The best teeth whitening kits: Strips, gels, powders and pens tested by experts

MySweetSmile claims its teeth whitening powder helps remove built-up stains, yellowing and plaque caused from food, drink and even smoking. Dentist-approved (100 per cent fluoride and peroxide-free, as well as being non-abrasive), the powder combines pentasodium triphosphate and calcium carbonate in order to remove plaque and keep teeth squeaky clean and pearly white.

At first, we thought the powder might be messy to use but it wasn’t at all. It involved a quick process of dipping our toothbrush into the powder before brushing for four minutes. Compared with most products that recommend you use the whitening products nightly, the time frame for this one is twice a week, which was easy to fit into our routine.

It was actually pleasant to use, with no issues of sensitivity – thanks to the inclusion of strontium chloride – and we found it gave us a naturally upgraded white smile after just a couple of weeks’ use.

Read the full MySweetSmile teeth whitening powder review

The first thing that drew us to these teeth whitening strips was the price. However, it is worth noting the price is only for seven strips, with the brand recommending a course of 28 treatments.

Out of all of the strips we tested, we did find Morclean’s “no-slip grip” aspect worked – these stayed on with no issue for the course of 30 minutes. Although, there was mild sensitivity sensations. Morclean recommends a minimum of 30 minutes but suggest these strips can be left on for up to two hours, should you really want to dazzle with your smile.

While it initially took a week of use to notice a brightened smile, after that, we saw a whiter gleam with each single use.

Safe and easy to use (thanks to the exclusion of hydrogen peroxide), these teeth whitening strips are very thin and come mint-flavoured. They get to work quickly and are said to start whitening teeth upon first contact. The brand advises leaving them on for 15 to 30 minutes – we saw a better result after the full half hour – to see your smile turn whiter.

Working to dissolve the stains on your teeth, the strips themselves got a little gooey during use, however, we felt zero sensitivity and did see results after just one use.

Easy to use and perfect for transporting when away for the weekend, this teeth whitening pen from Polished London is ideal for touch-ups. The brand’s own peroxide-free PAP Pro (phthalimidoperoxycaproic acid) formula works to dissolve the stains on your teeth, leaving you with a glossy, white smile.

The dissolving nature was very gentle and we experienced no irritation. We also found this teeth whitening pen was easy to slot into our daily routine and had a smooth finish, which was a surprise since the application means you leave the product on your teeth.

As you need to wait 30 minutes before eating after application, we primarily stuck to applying this teeth whitening treatment first thing in the morning and before we went to bed. However, as it’s a very slim and unobtrusive item, it can easily be used while on the go, too.

We were drawn to Glo32 teeth whitening treatments due to the formula including coconut oil. We’ve previously pulled stains from our teeth with the natural OG (brushing our teeth with coconut oil alone), so we were intrigued to put these strips to the test.

The 28 strips cater for a 14-day treatment, with Glo32 recommending any excess gel be brushed away after use. We were more hesitant to use the strips on the go, as these strips were slightly messier than most. However, it wasn’t a huge issue, as we tended to do our teeth whitening treatments morning and night.

In terms of results, we saw similar to the other teeth whitening treatments we’ve tested, proving that natural methods come at no compromise in that department. We were left with a naturally whitened smile, too, compared with a drastic change as some other methods provide (although whether or not you prefer this is down to personal preference). There were no sensitivity issues, either.

This kit claims to make your teeth 10 shades whiter in just seven days. Vegan-friendly and cruelty-free, the treatment uses a high concentration of PAP (18 per cent, compared with the more common 12 per cent) for sparkling results. We did wonder if this would affect sensitivity issues, however, we found the treatment to be pain-free.

The kit includes seven days’ worth of teeth whitening gel, a mouth tray, an LED light, instructions and a digital shade guide, so you can monitor the shade of white you wish to achieve.

Our teeth were certainly left with a newfound brightness after just a few uses, however, to get an even whiteness across all our pearly whites, we did need to finish the seven-day course, as advised. This device was easy enough to use and allowed for a fuss-free transformation.

This teeth whitening pen works by aiming to reverse discolouration caused by food and drinks. And, with Colgate being an OG oral hygiene brand, expectations were high.

Our minds were put at ease by the fact this pen is enamel safe, and we found it pretty easy to use. For the first use, you may need to click the pen up to 20 times before a small drop appears on the brush but, after that, it’s pretty simple – just remember to wipe the brush clean with a dry tissue after using it.

Applied at night, before going to bed, after about a month’s consecutive use, we did find less discolouration to our teeth. It’s a great option to take when travelling, too.

However, one thing we didn’t love was the thin layer of gel left on our teeth the next morning. It wasn’t the most comfortable feeling and required a bit more aggressive brushing than usual to remove it.

Claiming to make your teeth up to 10 shades whiter after just six daily treatments, this CurrentBody LED device is well worth a look. It uses PAP whitening technology to break down stains and is also good for gum health – it increases oxygen by using clinically proven light wavelengths to help stimulate cell production – as well as contributing to overall oral health.

The device was very easy to use and was one of our favourites, as we had no issues with sensitivity or irritation (thanks to the neutral pH of the product and the calcium, aloe vera and vitamin E in the gel). Unlike some other teeth whitening treatments, this one’s peppermint flavour also meant there were no problems with taste either.

