Best over the counter teeth whitening for sensitive teeth

When you buy through our links, Insider may earn an affiliate commission. Learn more.

Wanting whiter teeth in a world of first impressions and social media needs no explanation. But finding an at-home teeth whitening kit that won't make your pearlies sensitive after one round — that's much harder.

In actuality, the most effective way to whiten your teeth is at the dentist's office; however, that's expensive and inaccessible for many people. Whitening toothpaste helps with daily maintenance but it won't create that 'wow' factor.

Instead, at-home teeth whitening kits save you both money and time, and allow you to regularly re-whiten as needed. The problem is, a lot of whitening kits are too strong, causing your gums to become sensitive to pressure and your teeth sensitive to cold after just one use.

To find the most effective at-home teeth whitening products, we talked to a handful of dentists about the best options currently available. We took into consideration options for sensitive teeth and gums, as well as folks on a budget. 

Below are the six best teeth whitening kits we've tested, picked based on dentist insight and our own experience. We've also included answers to a range of FAQs, and a rundown of other kits we tested and recommend, at the end of this guide. 

Learn more about how Insider Reviews tests and researches health products.

Best teeth whitening kit overall

Crest 3D White Professional Effects Whitestrips are effective, won't slide around during treatment, easy to find at any drugstore, and have a less-concentrated formula for minimal sensitivity.

Pros: Produces results in four or five uses, recommended by dentists, low peroxide levels

Cons: May irritate the gums

Pack count: 20 treatments

Easy to put on and with an effective formula, Crest 3D White Professional Effects Whitestrips offers the most bang for your buck and is a favorite of Neil Hadaegh DDS, a professional dentist in Beverly Hills.

The gel is contained in strips that you press to mold around your teeth — so much so that Crest says you can even drink water and talk while wearing the strips thanks to their "Advanced Seal Technology."

This formula typically has a lower concentration (10%) of Hydrogen Peroxide so it's better for people who have sensitive teeth and can't tolerate higher levels.

The Crest 3D White Professional Effects Whitestrips kit comes with 40 strips for 20 treatments (each treatment consists of a strip on the upper teeth and one on the lower teeth.) You are supposed to wear the strips for 30 minutes, once per day. Crest claims that after the 20 daily treatments, you can remove 14 years of tooth stains. 

However, strips don't offer the custom fit of trays, which means you may notice some increased sensitivity if your gums come in contact with the whitening strips.

Best whitening trays

If you're looking for more precision in your application to avoid gum sensitivity, your best bet is combining teeth whitening gel with mouth trays or guards like in the Opalescence Go 15% kit.

Pros: Effective, greater control over application, potentially less gum sensitivity

Cons: Expensive, may cause sensitivity

Pack count: 10 treatments

The benefit of using a mouth tray or mouth guard with gel is that, unlike white strips, you aren't as likely to miss spots on the teeth or irritate your gums. 

Opalescence is known for its whitening products in the dental industry. I've gotten amazing results with the Opalescence 35% formula, which is a syringe you squirt into your own trays and is slightly more intense. Heather Kunen, DDS, orthodontist and co-owner of Beam Street in New York recommended the Opalescence Go to Insider for how easy and mess-free the process is is to use to get that same high-quality whitening Opalescence is known for.

Dr. Hadaegh also likes this product, adding that the trays adapt to your teeth all the way to your molars. "They have 15% hydrogen peroxide, which means you only need to wear them for 15 to 20 minutes a day for five to 10 days. It also contains potassium nitrate and fluoride to help reduce sensitivity while strengthening enamel."

However, because the concentration of hydrogen peroxide is so high, there's a chance you may still experience some sensitivity, in which case it's best to switch to a less concentrated alternative like Crest Whitestrips.

Best for sensitive teeth and gums

Zimba white strips whiten over 7 to 14 days without causing major tooth or gum sensitivity and come in tasty flavors.

Pros: Affordable, no-slip strips

Cons: Only covers front 10 teeth (upper and lower), takes about a week to whiten, whitening doesn't last

Pack count: 14 treatments

If you're looking for teeth whitening strips but have had issues with teeth sensitivity in the past, Kunen suggested Zimba white strips. It's made with a gentle formula that uses a low concentration of hydrogen peroxide.

