Best overnight treatment: Colgate Optic White Overnight Teeth Whitening Pen
- Price: around $25
- Type: pen
- Active ingredients: hydrogen peroxide
- How long it lasts: 35 days
This teeth whitening pen gets to work overnight. Colgate writes it can remove years’ worth of staining in 1 week.
To use the pen, people click the pen to dispense the hydrogen peroxide gel onto their teeth. People then apply the gel to clean, dry teeth.
The pen contains 35 treatments. It is reportedly safe for tooth enamel and designed to avoid tooth sensitivity.
Online reviews said the product worked well but was not as easy to apply as Colgate advertised. Some also said the product did not last as long as advertised and caused an unpleasant texture on their teeth. However, others said it was easy to use and produced noticeable results.
Pros
- works overnight
- easy to use and affordable
- may remove significant staining in a week
- dispenses a controlled amount of gel to protect gums
Cons
- reviewers write the whitening gel can harden in the pen
- some reviews said it was not effective
- does not specify the hydrogen peroxide strength
Best sustainable kit: Bite Whitening Gel
- Price: $24
- Type: gel
- Active ingredients: hydrogen peroxide
- How long it lasts: 2 weeks
The manufacturer states this product contains no plastics, alcohol, parabens, propylene glycol, or phthalates. Its packaging is recyclable and compostable, and the company claims it does not test its products on animals.
To use this product, people apply the gel to their teeth twice daily for 14 days. They must smile for 2 minutes while the product works, which may be uncomfortable to do. If a person wants to apply another treatment, they must wait 2 weeks.
Many online users reported good results. Some users said the leftover product did not last very long in the container. Others said their gums briefly turned white.
Pros
- includes “clean” ingredients
- fully recyclable and compostable packaging
- simple to use
- reportedly gentle on gums
Cons
- people may find smiling for 2 minutes while the product works difficult
- gel does not last more than 3 weeks
- people must wait 30 minutes to eat and drink after treatment
