A custom-fit, take-home tray from your dentist is the most ideal scenario, but you can get these “boil-n-bite” trays, which you can (at least somewhat) mold to your teeth, from drugstores. Just be sure to follow all instructions, and let the tray cool enough that you don’t burn yourself when putting it in your mouth.
Walgreens Xtreme Whitening Wraps
Dr. Messina agrees that prolonged contact of whitener with teeth is key. “What we have to do is keep the whitening agent on the teeth,” he says. “So strips or trays have a better ability to keep the whitening agent against the teeth [than other products like pens] because [the whitening agent is] only effective as long as it stays there and saliva doesn’t wash [it] off.”
If you’re having trouble finding trays that fit your mouth well, these more fitted wraps from Walgreens could do the trick.
AuraGlow Teeth Whitening Kit
New York City-based cosmetic dentist, Pia Lieb, D.D.S., waxes poetic about the AuraGlow Teeth Whitening Kit, as it’s highly effective and also more affordable than other products on the market. “This whitening solution comes with trays and a LED light to comfortably whiten both your top and bottom teeth,” she says. “It also features 35 percent carbamide peroxide (most dental offices use a 40 percent peroxide formula), which is a testament to the great results this product produces.”
Smile Brilliant Professional Teeth Whitening Kit
If the Smile Brilliant Professional Teeth Whitening Kit looks like serious business, that’s because it is. It’s practically a dentist’s office in a box, minus the soft-rock Pandora station playing in the background. “These custom trays properly fit the teeth and allow for better contact of the bleaching material with the tooth,” New York City-based dentist Marc Sclafani, D.D.S., has told Allure. You even have the option of a regular or sensitive-teeth version of the carbamide peroxide formula to choose from, the latter of which comes with a special desensitizing gel.
Crest 3D White Whitestrips 1-Hour Express Teeth Whitening Kit
If you want to land a whiter smile in an hour or less, then this kit from Crest is a must-try. Arizona-based dentist Brian Harris, D.D.S., highly recommends it. “For those who want really fast results, these are great as they’re applied once a day for a week and activated with a blue light during each application that works overtime to give you a whiter smile,” he tells Allure.
Colgate Optic White At-Home Teeth Whitening Kit
Both Dr. Lieb and Dr. Harris are fans of Colgate’s Optic White At-Home Teeth Whitening Kit, which combines LED whitening light with blue light technology to activate the stain-removing hydrogen peroxide gel that’s applied to the teeth via its rechargeable tray.