One box contains 28 stain-removing strips (14 upper, 14 lower) which cover your front 10 teeth on top and 10 on the bottom. The strips stay on pretty well with anti-slip technology and they're slick, so there's no gel or goop. Moreover, you can choose between two tasty flavors, coconut or mint.

Zimba says you'll see whiter teeth in 14 days, and it truly does take at least one week to start seeing any difference. The major downside here is that the whitening doesn't seem to last long — most reviewers say you have to use the strips regularly to maintain results. But that's not surprising considering the formula is gentler, and considering these are about as cheap as you can get for an effective whitening kit, these are a great way to whiten before an event without breaking the bank. 

Best LED teeth whitening kit

If you don't want to use strips and are determined to use an LED light, the SmileDirectClub Teeth Whitening Kit is the way to go.

Pros: Few reports of sensitivity issues, more precise application of whitening gel, reusable mouth guard

Cons: Expensive, dentists agree the LED light will not make a noticeable difference 

Pack count: 14-28 treatments

The idea of LED teeth whitening kits has mixed reviews: Brands claim the light helps make teeth whitening more effective than traditional whitening strips or trays, but there aren't any studies to support this claim and many dentists feel like they don't speed up the process. Patrick Campbell, DDS put it succinctly when speaking with Insider: "Frankly, these products are not worth the money."

That being said, LED whitening kits are probably as effective as the other options so they're not a waste of money if you can find a well-priced option. Also, they come with whitening pens that allow you a bit more control in terms of the application so you can avoid your gums and any increased sensitivity, and they usually require you to spend less time per day with the formula on your teeth.

If you want to try an LED whitening kit, SmileDirectClub's Teeth Whitening Kit is one of the most convenient choices and about the same price as non-LED options.

The direct-to-consumer kit includes a LED mouthguard to act as a catalyst for the hydrogen peroxide whitening formula. It only requires 10 minutes a day of use and comes with nine whitening pens (enough for two full treatments). When I tested the device, I found the company's estimates to be conservative — I got more than double the use out of the pens than expected, which is a great value for the money.

I loved that the LED device just plugs into your smartphone for power. 

SmileDirectClub's Teeth Whitening Kit is $75 for the LED Light and an estimated 12-month supply of whitening pens, and $40 for the LED Light and 6-month pen supply. You can find them all here.

Read our full review on SmileDirectClub's LED whitening kit.

Best natural teeth whitening kit

The Miswak Club Natural Teeth Whitening Kit is your best alternative if you're looking for a natural, chemical-free approach to whitening your teeth.

Pros: Inexpensive, easy to use, no added chemicals

Cons: Takes some getting used to, smells weird

Pack count: 40 treatments

Teeth-cleaning sticks known as Miswak have been used for thousands of years in what is now Pakistan, India, many African countries, and other parts of the world. And, a meta-analysis in the Journal of Ayurveda and Integrative Medicine found that the Miswak was just as effective for oral hygiene as the toothbrush and toothpaste used by Western cultures.

The Miswak Club Natural Teeth Whitening Kit features two Miswak root sticks with two carrying cases. Each stick will last for three weeks of daily use. Miswak comes from the Arak tree, and this product contains no pesticides or chemicals. Miswak Club offers a 120-day money-back guarantee if you do not have noticeably whiter teeth after using their kit.

It has a sweet musky smell (which some people like and others really don't) and doesn't make a mess. Some reviewers have noted that it may take a few weeks of daily use to notice effects and that the smell may be a bit off-putting.

Best teeth whitening kit for professional-level results

If you want the intenser results of whitening at a dentist's office, but at home, the Linhart Teeth Whitening Collection uses a formula from cosmetic dentists in New York City.

Pros: Professional-grade results, easy to use

Cons: Expensive, LED has minimal proven advantage

"This whitening system was custom designed by high-end cosmetic dentists in New York City and utilizes the same whitening gel they use in their office on their patients," Dr. Kunen, who has no affiliation with Linhart, explained.

