These 10 Dental Products Are Making People's Teeth 'White AF' – And None Of Them Are Whitestrips

Senior shopping writer Tessa Flores previously wrote about putting these teeth whitening pens to the test, and found that they were much gentler on her sensitive teeth than whitening strips, while still delivering visible results. "After the first morning of application using the pre-filled brush-tipped pen, I felt as though my teeth lightened at least half a shade and looked more luminous overall," she wrote. "After sporadic use over the next month or so, I noticed surface stains continued to lighten, even in areas like around my gumline and between my teeth, where my staining is typically the most stubborn and where whitening strips have the hardest time reaching."

The pens contain a gel with an enamel-safe carbamide peroxide formula, which is easy to precisely apply with the fine pen tip. You can get up to 20 uses out of a single pen, and the shape and size make this whitening treatment easy to take on the go.

If you haven't heard about TheraBreath's widely beloved toothpastes, just know the line may put your dentist out of work (we're only sort of kidding). That line includes a whitening toothpaste, sold in a two-pack, which is peroxide-free and works to eliminate bad breath and whiten your teeth at the same time. According to the brand, you can see significant results in as little as one week with twice-daily brushing. The toothpaste is minty fresh and made in the USA.

While we admit it's far pricier than a lot of toothpaste out there, this is one that seems to be more than worth the extra cost (and can potentially help you save on expensive whitening treatments, as one reviewer pointed out).

These Lumineux whitening strips were previously recommended to HuffPost for people with sensitive teeth by dentists. They're non-toxic and, unlike Crest 3D Whitestrips, peroxide-free. Instead, they use natural whitening ingredients like coconut oil and Dead Sea salt. The box comes with 21 treatments that work in much the same way as the Crest strips: Apply them for 30 minutes once a day for four days, and then once a week after that or as directed by your dentist.

This kit is slightly pricier than Crest, but like Crest, is a bestseller among whitening kits (specifically with LED lights). It's still much cheaper than professional treatments, too, with 20 treatments for under $50. The kid includes an LED accelerator light and carbamide peroxide gel that can whiten your teeth up to 10 shades in just a week, with minimum sensitivity. The kit also comes with a charging cable and storage case, making it easy to take on the go.

Promising review: "I never write reviews but I had to let the people know! I am only 6 days in and just look at the difference! I went from yellow AF to white AF! I felt a little sensitivity in the beginning but absolutely nothing compared to the sensitivity crest white strips gave me. It's really not even an issue. This works. Period." — Anna

Crest 3D Whitestrips have thousands of fans, but these Guru Nanda strips are no slouch, either, with 4.4 stars across over 16,000 ratings. Part of what makes them so popular is the dry strip adhesion technology that keeps them from sliding around, as well as the unobtrusive taste, especially when compared with Crest. In addition to hydrogen peroxide, these strips use coconut extract to provide results that reviewers say are visible after just a few treatments.

Promising review: "This stuff is amaaaaazing. Like, listen, I'm not sitting here eating whitening strips, but if they're in your mouth, you're unfortunately going to be able to taste them. This is soooo much better than a Crest strip. Crest strips make me gag. This is much more coconut-y. Again, don't go TRYING to taste it, but it's less incidentally unpleasant than other options. And they work! They worked for me in one use. I also like the little chart they give you to show your progress. I also normally have sensitivity issues after white strips, but not with these!" — Alyssa

Like whitening toothpaste, whitening mouthwash like Colgate Optic White can be an easy way to maintain a whiter smile without doing treatments that are more involved. Now, the brand says the mouthwash works to eliminate surface stains and prevent new ones, so it's not going to be as in-depth as a professional-level treatment. Still, it freshens breath, kills bacteria, is alcohol-free and is a great step for maintaining your pearly whites.

Promising review: "This stuff has pulled me back from the brink of despair, no joke! White teeth have always been a cornerstone of my sense of personal attractiveness, but over the past two months something must have changed in my life or my mouth chemistry, because my teeth became very yellow and even grayish in places! (Gasp) The really scary thing was, they were responding only minimally to the Crest white strips I’ve sworn by for decades. I felt mortified and helpless, and I concluded I’d just have to save big money to have them treated at the dentist. I got this mouthwash on a whim, and started using it as part of my obsessively thorough oral hygiene routine, with zero expectations of any kind. Imagine my astonishment when about a week later, I was looking at a much more familiar set of teeth in the mirror. I’m positive that my renewed brushing fervor had a lot to do with it too, (though bear in mind I’m allergic to everything, so my toothpaste has nothing useful in it), but I believe this product does actually work. I’m not even swishing with it twice a day. I AM using it for a full minute instead of 30 seconds though (but not longer, bc I don’t want to damage my enamel) (Speaking of enamel, I follow this with @ fluoride mouthwash and don’t rinse with water afterwards - this can actually remineralize your enamel and keep those teeth forming becoming discolored!)

Oh, one more thing I love about this whitening rinse... it treats the whole mouth evenly! I used to cut up white strips and use extra on the sides sometimes because the product doesn’t wrap around all your teeth, so I’d get kind of an unfortunate ombré going on the left and right. I’m seeing much less of that with this rinse! Pretty sure I’ll be a customer for life!" — Missy

Designed to be rinsed with before you brush your teeth, this mouthwash has whitening, anti-bacterial and breath-freshening benefits. It can be used alone or added to a water flosser. Reviewers say this rinse "actually delivers" and is gentle on gums, while also getting into places that can be hard to reach with something like a whitening gel.

Don't have 30 to 60 minutes to spare for a whitening treatement? No problem with MySmile's whitening kit, which uses LED and carbamide peroxide to treat teeth in just 10 minutes. "My teeth look noticeably whiter, and the process is comfortable," one reviewer wrote, adding that results were visible in just a few days of use. The gel is enamel-safe, though just note that it only works on natural teeth, according to the brand.

Promising review: "I have used crest white strips forever and the ones with the UV light which are very expensive. These work better than anything I’ve ever used before and only takes 10 minutes which is fantastic! There is no weird flavor, no sensitivity at all and I have sensitive teeth. My teeth have never been so white and I have only used it three times. Also they give you three syringes and these are going to last me for a very long time. I’d say each syringe will last one week and I don’t even think I’m going to do it again except to maintain because my teeth are that white!!" — Morgan Montgomery

Last year, we covered the Hismile V34 tooth whitening color correcting serum, the purpleness of which may surprise you. The reason it's purple is to neutralize your teeth's yellow undertones, making them appear whiter. This is a temporary effect, as it's only occurring on the surface, and dentists say you shouldn't overuse it (it isn't toothpaste). Still, if you want a cheap way to get a whitening effect that's gentle and peroxide-free, this is a much more affordable alternative to Whitestrips.