Best 11 Teeth Whitening Products In 2022
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Mother Teresa's maxim "peace begins with a smile" is a worthy mission on its own (via AANA Journal). But you know what else begins with a warm and confident smile? The seemingly endless includes crushing it at job interviews, meeting new people, loving all your selfies, and generally feeling fantastic.
Feeling confident about your smile is different for everyone, so you should embrace your adorable dimples, iconic tooth gap, and all the other nuances that make your smile uniquely you. But over time, our pearly whites often fade or become stained either due to age or things like coffee, soda, or wine (via WebMD). The good news is that if you want to restore and brighten your enamel, there are plenty of teeth whitening products to choose from. However, the sheer number of products on the market can be a little overwhelming.
First, it's important to understand there are two primary ways to whiten your teeth — mild abrasion or the use of peroxide. Peroxide-based products will achieve more dramatic results, but there is a myriad of choices within this category alone. So, to find the best teeth whitening products of 2022, we did a deep dive through teeth whitening systems, whitening strips, LED-boosted oral care products, whitening toothpaste, gels, and easy-to-use whitening pens.
How we selected products
With so many teeth whitening products available, it's best to design the search with criteria that help narrow down the options. The categories here represent some of the most popular customer-driven goals when shopping for teeth whitening products.
For example, those with sensitive teeth may find typical whitening products are too harsh, so we've included teeth whitening products designed specifically for those with sensitive enamel. Along those lines, there are categories for lifestyle preferences — such as the best on-the-go teeth whiteners — as well as vegan and natural teeth-whitening products.
Within each category, we consider elements such as customer reviews and media coverage, which includes both written and video feedback. Additionally, the best teeth whitening products are also top-of-mind for dentists, so additional expert recommendations have also been incorporated into the review process.
Finally, although many of the products are great for multiple reasons, we select products based on their ability to achieve the goal represented by the category. At the end of this process, we ended up with 11 suggestions for the best teeth whitening products of 2022.
Best overall teeth whitening product
One important factor in professional teeth whitening is that dentists customize whitening trays to fit each client specifically, which proves to be a challenge for most retail kits.
But don't frown just yet, because the Smile Brilliant System includes impression trays that you mail back. Just like at a dentist's office, the lab will customize trays to ensure optimal results. Dental expert Marc Sclafani, DDS. gives the brand high praise, saying, "These custom trays properly fit the teeth and allow for better contact of the bleaching material with the tooth" (via Allure). And in a Smile Brilliant Youtube tutorial with nearly 4 million views, Danielle Mansutti demonstrates just how easy it is to use.
Available in a range of sensitivities and strengths, The Smile Brilliant System is available starting at $149 at Smile Brilliant.
Best teeth whitening strips
Crest has been a top contender in the smile game since 1950. The brand's easy-to-use whitening products routinely appear in product recommendations from media outlets such as Good Housekeeping. In addition, the Crest 3D White Professional Effects Whitestrips Kit has nearly 7,000 5-star reviews on Amazon. In terms of user feedback, posts often include before and after images plus glowing comments such as "These strips have been a godsend to me" (via Amazon).
Amazon sells the 20-application box of Crest 3D White Professional Effects Whitestrips Teeth Whitening Strips Kit for just over $37.
Best teeth whitening toothpaste
Oral care products by the brand Moon have throngs of fans, including Odell Beckham Jr. and Kendall Jenner, who've partnered with the brand (via Instagram). But in addition to wooing celebrities, Moon has also gleaned starry-eyed compliments from Dental Digest, a Youtube reviewer with 7.6 million followers.
Moon's Charcoal Whitening Toothpaste is fluoride-free and draws on charcoal's mildly abrasive stain-removing properties (via Healthline). It's no surprise then that Byrdie raves about its natural ingredients such as echinacea and the essential oil peppermint.
The 4.2-ounce tube of Charcoal Whitening Toothpaste sells for $8.99 at Moon Oral Care.
Best teeth whitening product for sensitive teeth
If you've got sensitive teeth, the thought of whitening products might feel a bit unnerving. However, you can take comfort in the fact that the teeth whitening industry rolls out the sparkly-white carpet on your behalf.
Brooklyn-based dentist Marianna M. Weiner, DDS, recommends Zimba whitening strips for their reduced-sensitivity formula and tasty minty flavor (via Verywell Health). The product tackles stained enamel in 14 days when used for 30 minutes each day. Choose from traditional mint or fun flavors like strawberry, grape, or watermelon — if you're feeling sassy.
