• Whitening Toothpastes and Gels – These products generally contain small amounts of whitening agents (generally 1% or less peroxide) and mild abrasives that help to scrub off surface stains from the outer layer of the tooth. Most dental professionals consider these products only minimally-effective, but some products get rave reviews.


• Mouthwashes – These liquid rinses generally contain hydrogen peroxide and are designed to break up stains before brushing. Readers point to using plain hydrogen peroxide as a much cheaper option, but this can be a little risky (See more info below).


• Whitening Strips and Trays– Deemed to be effective and safe, these products generally contain approximately 3-6% peroxide. While most contain the same whitening ingredients, the actual method of holding those ingredients close to the teeth varies including; thin polyethylene strips that stick to the teeth, strips that dissolve on the teeth, or trays that fits around teeth. A favorite option among many readers for low costs with good results.


• Gums or Lozenges– It is not clear how a gum or candy lozenge could truly whiten teeth, but chewing gum does stimulate saliva and help to remove particles from the teeth as you chew. These products also seem to include calcium which strengthens the teeth. Getting enough calcium through supplements or dairy foods may provide similar benefits. 

• In-office Lightening (i.e. Zoom) – The fastest, but most expensive whitening option by far. The dental professional will apply the bleaching solution and then treat the area with a light that speeds the whitening process. Costs range from $500-800, but the results can be rather dramatic because dentists are able to apply a solution of 15-40% hydrogen peroxide. Some readers reported painful results including burning gums, so it is important to find a reputable dentist who is careful to follow precautions in protecting the soft tissues of the mouth.


• Custom Dental Trays – Yet another way to attain good results. A dental professional fits trays to the upper and lower teeth, which the patient uses at home along with a solution that is 10-20% peroxide. A reader who happens to be a dental hygienist reports that this combination of in-office and at-home treatment is very effective and economical for many patients with costs around $250-300.

