Best and Worst Teeth Whiteners

We'd all love to have gleaming white teeth, but we don't want to spend a big chunk of our beauty budget on an unpleasant whitening system that doesn't produce results. To help you navigate the ever-increasing number of teeth whiteners out there, we had 11 women test top products. Compare their reviews with their before-and-after charts, which reveal how much whiter their teeth got (or didn't get).


The Best:


Rembrandt Whitening Strips, $24.99


What it is: seven pairs of strips, one applied to top teeth and one applied to bottom teeth each day for 30 minutes
How long it takes: seven days
Pros: "There was no pain, discomfort or gum sensitivity. I was incredibly happy with the system as it was hassle-free, tasted like mint and gave great whitening results in a short time frame."
Cons: "The first treatment showed the most dramatic results. After that my teeth didn't change much. The only problem was that my mouth filled up with saliva. I didn't talk during the treatment but definitely was able to do everything else."

Last word: "This was the best kit I had ever used. I would use it again and recommend it to others."


Aquafresh White Trays, $36.99


What it is: pre-filled disposable trays that you wear for 45 minutes a day
How long it takes: three days
Pros: "The trays were disposable and pain-free, and you could go about your day as usual while they're working. Teeth were whiter by the third day, so I definitely saw results."
Cons: "One complaint: The gel filling in the trays tended to leak out and you had to spit out globs of it -- not pleasant."

Last word: "I would definitely use this kit again. It's cheap, showed results and was much easier (and covered more teeth!) than my usual Crest Whitestrips."


Supersmile Professional Whitening System, $33


What it is: a paste and gel that is brushed on teeth, a toothbrush, a mouth rinse and chewing gum for touchups
How long it takes: 10 days
Pros: "I had no sensitivity, which I have had with similar products (like Crest Whitestrips) and I noticed results within a day. After using the product for 10 days my tooth color [changed three and a half shades]."
Cons: None

Last word: "I would definitely use this product again. It was quick, easy, pain-free and a great kit for those who need to brighten up their smile."


Listerine Whitening Quick Dissolving Strips, $26.99


What it is: strips that adhere to teeth and dissolve within a half hour
How long it takes: two weeks
Pros: "I found the strips easy to use. There was no pain or discomfort ... I started to notice a change in the color of teeth within four days."
Cons: "If I put the strips on incorrectly, they became unusable and began to dissolve immediately. The box claimed that the strips should dissolve within 5-10 minutes but it took about a half hour."

Last word: "I was very pleased with the results and felt the product delivered what it promised."


GoSMILE Go Travel, $39


What it is: small ampoules to brush on after eating, plus toothpaste and mouthwash for upkeep
How long it takes: for ongoing maintenance between more intense whitening kits
Pros: "The product was really easy to use -- the vials were so small you could keep them in your pocket. It was so quick ... the only thing to remember was to not to drink anything for 20 minutes after applying. The formula was gentle. I felt no pain or sensitivity."
Cons: "I noticed that my teeth were cleaner looking but not necessarily whiter."

Last word: "I would definitely use this again if I was out drinking red wine or coffee. It would be an easy way to get rid of stains on the go."


The Worst:


Sapphire Home Whitening, $250, from a dentist


What it is: supplies to make fitted mouth trays and whitener-filled syringes to fill the trays
How long it takes: Trays are worn for three minutes a day for two weeks.
Pros: "The product I loved. I especially liked the deep stain removal. It felt like I was really doing something to improve the color of my teeth. By the third day, I started seeing results."
Cons: "When I read the instructions for creating the whitening trays, I was totally lost. I gave up on them and used some trays I'd received from my dentist. This was a great system to use, but I would have quit the whole thing if I hadn't already had my own trays."

Last word: "I would definitely keep using the deep stain removal and the gel once in a while as needed. But I would recommend getting your own trays."


iWHITE Light Activated Teeth Whitening Kit, $44.99


What it is: whitener strips that slide into teeth trays plus a light to activate the product
How long it takes: 20 minutes each for top and bottom teeth for five days
Pros: "I liked the five-day, quick results and the easy-to-use whitener strips to secure in the tray."
Cons: "The tray was not comfortable to wear because I had to close my mouth around it. I had to whiten the top row of teeth at a separate time than the bottom, and my mouth got tired of holding the tray in place. Also, I had to lean over the sink because of all the saliva that would build up. One time I flossed before using and experienced major gum sensitivity."

Last word: "Overall, not bad results but not the most comfortable whitening experience."


Crest Whitestrips Daily Whitening + Tartar Protection, $24.99


What it is: pairs of strips that adhere to top and bottom teeth
How long it takes: five minutes a day for ongoing maintenance
Pros: "I had no discomfort in terms of tooth sensitivity ... the strips only needed to be in for five minutes, so wasn't a big deal. After just a day or two my teeth were bright again."
Cons: "The strips were very thin and flimsy, so I found them hard to work with. There was no way I could speak without the strips slipping off my teeth, folding in on themselves and becoming useless."

Last word: "This product was a quick way to touch up and brighten already white teeth."


GoSmile B1 Tooth Whitener, $89


What it is: whitener-filled ampoules that you brush on your teeth
How long it takes: twice a day for two minutes until desired whiteness is achieved
Pros: "I enjoyed the mess-free ampoules, which gave me control over where the whitener went. The sensitivity was negligible (and I have very sensitive teeth)."
Cons: "I wasn't sure that I had gotten as much of the whitener out of the ampoules as I was meant to -- a lot of it seemed to stay saturated in the brush. I worried it wouldn't stay on my teeth, so I didn't talk for 20 minutes after use, but it still seemed to wear off."

Last word: "I didn't notice the dramatic whitening results I was hoping for. No one said, 'What have you had done?' as the box said they might. I would not use this again because the price is too high for the benefit."


The Ones to Run from:


Rembrandt 2 Hour Whitening Kit, $24.99


What it is: teeth trays and gel ampoules to fill trays
How long it takes: Trays are worn for three 20-minute intervals over two hours.
Pros: "The instructions were easy to follow and the trays were comfy."
Cons: "Shortly after the two-hour routine, my teeth were screaming in pain."

Last word: "I wouldn't recommend this as a whitener ... it will leave your teeth too sore to eat solids."


Blush Professional Teeth Whitening System, $79.95


What it is: supplies to make fitted teeth trays and whitening gel to fill trays
How long it takes: Trays are worn for 45 minutes a day until desired whiteness is achieved
Pros: None. "Molding, wearing, taking out -- it was an all around bad experience."
Cons: "It was hard to use, difficult to fit, produced incredible drool and slid around my mouth if I wasn't sitting still. It also stung my teeth on the first use. In order to mold and cut the trays you had to boil water, dip the molds into the water then put directly onto your teeth. This is not fun for people with sensitive teeth -- boiling water with melting plastic against your teeth -- yuck!"

Last word: "I tried a few times, but I could not complete the test as the trays were horribly uncomfortable to wear."

By Sarah Carrillo, From totalbeauty.
teeth whitening, teeth whiteners, teeth bleaching, lipstick