A 14-day supply of Zimba Teeth Whitening Strips is available on Amazon for $24.99.
Best sustainable teeth whitening product
Chew on this sustainable nugget: Bite offers a plastic-free way to brighten your smile. Hailed as a vegan victory by Byrdie, the whitening gel works in as little as two minutes, twice a day. Use the compostable brush to apply the gel and watch its peroxide-based bubbles go to work.
The brand even lists the purpose of each of the nine ingredients. It explains, for example, that glycerine thickens the gel. Reviewers love the natural ingredients and results. A brilliant mission, dazzling teeth, and stunning transparency? Yes, please!
One kit containing 28 applications of The Whitening Gel retails on the Bite website for $24.
Best teeth whitening dental floss
They say the devil is in the details, so don't neglect to whiten between the teeth. Spotlight Oral Care Dental Floss for Whitening Teeth combines eco-friendly innovation with the whitening power of peroxide. The floss is made from recycled plastic goods and is a hearty weight, allowing good between-teeth whitening contact.
Along those lines, the sustainability efforts and quality landed the product a shout-out on Byrdie. It's important to know that the eco-forward design means you need to be prepared to cut the floss yourself as there's no plastic encasement, but the testers at Byrdie agree it's worth it.
Dental Floss for Whitening Teeth sells for $6.50 on Spotlight Oral Care's website.
Best overnight teeth whitening product
Overnight whitening — does it get any easier? If you'd rather go the whiten-while-you-snooze route, you still have a full range of choices. Colgate's time-saving Optic White Overnight Whitening Pen promises to remove 15 years of stains in a week (via Good Housekeeping). In addition, the easy-to-use pen allows you to apply the gel without the need for trays.
In terms of results, one user said the product is "absolutely amazing," adding, "I've only used the teeth whitening overnight stick three times, and people are already starting to notice a difference in my teeth."
Colgate Optic White Overnight Teeth Whitening Pen sells on Amazon for $24.97 and is enough for 35 treatments.
Best fast-acting teeth whitener
Just like candles, batteries, and non-perishable foods, having a fast-acting teeth whitening solution on hand is just basic emergency planning. What if you land an unexpected job interview or swipe right on a perfect match? Health recommends keeping Crest 3D White Whitestrips handy, which deliver improved pearly whites in an hour.
Amazon users love the quick results. "I am impressed they do look noticeably white in just one hour...you can also drink water with them on, and they don't feel thick," one user wrote.
One Crest 3D White Whitestrips box contains four treatments and sells for $27 on Amazon.
The best budget-friendly teeth whitening product
If you run a tight ship when it comes to finances, there are very affordable teeth whitening products out there for you. PlusWhite is one of Allure's favorite teeth whiteners and delivers results with a 5-minute tray system. Recommended use is twice daily for two weeks to achieve optimal whitening, and then once or twice a week after that to maintain results.
One of the more cost-effective teeth whitening products, PlusWhite's 5 Minute Speed Whitening Gel is available on Amazon for $12.05 for a 2-ounce tube.
Best vegan teeth whitening product
The Cali White teeth whitening system is an excellent option for the vegan crowd. Plus, the trays are made from BPA-free plastic (via Health). Over 5,000 Amazon customers give this kit 5 stars, and the YouTube reviews are glowing — literally (the kit comes with an LED light for a whitening boost!).
In her Youtube tutorial, coffee-lover Saving Mamasita shows just how easy the product is to use, and she also delves into the brand's mission. "Thank you for pointing out it's cruelty-free, vegan, gluten-free, and made in the U.S.," one subscriber commented. "I selected this kit because of the cruelty-free aspect, but they all speak to a quality product."
The Cali White Teeth Whitening Kit is available on Amazon for $29.99.
Best on-the-go teeth whitening product
As all savvy consumers know, there's more to a product than the name. But reviewers say this one lives up to its on-the-go moniker, and Good Housekeeping agrees. One Ulta fan said, "I use this twice a day. Noticed that when I let it dry for 5 minutes, my great results turned phenomenal quickly. Just bought two more for gifts."
The Go Smile whitening gel comes in a pen-shaped dispenser, so it's perfect for a backpack, handbag, or carry-on bag.
The Go Smile ON THE GO Teeth Whitening Pen is available on Ulta for $19. Go smile with confidence!