Wednesday, November 13, 2024

9 Best Teeth-Whitening Kits for Sensitive Teeth in 2023 for a Brighter, Whiter Smile

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Tooth sensitivity isn’t uncommon, but to a degree, it can limit whitening options — but that doesn’t mean you can’t easily find the best teeth-whitening products for sensitive teeth. “The sensitivity with whitening is mostly correlated with the percentage of the whitening gel, not the product itself,” says Marc Sclafani, DDS, a board-certified dentist and co-founder of One Manhattan Dental in New York City. “Factors that may influence the development or extent of tooth sensitivity associated with bleaching include the concentration of carbamide peroxide or hydrogen peroxide and baking soda.” The higher the level of these whitening agents in the formula, the more likely teeth are to experience sensitivity.

Kevin Sands, DDS, a board-certified cosmetic dentist in Beverly Hills, further explains what causes pain after a whitening procedure. “The ingredients essentially clean out the enamel pores where stain can deposit,” he says. “In doing so, the pores can dry out for a few hours in which air or temperature fluctuations can flow easily through the pores to the nerves of the teeth,” Dr. Sands explains. “This is pretty much inevitable in most effective whitening procedures.”

Dr. Sclafani says that these most commonly whiten teeth with ingredients that scrub away surface stains — they don’t penetrate or bleach teeth. He says that this method isn’t truly “whitening” your teeth, but it’s a worthwhile daily solution for diminishing discoloration over time. Keep in mind, however, that these surface-level cleaners aren’t designed for prolonged use as they can exacerbate sensitivity. “The abrasiveness can irritate your gum tissue and abrade the surface of your tooth,” Dr. Sclafani points out. “This irritation can result in sensitivity on both the hard and soft tissues of your mouth.” So prepare to cycle your whitening toothpaste out every few weeks for a non-whitening formula.

Sensitive teeth sufferers may be thinking that neither bleaching nor brushing sounds like a worthwhile whitening risk. Luckily, there are alternatives that can get teeth looking brighter with little to no sensation. We asked a few dentists to share their picks for the most effective at-home teeth whiteners and stain removers that should keep lingering pain to a minimum.

Our Top Picks:

  1. Best Overall: Crest 3D Whitestrips Sensitive White Kit, $40
  2. Best Teeth-Whitening Strips: Lumineux Whitening Strips, $45
  3. Best Teeth-Whitening Tray: Opalescence Go 15% Mint Teeth Whitening Tray, $84
  4. Best LED Light Teeth Whitener: Colgate Optic White ComfortFit Teeth Whitening Kit, $50
  5. Best Teeth-Whitening Duo: Supersmile Professional Teeth Whitening System, $40
  6. Best Teeth-Whitening Gel: Go Smile Professional White Teeth Whitening Gel, $29
  7. Pro-Level Teeth-Whitening Set: Smile Brilliant Professional Teeth Whitening Kit, $189

All products featured on Allure are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

  • Best Overall: Crest 3D Whitestrips Sensitive White Kit

    Most dentists, including the ones we asked here, agree that Crest Whitestrips are pretty much the gold standard for at-home stain fading. The regular version of the bleaching strips may be too intense for those with sensitive teeth, but board-certified cosmetic dentist Gregg Lituchy, DDS, of Lowenberg, Lituchy & Kantor in New York City says that the 3D Whitestrips Sensitive White Kit, which uses a lower concentration of peroxide, work really well on beneath-the-surface discoloration and won’t cause sensitivity. Place the non-slip strips on teeth for 30 minutes each day for the full 14-day treatment that comes in the kit.

  • Best Teeth-Whitening Strips: Lumineux Whitening Strips

    The beauty of Lumineux’s Whitening Strips is that each treatment only takes 30 minutes. Rather than utilizing sensitizing whitening ingredients like peroxides (which most whitening strips contain, according to the American Dental Association), Lumineux’s strips give you a whiter, brighter smile and a fresher, cleaner feel through a combination of essential oils like antimicrobial lemon peel and coconut oils along with tooth-polishing sea salt. The results: whiter teeth by the time you empty this whitening treatment’s 28-strip box.

  • Best Teeth-Whitening Trays: Opalescence Go 15% Mint Teeth Whitening Tray

    As its name suggests, the Opalescence Go 15% Mint Teeth Whitening Tray does contain 15% hydrogen peroxide, but New York City-based board-certified dentist Michael J. Wei, DDS says it’s a still suitable whitening solution for sensitive teeth. “This pre-filled whitening tray is perfect for those with sensitive teeth, providing superior whitening results with minimal sensitivity,” he says. Each box comes with 10 pre-filled, single-use daily whitening trays that’ll make your teeth noticeably sparklier within 10 days.

  • Best LED Light Teeth Whitener: Colgate Optic White ComfortFit Teeth Whitening Kit

    We’ll say it: The Colgate Optic White ComfortFit Teeth Whitening Kit is the one LED whitening kit to rule them all. This two-piece set comes with the brand’s beloved Optic White overnight teeth whitening pen, which is formulated with a low dose of hydrogen peroxide, and a purple LED light mouthpiece to intensify the whitening process without causing an uncomfortable reaction in the process.

    To use this daily, over-the-counter teeth whitener, simply brush on the formula, pop the LED light piece into your mouth for 10 minutes, and you’ll see noticeable results by day 10.

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