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If you want a whiter smile fast, you’re not alone. Over 80% of Americans aged 18 to 49 want whiter teeth.1
There are several safe and efficient options for teeth whitening treatments. Always talk to your dentist before attempting these yourself. Teeth whitening is not a replacement for good oral hygiene.
If you want white teeth in a day, the best option is to get professional treatment from your dentist. Having your teeth whitened at a dental office is also safer, especially if you have sensitive teeth or gums.
However, if you’re looking for at-home treatments, there are many options you can try, including over-the-counter products and DIY remedies.
Get your brightest smile with NewMouth's top teeth whitening picks for 2024.
Various products can whiten your teeth at home. Keep in mind that whitening only treats certain causes of teeth discoloration, such as those caused by red wine and coffee. Read our article about 10 Causes of Yellow Teeth to learn about different types of tooth discoloration.
Here are some popular options to make your teeth bright quickly:
At-home whitening kits are affordable, easy to use, and produce great results in less than two weeks. These kits include a mouthpiece with LED lights and a whitening gel.
Be sure to choose one with a hydrogen or carbamide peroxide-based serum. If your teeth are prone to sensitivity, use a lower concentration of whitening agent (6 percent hydrogen peroxide or 20 percent carbamide peroxide).
Teeth whitening strips are another affordable and effective at-home whitening treatment. If used correctly, they are safe and produce minimal side effects.9,10,11
Whitestrips are made from a thin, flexible plastic coated with a tooth-bleaching agent. They’re less expensive than LED whitening kits.
However, we recommend LED kits because whitening strips are difficult to place on your teeth. They also cannot whiten the tight spaces between your teeth, which may cause uneven whitening results.
Brushing with a whitening toothpaste can help remove extrinsic (surface) stains from your teeth.14 However, they don’t remove intrinsic stains and are much less effective than:
Whitening toothpastes are best used in combination with the above teeth whitening methods. This can help prevent new stains from accumulating on your teeth.
When buying whitening toothpaste, always look for the ADA Seal of Acceptance. This seal indicates the product has undergone extensive clinical and laboratory research and has proven to be safe, reliable, and of high quality.
Whitening mouthwashes containing hydrogen peroxide can also help remove or prevent extrinsic stains. Like toothpastes, mouthwashes are less effective than the other teeth whitening methods mentioned above.14,15
Baking soda-based paste is an effective and safe teeth-whitening method. Studies show that baking soda pastes are more effective at removing stains than some non–baking soda whitening mixtures.4
Here’s how to make your own baking soda toothpaste:
Once this is done, your teeth should look brighter. Keep in mind that baking soda can only remove superficial stains. Deeper stains (intrinsic) typically require professional teeth whitening.
The majority of DIY whitening home remedies lack any scientific backing. Most of the “evidence” is anecdotal, meaning someone has shared their personal experience.
This is an opinion and is not the same as scientific evidence. DIY home whitening remedies that do not have any scientific evidence supporting their effectiveness include:
Talk to your dentist about these DIY whitening methods before trying them. In some cases, using products like apple cider vinegar can actually harm your teeth.
The best, safest, and most effective way to whiten your teeth in one day is with professional teeth whitening treatment. While these treatments are effective and produce instant results, they are expensive.
The price can range between $400 to $1,500 depending on a few factors, like:
However, you only need to undergo professional whitening every six months to a year. Some options include:
Zoom! Chairside whitens your teeth safely and effectively (up to 90% of their maximum brightness). The whitening procedure is quick, whitening your teeth in just over an hour. This office whitening treatment is also FDA-approved and takes one hour to complete.
Opalescence Boost is a chemically activated whitening product. This means it doesn’t require LED teeth whitening lights which may be uncomfortable.
It’s also relatively quick. The activated gel will typically brighten your teeth within one hour.
This tooth-whitening method uses a refrigerated, high-potency gel. This gel is combined with a scientifically designed application system to deliver visibly whiter teeth after just one use. KöR also claims to provide less tooth sensitivity than leading brands like Zoom.
This method is a quick, easy, and pain-free experience that takes about 15 minutes to set up. The entire whitening process only takes an hour.
Sapphire teeth whitening treatment contains 25% hydrogen peroxide. It’s also a chemically activated procedure that doesn’t require lasers or lamps.
See NewMouth’s top 10 teeth whitening products of 2024.
Professional in-office whitening treatment is the only way to see significant results in one day. However, at-home whitening treatments are available and give you similar results.
It will take up to two weeks to see significant results. Whitening toothpaste and mouthwashes are best used as a preventative treatment once you have achieved your desired whitening results.
DIY treatments such as charcoal, acidic fruits, vinegar, fruit peels, and coconut oil have no scientific research to back them and aren't recommended. Baking soda may have whitening effects but is less effective than hydrogen or carbamide peroxide.
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