Colgate Optic White toothpaste on the toothpaste-abrasiveness scale, which can help more in the long run with both teeth sensitivity and the likelihood of future staining. “The problem with whitening toothpastes is that they’re very abrasive, and while being abrasive can remove superficial stains on the surface of your teeth, it also can remove enamel or scratch your teeth,” says Mello. “In the short term, you’re seeing a great result, but in the long term, you may have a scratch on the surface that’s easier to stain, and that’s a problem.”

$6 for 4

at Amazon

Buy

$6 for 4

at Amazon

Buy

Best natural teeth-whitening toothpaste

Our experts

• Dr. Edward A. Alvarez, NYC cosmetic dentist
• Dr. Ben El Chami, co-founder and chief dental officer at Dntl Bar
• Dr. Inna Chern, dentist at New York General Dentistry
• Dr. Sharon Huang, founder of Les Belles NYC
• Dr. Marie Jackson, founder of Stellar Smile Center
• Dr. Mandy Kouroshnia, founder of Cityzen Dental 
• Dr. Richard Lipari, founder of NY Great Smiles
• Dr. Jonathan B. Levine, dentist and founder of JBL NYC
• Dr. Jon Marashi, cosmetic dentist
• Dr. Elisa Mello, co-founder of NYC Smile Design
• Dr. Chris Salierno, chief dental officer at Tend
• Dr. Ben Winters, the Bentist and orthodontist at Wincrest Orthodontics

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