The kit contains four syringes of 35% carbamide peroxide whitening gel, an LED whitening light to activate the gel, and a milder whitening gel to help maintain your results. It's a bit pricier than other at-home kits but, as Kunen pointed out, "For those patients looking to replicate a chairside whitening experience, this is closest you will find!" 

What else we considered

What else we recommend

Glowup LED Kit ($100): This direct-to-consumer LED whitening start up will personalize the whitening formula to your level of tooth/gum sensivity and discoloration. The LED light is powered by your phone and requires 16 minutes of use. It only comes with three gel vials and the syringes aren't the most intuitive to spread on your teeth, so SmileDirectClub is a better choice for most people. But if you have sensitive teeth and want lasting results, Glowup is a great option. (Read our full review here.)

Snow LED Kit ($149): This well-designed LED teeth whitening kit comes with 4 serum pens (no syringes) that are easy to apply precisely to your teeth. All four will last you 75 treatments. The mouthpiece is very comfortable to bite for the suggested 10 minutes and plugs into your phone for power. The kit is quite pricey, but I saw results after two uses, so the included treatments will allow a whole family to whiten regularly for basically all of time.

Opalescence PF 35% Whitening Gel ($32): This is a cheaper alternative to the Opalescence Go that Dr. Kunen and Dr. Hadaegh both recommend, delivering the same Carbamide Peroxide formula in a syringe. You'll need to use your own mouth trays, but we can confirm it delivers whiter teeth after just a few 30-minute sessions.

Lumibrite 32% Whitening Gel ($22.94): Dr. Hadaegh told Insider that Lumibrite causes little to no sensitivity, while also producing excellent whitening results due to its high concentration of Carbamide Peroxide. It does require custom bleaching trays.

Zoom NiteWhite 22% Whitening Gel ($29.99): NiteWhite is a clinical-grade tooth whitening gel of 22% Carbamide Peroxide. It's medium strength, so it's an excellent option for individuals who have some tooth sensitivity but want a whitening gel that's not too strong or too weak, Hadaegh said.

HiSmile Whitening ($103.20): If whitening kits have left your teeth or gums sensitive in the past, Kunen suggested this brand which uses Pthalimidoperoxycaproic acid (PAP) as its principal whitening agent as opposed to the more traditional and harsher peroxides. It's definitely more expensive than the other options, but it's also super easy to use.

What we don't recommend

GLO Teeth Whitening Kit ($159): Glo Science sells a similar device to SmileDirectClub; both use an LED mouthpiece to reportedly act as a catalyst for hydrogen peroxide. But SmileDirectClub is a better value at half the cost. We still recommend strips over gel and mouth trays over LED light options, though.

FAQs

What types of teeth whitening products exist?

There are essentially two types of kits: Those that bleach your teeth to take stains off and ones that physically scrape off the stains.

Whitening trays and strips have been the standard for decades and generally rely on carbamide or hydrogen peroxide. Activated charcoal powders had a spike in popularity recently, but the dentists we interviewed would tell you to nix the powders.

Ira Handschuh, DDS, cosmetic dentist at The Dental Design Center in White Plains, NY and Ania Mohelicki, DDS, a cosmetic dentist in Boulder, CO both told Insider they don't recommend these because they can be abrasive and only remove surface stains. 

There is a third type of teeth whitening product that simply blasts your teeth with LED light, which typically claims to speed up the process and achieve more intense results. However, most of the dentists we interviewed agreed that any gains from this treatment are short-lived or nonexistent.

"Most studies show some difference detected by computers, but no visual difference detected by the human eye. For the studies conducted in actual patients (in vivo), most found no added benefit for light-activated systems," Charles Sutera DDS, FAGD, a professional dentist at Aesthetic Smile Reconstruction in Waltham, MA told Insider.

Only the SmileDirectClub system in our guide uses this technology, but it is used in conjunction with a whitening gel and a mouthguard that may offer better control over your placement and avoid increased gum sensitivity in comparison to strips. 

Which teeth whitening products are most effective?

"There is only one active ingredient in all teeth whitening products: hydrogen peroxide. It's the same agent whether it's prescription use or over-the-counter," said Dr. Sutera. "Any other ingredients in the product are inactive fillers needed to create the right consistency of the product."

