Best Teeth-Whitening Strips of 2024
If you want whiter teeth, brightening them at home is made easy with one of these kits.
Our Experts
- Carl R. Greer/Andrew D. Hepburn Award for Best Nonfiction Essay (Miami University, 2020)
Our Picks
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
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: $$
- Number of pieces: 48
- Active ingredient: Hydrogen peroxide
- Cruelty-free: No
- Results in: About 24 days
- Level of whitening: About 23
Pros:
- Up to 23 levels whiter teeth in about 24 days
- Remove up to 14 years of stains
- Active ingredient is hydrogen peroxide
Cons:
- You might find the coverage to be less than you want
- Most expensive on this list
Best dissolving whitening strips
Moon Dissolving Whitening Strips
If you don’t like the feeling of whitening strips sitting on your teeth for up to 30 minutes, you can try dissolving strips, instead. Moon Dissolving Whitening Strips are applied just like any other strips, but after 15 minutes, they completely dissolve. There’s no unnecessary waste nor mess and no need to rinse. The strips are also peppermint flavored.
Moon states that in two weeks or less, you can whiten your teeth up to seven shades lighter. In addition to being vegan and cruelty-free, these dissolving whitening strips are free from SLS/SLES (which can irritate skin), triclosan, parabens and artificial flavors.
- Price: $$
- 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
Best whitening strips for sensitive teeth
Lumineux Oral Essentials Whitening Strips
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
Best affordable whitening strips
Zimba Teeth Whitening Strips
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
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.
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.