The Insider Pick:
- The best teeth whitening kits come with everything you need to whiten your teeth, are easy to use, and do not irritate your gums or teeth. The Active Wow Teeth Whitening Charcoal Powder has all of these features, plus it’s affordable, does not use harmful chemicals, and comes in different flavors.
Let’s face it. Some of the most addictive beverages and habits are not the best for our pearly whites. Fortunately, if you want white teeth, you don’t have to say goodbye to coffee, soda, sweets, tea, wine, and smoking because there are many teeth whitening kits to choose from (we still recommend that you kick the smoking habit for obvious reasons).
Teeth whitening is a $3.2 billion worldwide industry. Consequently, there are thousands of options out there, including expensive services at your dentist’s office. Thankfully, if you want to save money, there are several effective kits that you can use at home.
There are essentially two types of kits: ones that bleach your teeth to take stains off and ones that physical scrape off the stains. Activated charcoal powders have become quite popular in recent years. They are applied with a toothbrush and scrape stains off. Whitening trays and strips have been the standard for decades and generally rely on carbamide or hydrogen peroxide.
A few warnings about teeth whitening kits
Peroxide is effective, but it comes with several warnings. Pregnant or nursing women should not use peroxide-based whitening products. It also isn’t for children under fourteen years old. And, you should not use peroxide for longer than two weeks of daily use without the supervision of a dentist.
The FDA does not recommend using any whitening gels with a peroxide concentration of higher than 18%. Two of the kits we recommend use peroxide (Crest Whitestrips and GLO Brilliant), but they should be safe for most people.
You need to be careful using whitening products, . Always consult with your dentist before starting a course of treatment. For instance, if your darkened teeth are due to the natural thinning of tooth enamel that comes with aging, whitening kits will not help you. Also, they cannot whiten fillings, dentures, veneers, crowns, or caps.
Experts say that whitening kits are safe when used as directed. However, gum irritation and tooth sensitivity are common side effects even when you follow the directions. Therefore, about a week before you start your whitening regimen, use a toothpaste specifically designed for people with sensitive teeth or one that builds up enamel. And, skip a day or two of use if you do experience sensitivity.
We undertook hours of research combing through both consumer and expert reviews and ratings before settling on the whitening kits we’ve included in this guide. Each of the teeth whitening kits we feature in the following slides are effective, easy to use, and unlikely to irritate your teeth or gums.
Read on to learn why the Active Wow Teeth Whitening Charcoal Powder is our top pick and why you might prefer the Crest 3D White Professional Effects Whitestrips
Why you’ll love it: If you are looking for an alternative to chemical whitening treatments, the Active Wow Teeth Whitening Charcoal Powder is an excellent choice that shows results after a few treatments.
The three main ingredients of the Active Wow Teeth Whitening Charcoal Powder are charcoal powder, bentonite, and orange seed oil. The powder is made from organic coconut activated charcoal powder. It pulls stains from your teeth using an “adsorption” process. The high mineral content of the bentonite remineralizes your teeth. And, the orange seed oil is added for its antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties.
To use the powder, you simply dip a wet toothbrush (we do not recommend using an electric brush) into the powder and brush the front of your teeth for a minute or two. Then, rinse thoroughly. You only need a little bit of the powder for each brushing, which makes this product a great value. The Active Wow Charcoal Powder comes in six flavors, including natural, cinnamon, orange, and peppermint.
One of my colleagues received a test unit of the Charcoal Powder, and she noticed an impressive difference after just a few uses. Though, she noted that there was not an immediate change like you might experience from one of the bleaching products out there, such as strips.
BuzzFeed also took this Active Wow product for a test drive. Its review is best summed up by the headline: “This Charcoal Teeth Whitener Is So Good, I’m Convinced It’s Actually Magic.” The reviewer recommends buying a separate toothbrush for the treatment since it turns your bristles black.
The Active Wow Teeth Whitening Charcoal Powder has more than 10,000 five-star ratings on Amazon. The most helpful reviews on Amazon show clear evidence of the product’s effectiveness with before and after pictures.
However, there are a few complaints about how messy it is. One user recommended brushing in the shower since you can easily rinse the area off when you’re done. Another minor issue is that it takes a bit of work to get all of the tiny charcoal particles out of your teeth.
Pros: Dramatic results after just a few uses, short application time, doesn’t make teeth sensitive
Cons: Messy
Buy the Active Wow Teeth Whitening Charcoal Powder on Amazon for $24.79 (originally $29.99)
Why you’ll love it: If the idea of putting charcoal in your mouth or resting a tray on your teeth doesn’t sound appealing, Crest 3D White Professional Effects Whitestrips are an effective, dentist-recommended way to get whiter teeth.
The Crest 3D White Professional Effects Whitestrips kit comes with 40 strips for 20 treatments (each treatment consists of a strip on the upper teeth and one on the lower teeth.) You are supposed to wear the strips for half an hour once per day.
Crest’s “Advanced Seal Technology” offers a no-slip grip, which allows you to drink water and talk while wearing the strips. Crest claims that after the 20 daily treatments, you can remove 14 years of tooth stains. Hydrogen peroxide is one of the active ingredients in the Whitestrips.
Babble recommended the Professional Effects Whitestrips because they produce whiter, brighter teeth in just four applications. However, the reviewer found that the treatments may be too harsh for sensitive teeth.
Lastly, Good Housekeeping rated the Crest 3D Whitestrips as the winner in its tooth whitener test because of its easy application and excellent results.
The Crest 3D White Professional Effects Whitestrips have four- or five-star ratings from more than 5,000 reviewers on Amazon. Buyers report that they see impressive results in as few as five treatments.
There are several tips from users who have used these strips for a while. For example, you should not let the strips rest on your gums, or you will experience irritation. Also, avoid brushing your teeth before using the strips to reduce the chance of tooth sensitivity.
Pros: Produces results in four or five uses, recommended by dentists, low peroxide levels
Cons: May irritate the gums or cause tooth sensitivity