• I have recently been using LISTERINE WHITENING® Quick Dissolving Strips they work well but I really don't like the taste or the sticky gooey feeling you get in your mouth and on your lips while using them. They did work better then some of the other stuff I've used and are well worth the bad taste and stickiness once you get used to it, you also need to make sure that you put them on right because the whitening agent is only on one side and if you put it on wrong the whole thing sticks to your lips. While using them I've been also using Crest whitening toothpaste. -Virginia from KY
• While the idea of "Quick Dissolving Strips" may at first seem preferable to other strips, this is a two-edged sword. I found that even the heat from your fingers can cause them to be hard to maneuver. Once you get them in your mouth, you had better be sure they are positioned where you want them, otherwise (true to advertisement) they will already have started to dissolve. Also, the taste was rather strong and tended to give me a headache.On the plus side, they did seem to work faster at whitening than the Crest strips. So if you can put up with the more-than-one try to get them in approach and the taste - go for it! – Glenda from FL
• A couple of years ago I got tired of seeing everyone else's dazzlingly white smile that couldn't possibly have come from just tooth brushing (I am a fastidious after-meal brusher) and decided to go to get my teeth whitened too. I saw an ad in the paper to have them "zoom"ed and so I went. The dentist was more than happy to sit me down in the chair, tape my lips up in some ridiculously tin-foil like contraption, not to mention that it wasn't very comfortable, and start zapping me with some sort of light that was excruciatingly painful, to the point where after about a half an hour, I had to have him stop. Since I have gum disease, he failed to tell me that I probably wouldn't be able to endure the procedure, and so, I spent the next 3 days with barely whitened teeth, painkillers because the pain never let up, a big credit card bill, and no need I say, not feeling very smiley anyway. - Lisa
• Another way to keep your teeth white is to sip through a straw when you are drinking dark-colored sodas or coffee/ tea beverages. Coffee, tea, and colas darken and stain teeth.- LindaAnn from NY
• I have about 3 different boxes of whitening strips that I really do not care to use because they are so hard to apply. My teeth are small and I have to cut the strips in half in order to get them to fit properly and this is a very messy process. If I don't do this my mouth will fill up with excess gel and it makes me gag, causes sensitive gums, and I have to spit out the strips before the time is up. I have recently purchased some whitening sticks. There called Bright Wand, Night Wand. You just apply a thin layer of the gel wax over your front upper and lower teeth and the wax gel will naturally dissolve in about a half hour or while you sleep. I have seen good results with the Bright Wand, Night Wand, so the stick seems to work so much easier and better for me. - Carol
• Ok so I held off forever going the zoom route but finally broke down and went in and spent the money and the uncomfortable time having it done. The process was not without discomfort and the gel burned inside and outside my bottom lip which then blistered despite the dentist putting something to prevent this from happening. The results were less than I expected and you’re not supposed to have anything like wine, coffee, tea, or juices that would stain for like 48 hours afterwards which was not great in my case being an adora fan and a coffee drinker especially in the a.m. I think it's a waste of money unless you really have yellow teeth as it really didn't do much for mine and no one commented on them which I had hoped for. – Sue
• I must admit that I am one of those people who have purchased several different tooth whitening kits over the years, and none of them seemed to work. They were all very messy with trays that really didn’t even fit your teeth – more trouble than they were worth. When my teenage son got his braces off, he wanted to have the Zoom whitening done to get rid of the marks from the braces. Because of the price of the procedure, I thought that a much cheaper option would be to try the Crest Premium White Strips 7-day program. With this program, you wear the strips (one on the upper and one on the lower) for 30 minutes twice a day. We were ready for another disappointing result from the over-the-counter remedies, but were genuinely surprised by how well it worked. After seeing how well it worked on our son, we have all tried it with outstanding results. We simply put the strips on after waking up in the morning and wear them while showering and getting ready. After the 30 minutes, we brush our teeth and go about the day. The other set of strips we usually wear while watching television or while we go for our nightly walks, and then brush our teeth after removing the strips. With this system, the strips adhere so well to your teeth that every nook and cranny is covered. Because of this, you can actually start to see results after just two or three days. After our huge success with the Crest Premium White Strips, I don’t really think we could justify the huge expense of the Zoom whitening. – Cathi
• I am a registered dental hygienist in Colorado, and have a couple of suggestions for whitening teeth. Mouth rinses and paint-on bleach, even toothpastes don't do much. Crest white strips work pretty well, but the best results have been on a patient who used about 5 kits over about the same amount of months, which is safe, but costly-whereas she could have done professional tray bleaching through the dental office for about the same amount she spent on the kits. The best results I have seen have been a combination of in-office bleaching and home custom-tray bleaching which is more costly but faster results! In our instant-gratification society this has been a popular alternative-more popular than I ever imagined! I've heard recently from a couple of sources that rubbing lemon across the teeth is a great and cheap way to whiten our teeth. While it might work for a short time, the acid DESTROYS ENAMEL-and is PERMANENT.
• I purchased Plus White 5 minute speed whitening gel. After just a couple of days my gums were so sore that whenever I used the gel it would burn my gums really bad. I skipped using the gel for a day or so and than tried it again. My gums did not seem to be so irritated this time when I used the gel. I tried the gel for a few more days for maybe a week or week and a half but than I just gave up. My teeth did not get any whiter but they sure did get more sensitive and my gums stayed sore.
• I’ve used several whiteners but found the Crest White Strips to be the very best by far. They are so easy to use and they really, really work. I just completed my 14th day of using them (2X/day) when I was traveling on an airplane and someone next to me asked me if I just had my teeth whitened! They commented on how white my teeth looked. There is really a noticeable difference that is clear to see right away! I use these once a year, sometimes two times a year. - Linda
• I have tried both the Crest Whitening Strips and Rembrandt Whitening Paste. Granted they worked but they made my gums extremely sensitive. Now I use Tom's Natural Tooth Paste with Baking Soda. Then I rinse with Listerine afterwards. My teeth are white not dingy and my gums feel great. - Jana
• I have used the whitestrips which do work but don't have perfect results. It's hard to get them between the teeth. I have used supersmile rinse which keeps any whitening from other products white but doesn't change the color itself. I had the zoom whitening done which by far was the biggest change, though over the past year, it hasn't kept it as white as it was after the first day. I use the trays done by the dentist every so often for a couple days to maintain my color since I do drink coffee which stains my teeth. The gel from the dentist does cause tooth sensitivity so I can't use it for more than 2 days in a row. I use the sensitive toothpaste to help with that issue. - Cara
• I use Crest White Strips, and have been doing so for several years. I have had comments from many people on how white my teeth are. I had a woman that I know only from a store she owns stop me in a super market to tell me how white my teeth are. If I read that I would think it was for advertising purposes, but it is true. Not long ago my son looked at me at a picnic table and said "Boy your teeth are really white, what do you use?" I had my grandson visit me this summer and he also commented on how white me teeth are, he is 13. I use the strips twice a year and do not plan to stop. - Myrna
• For my 50th birthday, my husband gave me in-office dental whitening. I loved the results. It was almost immediate, and did not increase sensitivity. I had always had yellowish teeth and never smiled. This was one of the best gifts I have ever had! – D from Oregon

Top of Page