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Ready? 1,2,3, smile! If you read that sentence and your first reaction was to shut your mouth and shudder, it may be time for some teeth-whitening strips.
Using whitening strips is a great (and cheaper) alternative to getting bleaching done at a dental office, and they can give you the confidence boost you need to flash a whiter, brighter smile. These products work to remove years of stains and discoloration from your pearly whites as well as to bleach the surface of your teeth to visibly change their appearance. Take it from someone who has used them time and time again: If you do it right, they work just as well as some professional whitening services.
While you may have heard that whitening your teeth with at-home kits can be harmful, we and the American Dental Association are here to tell you that when used properly, they’re safe and effective. But with so many options on the market, how do you know which strips are right for you? To help save you time, effort, and hours of endless doom-scrolling, our editors put together this comprehensive guide filled with the top ten teeth-whitening strips, which you’ll want to permanently add to your daily routine.
Pros
#1 dentist-recommended brand- Enamel-safe and effective
Cons
- Some buyers don’t love the taste
Crest 3D Whitestrips provide professional-level teeth whitening without having to spend hours at the dentist (or pony up the high co-pay). They’re comfortable and have a no-slip grip, and you can even talk and drink water while they’re on. (Trust us, they’re the real deal.) After just one use, you’ll notice a difference, guaranteed.
One buyer said, “This is one of the most effective strips for teeth whitening. Crest is the best brand if you want to get a white smile.”
| Ingredients | PVP, Water, Hydrogen Peroxide, Sodium |
|---|---|
| Number of treatments | 18 |
Best Stain-Removal Teeth-Whitening Strips
Crest Vivid Plus Whitestrips
Pros
- Remove ten years’ worth of tough set-in stains
- Use the same whitening ingredients as dentists
Cons
- Some buyers say they have trouble getting them to stick
If you’re the type of guy who loves a cup of joe in the morning and red wine at night (I mean, who doesn’t?), then you probably have a fair number of stains on your pearly whites. The Crest 3D Vivid Plus Whitestrips are specifically designed to remove discoloration from your teeth, leaving you with a whiter smile in only twelve days.
One buyer said, “I have tried so many teeth-whitening products. This one is by far the best.”
| Ingredients | PVP, PEG-8, Water, Hydrogen Peroxide |
|---|---|
| Number of treatments | 10 |
Pros
- Sixty percent cheaper than other brands
- Made with sensitive mouths in mind
Cons
- Some buyers say they are not as effective as other brands
If you’re seeking a natural teeth-whitening solution, add these Zimba strips to your cart immediately. The brand strives to create accessible and affordable at-home teeth-whitening products that are made with clean and cruelty-free ingredients. Plus—humble brag—unlike other whitening strips, theirs come in a variety of flavors, like peach, coconut, and strawberry.
One buyer said, “I’ve started using these strips once a week, and they have helped brighten my smile and boost my confidence.”
| Ingredients | Glycerin, Cellulose, PVP K90, Water, Alcohol |
|---|---|
| Number of treatments | 14 |
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Pros
- Brighten up to seven shades
- Easy to use
Cons
- Pricier than other brands
These Moon whitening strips were made for getting a brighter smile on the go. Not only do they dissolve after every use (whoa), but they also leave your breath fresh, are extremely comfortable, and can be used anywhere from your morning commute to your pre-bed routine.
| Ingredients | Pvp, Pectin, Hydrogen Peroxide, Glycerin |
|---|---|
| Number of treatments | 23 |
Pros
- Made with clean ingredients
- Buyers’ choice on Amazon
Cons
- Some buyers say they can slip
These Lumineux strips are the number-one best-selling whitening treatment on Amazon for a reason. They’re easy to apply, are helpful for sensitive teeth, and taste good. Plus, they’re available on Prime, so you can get them delivered in two days for that event you have in three days.
