While some DIY whitening solutions are safe and effective, not all are. Some tips may even have negative consequences. Discuss any tooth whitening method, professional or DIY, with your dentist. Are At-Home Whitening Products Safe? Higher peroxide gel percentages (over 10%) may result in tooth sensitivity or even damage to the tooth pulp Casado, B. G., Moraes, S. L., Souza, G. F., Guerra, C. M., Souto-Maior, J. R., Lemos, C. A., …& Pellizzer, E. P. (2018). Efficacy of dental bleaching with whitening dentifrices: A systematic review. International Journal of Dentistry, 2018. Full text: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6232812/

For your safety, using at-home products for teeth whitening is best. These products may come in the form of whitening kits or whitening strips. Brushing your teeth at least twice per day and 45 minutes after meals containing sugary, acidic, or processed foods Some toothpaste abrasives may increase the risk of cavities (choose a toothpaste with low relative dentin abrasivity to avoid this) Crest Whitening Emulsions Leave-on Teeth Whitening Gel Kit: This was easy to apply with a pleasant, mild taste, but in testing, we saw zero whitening effects—even with the maximum amount of allowed applications per day. However, if they find that a mouthguard is uncomfortable, they may wish to consult a dentist about getting a custom product. What is a boil-and-bite mouthguard?The main reason to opt for a whitening pen and not a more comprehensive kit is convenience, and this pen by AuraGlow is nothing if not convenient. You won’t get mega-white brightening results here—we noted it lightens maybe a shade, at most—but you will get an easy and painless application process and the ability to easily whiten minor stains on the go. The only downside was that the strips only cover the front six to eight of your teeth, so if you were hoping for sparkling molars, this won’t get you there. Still, you get 21 treatments, which we thought was a great value considering you’ll be seeing results in just three days. We also appreciated that this is an alternative to more chemical-based kits, which makes it a little friendlier for people with sensitive teeth.

Kiosk teeth whitening: Many malls have teeth whitening “kiosks” where untrained people administer teeth whitening products. Companies such as these get around any legal constraints by having consumers themselves place the whitening tray into their mouths. This means that, under the law, they haven’t technically performed a dental procedure and aren’t responsible for the side effects or issues that may result. Avoid these at all costs. The best, longest-lasting, most sustainable way to whiten your teeth is with custom whitening gel trays. These whitening gel trays are made and custom-fitted by your dentist based on unique impressions of your teeth. Some home whitening kits involve covering your teeth with a whitening agent before placing a mouthguard on your teeth. Certain at-home kits have a heat lamp, blue light, or UV light within the mouthguard to “radiate” the whitening paste. However, a small 2021 study suggests that it is unclear whether this actually increases the gel’s effectiveness.Pens deposit much less product onto your teeth, so can be used more frequently, but you should still aim for one to two applications per day (and limit use to one or two weeks at a time or as needed). Trays are commonly recommended for up to 30 minutes, and light kits are usually left in place for shorter periods of time, often less than 10 minutes. The duration for both varies but is usually no more than two or three weeks in total. Whatever diagnosis you've received for your mouth, a guard that fits well and is comfortable, durable, and resistant to tearing will hopefully relieve any painful symptoms. There are three types of mouthguards to consider: