12 Best Teeth-Whitening Products, According to Dentists 2025

If you have a rampant coffee (or red wine) habit it might be time to give your pearly whites some love with one of the best teeth-whitening products. And not to fret: we've got you covered with , , and more. We asked a handful of dentists for their recommendations and then put them to the test ourselves.

Our top pick was the Crest 3D White Brilliance 2 Step Kit because it transformed coffee-stained teeth to icy white in just a few nights. We also found other teeth-whitening products that suit sensitive teeth, including a pen that you can use every day, and strips to slap on right before your next big event. While professional whitening treatments are the gold standard for removing deeply embedded stains, these at-home teeth whiteners can be effective with consistent use.



We tested teeth-whitening products based on how easy they were to incorporate into our daily oral care routines, how they made our teeth feel, and how white our teeth looked after consistent use. Depending on how potent the formula was, we tested products that could be used every day (like toothpastes) or once-a-week treatment kits. We looked for teeth-whiteners that were sensitive-teeth friendly and that didn’t make our pearly-whites feel uncomfortable after use.

Amazon “This is my favorite over-the-counter whitening product because it gives patients noticeable results in under a week’s time that also won’t break the bank,” says , DDS, a dentist certified in biomimetic dentistry in New York. “White strips can be bulky, annoying, and require consistency and time while all this requires is the two minutes that you should already be ,” she says. To use this , first apply the foaming toothpaste, “which helps remove plaque while helping prevent sensitivity,” says Dr.

Becker, and brush for one minute before moving to toothpaste number two, which contains peroxide, for another minute. “Hear me out: this is kind of like concealer for your teeth! Unlike whitening strips or overnight pen treatments, the Crest 3-D white brilliance duo is a simple two-minute process that instantly brightened my smile. You just brush your teeth for one minute with the deep-cleansing toothpaste before repeating the process with the whitening gel (just don’t rinse in between steps).

As someone with an iced-coffee addiction but with very sensitive teeth, I find it nearly impossible to sit with whitening strips for 20-30 minutes as the bleaching agents go to work on my enamel. Though step two of this brightening treatment still set off my nerve endings, the discomfort lasted just seconds before it was over and the results were still pretty noticeable. I’d say this is the perfect product to give you a boost of confidence before a date or event, as opposed to a replacement for a true whitening session with a dentist,” says contributor .

Amazon Another affordable drugstore option, , DDS, a celebrity cosmetic dentist in New York recommends Colgate's Optic White Overnight Teeth Whitening Penwhich nets out to less than $1 per whitening treatment. “I have been blessed with pretty white teeth but I am a huge tea and coffee drinker. Before my wedding, I wanted a little refresh,” says MacKenzie.

“I found the brush applicator much easier to use than white strips, which always annoy me, and can cause gum irritation. Plus, it works fast: brush on the hydrogen peroxide-based formula before bed and wake up to brighter teeth.” “This pick is definitely a weaker formula than other whiteners I’ve tried but that could be a good thing.

There’s absolutely no discomfort throughout the night, so it’s a great option for sensitive teeth if you have time to wait for the results. I personally didn’t mind the weird film it created over my teeth and was able to sleep as normal, so I’d definitely choose this treatment over a strip. However, I was a little grossed out by putting the brush back into the pen to get more product and then reusing it.

I would much prefer a click pen option that disperses directly onto the brush,” says Tannenbaum. Amazon If you’re concerned about the potential damage to tooth enamel, , DMD, FAGD, founder of Brooklyn Mint, a dental practice in New York, recommends Colgate Optic White Toothpaste. It’s effective (the formula contains 5% hydrogen peroxide) and gentle.

“It’s one of the least abrasive options, so it’s gentler on enamel and less likely to exacerbate tooth recession and sensitivity,” she says. One reviewer shared that after using this toothpaste for a week and a half, he actually noticed a stark difference. “My teeth are definitely several shades whiter now, and I found the formula to have a nice lather and consistency—it didn’t feel chalky in my mouth, and it actually didn’t feel all that different from my regular toothpaste, which was a huge plus for me,” he says.

“As someone with sensitive teeth, I was also concerned that this toothpaste was going to be harsh, but I found that it was extremely gentle and didn’t make me feel extra sensitive at all.” Amazon “There’s a reason why Crest 3D White Whitestrips are so popular—it’s one of the few white strips I’ve seen actually work and it’s made by one of the most trusted brands in dentistry,” says Dr. Hoang.

The nonslip, hydrogen-peroxide-based likely won’t give you exactly the same level of results as you’d get with a professional whitening treatment, but they’ll get you close enough that you won’t notice. “I’ve used Crest Whitestrips for probably close to a decade now, with no desire to try any other whitening products (which are often pricier). They’re just so easy,” says commerce editor .

“I mostly use them for maintenance at this point—a couple times a month, I stick them to my teeth, go about my business for 30 minutes, and emerge with whiter teeth (that people compliment me on!). I don’t wear them every day or even every week because I’ve noticed that my teeth will get sensitive to cold afterwards, but even once a month is good enough for me.”.