Sure enough, we did begin to see results after the first six-day course of treatment. However, this device is a lot more expensive than other kits on the market, so it’s something to bear in mind when making your purchase.

Another thing to note is the device itself feels slightly more invasive when placed in the mouth for 20 minutes, compared with other treatments we tried.

This oral healthcare brand, which just so happens to be loved by celebrities such as Kim K herself, has developed peroxide-free teeth whitening strips that aim to cause zero disturbance during use.

After testing these strips, we can confirm we felt nothing but a nice cooling effect – thank you, menthol. Plus, despite these strips not being flavoured like the brand’s innovative range of toothpastes (£7.33, Boots.com), they were, by far, the most pleasant-tasting strips we sampled. Don’t worry, we didn’t start nibbling away but, considering these strips are in your mouth for 30 minutes, a sweet, minty taste is much appreciated.

We noticed an immediate brightness to our smile, after just one use, and have been using them ever since for a continued whitening effect.

This teeth whitening set contains a toothpaste and strips, and the key seems to be using a balance of the two products. We were slightly unnerved by the fact both contain hydrogen peroxide – especially as the strips are required to be applied to dry teeth for an hour at a time – but we were still willing to give the kit a go.

We tested both products over the course of a few weeks and found that the toothpaste was more of an enhancer to the primary effects of the teeth whitening strips. Wearing the strips for so long was irritating at first but we felt it was worth the slight discomfort, as the treatment delivered quick results.

There were some slight sensitivity issues but we found that using the strips for less than an hour helped a little, while still delivering a dazzling smile.

Read the full Spotlight Oral Care teeth whitening system set review

Designed to deliver results in just six days, this teeth whitening kit is formulated with PAP to ensure your smile is as white and bright as possible. Featuring an LED light and mouth tray, a shade guide and three gel syringes, each kit offers a total of six treatments.

We experienced fewer sensitivity issues with this device, compared with using strips or gel pens, thanks to the PAP (and lack of peroxide), which ensures teeth are whitened minus any pain or sensitivity. This treatment is a lot less time-consuming than some others, too, as it takes only 10 minutes out of your day.

Overall, we found this kit easy to use and we were impressed with the results – not only did we notice a difference, we had comments from other people, too.

While this brand also offers its own LED device, toothpaste, whitening strips and more, we were intrigued by the coconut oil pulling sachets, and drawn to the idea of it being a more natural solution.

These sachets aim to whiten teeth, detox the mouth, kill bad breath and remove plaque, plus, they’re on the cheaper end of the spectrum. Cold pressed coconut, peppermint and spearmint oils all have powerful antioxidants to remove toxins from the mouth, while coconut oil has long been a natural teeth whitening fix.

While this did take a bit longer than some of the other methods and products tried in this review, we had zero issues with sensitivity and felt a lot more reassured using a natural product.

It’s was also easy to add into your daily oral hygiene regime – simply warm the sachet in your hands or under water, to soften the oil, then use it as a mouthwash for between five and 15 minutes every day.

These strips are applied to teeth for about 15 minutes but you don’t really need to time this, as they will start to dissolve on their own. We didn’t love the taste of these (they missed the nautral, peppermint or spearmint taste of some other products) but have to admit they’re very handy, and we will certainly be adding a few to our handbag, ready for emergency touch-ups.

The visibility of whiter teeth took a bit longer to come about but, after a couple of weeks, we saw less yellowing.

This teeth whitening kit from Volt is made up of an LED device and dental-grade PAP whitening gel. The kit is free from hydrogen peroxide, and we noticed zero irritation when using the LED device – though, as with similar devices, it’s not the most comfortable thing to use (it needs to be placed in the mouth for 30 minutes).

Still, the results are worth the slight discomfort – we noticed a visible reduction of stains on our teeth after just a few uses of the kit. Dual light technology is used to optimise the effect of the teeth whitening gel, which contains oxidising ingredients such as PAP, hydroxypatite and Polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP), to help whiten your teeth with each use.

While the results and lack of irritation from the gel were huge selling points, we also really appreciated the fact this particular kit focuses on enamel care, containing aloe vera, calcium and vitamin E, to care for your teeth.

What sets this LED teeth whitening device apart is the application. While you’ll still need to use the device for 20 minute a day, this is split into two sessions (one in the morning, one in the evening). While the overall usage time is still comparable with other models, we felt more relaxed knowing we need only keep this device in our mouth for 10 minutes at a time.

If you have the cash to splash on this kit from Colgate, you’ll also benefit from the fact it includes the Colgate teeth whitening pen we praised earlier in this article. This is ideal should you need any touch-ups.

While we did notice the whitening effect of using the LED device, the same niggles remain with the pen – there was a slightly filmy sensation left on our teeth the next morning. All easily rinsed away, of course, but something to note should this be a dealbreaker for you.

We definitely saw a brightness and whiteness to our teeth after two weeks’ continued use of the LED device – however, it is important to note a key active ingredient in this particular application is hydrogen peroxide, and it is fair to say there was a (minimal) level of discomfort.

Overall, we definitely rate this product for delivering fast and sparkling results, however, there are many products on the market that allow you to maintain and improve your pearly whites without the use of hydrogen peroxide.