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- The best teeth whitening kits come with everything you need to whiten your teeth, are easy to use, and do not irritate your gums or teeth.
- The Active Wow Teeth Whitening Charcoal Powder has all of these features, plus it's affordable, does not use harmful chemicals, and comes in different flavors.
Let's face it. Some of the most addictive beverages and habits are not the best for our pearly whites. Fortunately, if you want white teeth, you don't have to say goodbye to coffee, soda, sweets, tea, wine, and smoking because there are many teeth whitening kits to choose from (we still recommend that you kick the smoking habit for obvious reasons).
Teeth whitening is a $3.2 billion worldwide industry. Consequently, there are thousands of options out there, including expensive services at your dentist's office. Thankfully, if you want to save money, there are several effective kits that you can use at home.
There are essentially two types of kits: ones that bleach your teeth to take stains off and ones that physical scrape off the stains. Activated charcoal powders have become quite popular in recent years. They are applied with a toothbrush and scrape stains off. Whitening trays and strips have been the standard for decades and generally rely on carbamide or hydrogen peroxide.
There is a third type of teeth whitening product that simply blasts your teeth with LED light. However, experts interviewed by the Wirecutter say any gains from this treatment are short-lived. Only the GLO Brilliant system in our guide uses this technology, but it is used in conjunction with a whitening gel.
A few warnings about teeth whitening kits
Peroxide is effective, but it comes with several warnings. Pregnant or nursing women should not use peroxide-based whitening products. It also isn't for children under fourteen 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 GLO Brilliant), but they should be safe for most people.
You need to be careful using whitening products, as Consumer Reports explains. 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.
Experts say that whitening kits are safe when used as directed. However, gum irritation and tooth sensitivity are common side effects even when you follow the directions. Therefore, about a week before you start your whitening regimen, use a toothpaste specifically designed for people with sensitive teeth or one that builds up enamel. And, skip a day or two of use if you do experience sensitivity.
We undertook hours of research combing through both consumer and expert reviews and ratings before settling on the whitening kits we've included in this guide. Each of the teeth whitening kits we feature in the following slides are effective, easy to use, and unlikely to irritate your teeth or gums.
Here are the best teeth whitening kits you can buy:
- Best charcoal teeth whitening kit: Active Wow Teeth Whitening Charcoal Powder
- Best teeth whitening strips: Crest 3D White Professional Effects Whitestrips
- Best high-end teeth whitening kit: GLO Science Brilliant Personal Teeth Whitening Device
- Best natural teeth whitening kit: Miswak Club Natural Teeth Whitening Kit
Updated on 05/03/2019 by Les Shu: Updated links, formatting, and prices. Removed our budget option from Utilax as it is no longer available nor recommended. However, both our best overall and best natural picks are affordable options.
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Disclosure: This post is brought to you by the Insider Picks team. We highlight products and services you might find interesting. If you buy them, we get a small share of the revenue from the sale from our commerce partners. We frequently 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 sales team. We welcome your feedback. Email us at insiderpicks@businessinsider.com.