One Amazon buyer said, “These are doing a great job taking stains off my teeth, and there’s very little sensitivity.”
| Ingredients | Glycerin, Water, Carbomer, Dead Sea Salt |
|---|---|
| Number of treatments | 21 |
Pros
- Non-slip
- Whiten teeth up to seven shades
Cons
- Some buyers say the packages are hard to open
With a name like Magic, these whitening strips had better be high-performing, and luckily, they are. They’re pain-free with zero mess and a delicious taste, and they automatically dissolve in under fifteen minutes. Oh yeah, and they’re made with patented technology that not only removes stains but also prevents new ones from forming.
| Ingredients | Hydrogen Peroxide, Sodium, Glycerin, Peppermint, Lavender |
|---|---|
| Number of treatments | 14 |
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Pros
- Don’t use peroxide, which can cause sensitivity
- Laboratory-tested ingredients
Cons
- Some buyers say they don’t love the feel
Green is the new white, at least according to InoPro. Made with all-natural ingredients, these strips effectively whiten teeth without causing sensitivity or harming oral health. They’re enamel-safe, taste good, and will help you achieve a whiter, brighter smile in thirty minutes—so basically everything you could ever ask for from a whitening strip.
One buyer said, “These InoPro strips caused zero sensitivity for me, and my teeth were noticeably whiter after just one use.”
| Ingredients | Glycerin, Aqua, Cellulose Gum, Sodium Chlorite |
|---|---|
| Number of treatments | 14 |
Pros
- Compact design
- Easy to use
Cons
- Some buyers say they like other Crest products more
After a brief intermission, we’re back to another Crest product. But this one is for the sensitive guys. Made with the same ingredients that dentists use, these 3D-Sensitive Whitestrips gently remove fifteen years of stains in just two weeks. They are accepted by the American Dental Association and are enamel-safe and effective.
| Ingredients | Hydrogen Peroxide |
|---|---|
| Number of treatmets | 18 |
Pros
- Natural stain-removing oils
Cons
- Sell out quickly
Let’s be real: When choosing a whitening strip, your main concern is how long you will have to wait until your teeth look better and brighter. We get it! And these iSmile strips do not disappoint. They taste great; remove years of stains from coffee, wine, soda, tea, you name it; and—drum roll, please—you’ll notice a difference in only thirty minutes.
| Ingredients | Mint Oil |
|---|---|
| Number of treatments | 22 |
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Best Professional Teeth-Whitening Strips
Supersmile Superstrips
Pros
- Great for sensitive teeth
- Dissolve in fifteen minutes
Cons
- Pricier than other options
These strips, the Cadillacs of teeth whitening, are clinically proven to whiten your teeth eight shades in just seven days—hot damn. And if that doesn’t sell you, they’re dissolving, they’re convenient, and they don’t taste like sh*t.
| Ingredients | Glycerin, Purified Water, Hydrogen Peroxide |
|---|---|
| Number of treatments | 14 |
Are Teeth-Whitening Strips Safe?
Yes! Teeth-whitening strips are very safe. The most common ingredient found in these products is hydrogen peroxide, which is used frequently by dentists.
Who Should Use Teeth-Whitening Strips?
If your teeth are noticeably discolored, then whitening strips might be a great option for you. Years of consuming drinks like coffee, tea, and soda will cause your teeth to start to yellow and brown, and by using strips, you can reverse this process.
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Why You Should Trust Us
We’re not going to say something is great unless it’s actually great. Every product in Esquire’s round-ups is carefully curated by our fashion and e-commerce teams.
When it comes to teeth-whitening strips, you can rest assured that we’re hand-selecting styles that we’ve personally tested, tried, and loved, along with styles that the rest of our fashionable colleagues here at Esquire endorse for their own wear. We’ve had to go through a lot of trial and error, and these teeth-whitening strips are the ones that are simply the best.
Every pick on this list (and our other lists!) comes from years of wearing different things, seeing what we love and what we don’t, and going from there. No two tastes are the same, and no two men are the same. Your proverbial mileage may vary. But if you’re looking for advice from folks who care (possibly too much!) about this sort of stuff, this is the place to start.