If you see carbamide peroxide on your ingredient list, it's just a derivative of hydrogen peroxide. 

Is there anything bad about using a teeth whitening kit?

Pregnant or nursing women may want to stop using peroxide-based whitening products. It also isn't suitable for children under 14 years old. And, you should not use peroxide for longer than two weeks of daily use without the supervision of a dentist.

The FDA does not recommend using any whitening gels with a peroxide concentration of higher than 18%. Two of the kits we recommend use peroxide (Crest Whitestrips and SmileDirectClub) but they should be safe for most people.

Again, you should always consult with your dentist before starting a course of treatment. For instance, if your darkened teeth are due to the natural thinning of tooth enamel that comes with aging, whitening kits will not help you. Also, they cannot whiten fillings, dentures, veneers, crowns, or caps.

Most importantly, Dr. Mohelicki says the biggest concern is wearing whitening kits for the right amount of time. "Over-the-counter options are inexpensive when compared to in-office whitening, but they offer no gum protection. With no gum protection, users can experience increased sensitivity and even burns in severe cases." 

How can I use teeth whitening kits effectively?

Before using a teeth whitening kit, brush your teeth so your whitening agent can make contact with the surface of your teeth to improve efficacy, and so it doesn't accidentally create an uneven white. After you've whitened, try to avoid food and drinks that stain your teeth.

"Any buildup of plaque or food debris will not allow for the whitening agent to contact the tooth and therefore not allow the whitening agent to do its job," Dr. Campbell explained. "You could end up with a speckled, uneven whitened appearance." 

As Dr. Sutera explained, whitening your teeth and then having a glass of red wine is like "two people in a canoe paddling in different directions. The whitening products open the pores and clean them out. If you have coffee, tea, or red wine within 72 hours of whitening your teeth, your teeth are more likely to absorb dark stains and adversely impact your whitening results."

Does teeth-whitening damage your enamel?

"Most studies show that whitening does not damage enamel," Dr. Sutera said.

However, there's research that shows teeth whitening can affect proteins deeper in the tooth but researchers aren't currently sure if the damage is temporary or permanent, according to Dr. Sutera.

How can you prevent tooth sensitivity?

For whitening toothpaste, Dr. Sutera recommends patients with sensitive teeth use toothpaste with potassium nitrate and fluoride and also use a fluoride mouth rinse. According to Dr. Sutera, potassium nitrate is the primary ingredient that helps with sensitive teeth, and fluoride is a secondary option that's also been shown to help.  

If you have sensitive teeth and want to use a teeth whitening agent, you may just want to avoid higher concentrations of hydrogen peroxide.

"The suggestion I would make is to use a lower concentration of whitening agent to get their desired whitening outcome while minimizing the risk of tooth sensitivity." Dr. Campbell said. "Although anecdotal, I've found that brushing with Sensodyne toothpaste before and after whitening has helped me avoid sensitivity."  

Why do you feel increased sensitivity after you whiten?

The bleaching temporarily weakens your enamel so the bleach can pass through it and further lift those stains, explained Dr. Mohelicki.

"When [our enamel] is weakened during the bleaching treatment, many patients find that it can be hard to consume hot beverages, ice-cold beverages, or even eat certain foods. This typically wears off within 72 hours of ending treatment." 

Our experts

• Ania Mohelicki, DDS,
• Ira Handschuh, DDS, cosmetic dentist at The Dental Design Center
• Patrick Campbell, DDS
• Charles Sutera DDS, FAGD, a professional dentist at Aesthetic Smile Reconstruction
• Neil Hadaegh DDS
• Heather Kunen, DDS, orthodontist and co-owner of Beam Street

Sign up for Insider Reviews' weekly newsletter for more buying advice and great deals.

You can purchase logo and accolade licensing to this story here.

Disclosure: Written and researched by the Insider Reviews team. We highlight products and services you might find interesting. If you buy them, we may get a small share of the revenue from the sale from our partners. We may receive products free of charge from manufacturers to test. This does not drive our decision as to whether or not a product is featured or recommended. We operate independently from our advertising team. We welcome your feedback. Email us at .

LoadingSomething is loading.

More...