Crest 3D Whitestrips with Light Review (2025)

Do Crest 3D White Strips Work?

It’s no secret that Crest’s 3D Whitestrips work. In fact, many dentists recommend them for at-home teeth whitening. However I wanted to know if the LED light was worth the added expense, so I purchased the whole kit.

I tested Crest’s Whitestrips and LED light for 10 days. With the help of NewMouth’s team, I evaluated the safety of its ingredients and thousands of customer reviews to find out if my experiences were similar to other people.

Pros & Cons of Crest Whitestrips with Light

Here’s what I think of Crest’s 3D Whitening Kit based on my experience and what others are saying about the product:

What I Like About Crest Whitening Kit

• The whitening is legit. I was surprised at how much whiter my teeth got, even after just the first time. And my results lasted long too!
• Surprisingly gentle. I have sensitive teeth and usually avoid whitening, but these didn't bother me as much as other products I've tried.
• I barely noticed the strips. I was worried the strips would be fussy, but they stick on perfectly. I can watch my favorite shows while wearing them.
• My dentist approves. I checked with my dentist before using them, and she actually recommended these strips.
• They've got options. Once I finish my kit, I can try other whitening strips from Crest. There are strips for sensitive teeth and faster results.
• Perfect for travel! The strips and mouthpiece are so easy to pack. I can keep up with my treatment even when I'm on the road.

What I Don’t Like About Crest Whitening Kit

• Disappointing results. Some reviewers reported less-than-ideal outcomes, including minimal or uneven whitening and results that faded quickly.
• Causes tooth and gum issues. Several people complained about pain, sensitivity, soreness, and discoloration in their gums and/or teeth.
• Treatments are too long. I’ve tried other kits that asked me to leave the strips or whitening gel on for half the time.
• Disposable mouthpiece. While its batteries last longer than advertised, you can’t reuse them once they run out.
• There are more budget-friendly options. Next time, I’m planning to buy only the strips—the device adds to the cost and doesn’t feel necessary.

My Experience Using Crest White Strips

I was seeing a lot of great feedback on Crest 3D Whitestrips and wanted to try something different. So I went with their whitening kit, which included twenty No-Slip Whitening Strips and Crest’s LED Accelerator Light.

The kit was designed for a 10-day treatment and the device that came with it was supposed to last throughout this period. I put the popular whitening method to the test to see how my teeth would respond to it.

Before & After Results

The results were visible after the first use, as my teeth were noticeably brighter. I continued applying the strips and using the LED light for the next nine days. 

By the end of the treatment, my teeth were three shades lighter than when I started. I was honestly impressed, considering how much cheaper it is compared to in-office teeth whitening.

Crest claims its results can last up to 36 months so I didn’t use any teeth whiteners to test this claim. In my case, it wasn’t—my teeth started losing their brightness after 3 months.

If you don’t drink coffee as much as I do, your results will probably last longer than mine. But I’m not complaining given its price.

Sensitivity & Other Side Effects

I have sensitive teeth, so I wasn’t surprised when I started getting tingles on the second day. It was nothing unbearable or overly uncomfortable, though. They disappeared within hours after each treatment.

After seeing reviews of people whose gums were irritated, I made sure not to get the strips on mine. Thankfully, careful application helped me avoid the same issue.

Comfort & Ease of Use

Crest’s Whitestrips were easy to apply and adhered well to my teeth. Although 60 minutes felt like a long time to keep them on. I often watched my favorite series to pass the time and forget I was wearing them.

The LED device fit my mouth perfectly and was comfortable to wear. I wasn’t sure if it worked (supposedly, it enhances the strips’ whitening effects). But I liked that I only had to use it for 5 minutes with each treatment, which I thought was very convenient.

It was quite user-friendly too. Once switched on, you can just place it in your mouth and wait for it to automatically turn off in 5 to 7 minutes.

Are Crest 3D Whitestrips Safe For My Teeth?

Crest says its strips won’t damage the enamel or harm your teeth. Tests have shown they’re both safe and effective when used as directed.¹

I investigated Crest Whitestrips’ ingredients to see if there’s any truth to its claim. To make this possible, I got help from NewMouth’s research team. 

Here’s a breakdown of my findings:

• Crest 3D Whitestrips use hydrogen peroxide to whiten teeth. Dentists use the same bleaching agent in their teeth whitening procedures.^1,2,3
• The brand doesn’t indicate how much peroxide is in the strips. However, it has the American Dental Association (ADA) Seal of Acceptance, which suggests it contains safe levels of hydrogen peroxide (10% or less) for at-home teeth whitening.^4,5
• Formulas containing 10% hydrogen peroxide effectively whiten teeth, but they have a 65% chance of causing mild tooth sensitivity.⁶
• The addition of sodium hydroxide neutralizes the pH of hydrogen peroxide. This reduces the risk of sensitivity but also lessens its bleaching effect.⁷
• Crest uses a combination of ingredients so the gel stays on your teeth for longer whitening. Some of them (PVP and PEG) pose a few risks.⁶
• Some PEGs contain impurities that increase your risk for certain cancers.⁸
• Polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) is safe to use in oral care products. But it can irritate your eyes and skin and increase your risk for tooth sensitivity.^8,9,10,11
• Acrylates copolymer, which keeps the strips together, may also cause eye and skin irritation when it comes to contact with these areas.¹⁰

In a nutshell: Crest 3D Whitestrips are safe to use on your teeth and less likely to cause sensitivity because of their ingredients. That said, try not to get the gel on your skin and eyes so they don’t become irritated.

Follow the instructions and don’t use the strips longer and more frequently than advised. If you develop sensitivity, Crest recommends using the strips every other day or discontinuing use if the problems persist.¹²

What About Crest’s LED Light—Is It Safe Too?

The Crest LED Accelerator Light that comes with my kit—which the company says is safe to use—brings in additional safety concerns.¹³

Studies on the effectiveness of LED whitening are mixed. Some say they enhance the whitening process and others say they don’t work at all.^14,15

Early research suggests that the blue light coming from LED devices may cause phototoxicity with prolonged exposure.¹⁶ Since you only have to use Crest’s mouthpiece for 5 minutes with each treatment, this risk can be greatly reduced.¹²

What Customers Say About Crest 3D Whitestrips

The whitening kit received an average of 4.4 out of 5⭐ from over 16,100+ Amazon reviews. I collaborated with NewMouth’s team to analyze customer feedback and identify their most common experiences:

Positive Reviews on Crest 3D Whitestrips with Light

Customers say the kit gave them noticeably whiter teeth. Many of them received compliments from people who noticed their new smile:

“Within the first treatment, I could immediately tell that my teeth were whiter.”

“After just a few uses, I began to notice a significant improvement in the whiteness of my teeth. Stubborn stains from coffee, tea, and other food stains were visibly reduced, and my teeth appeared several shades brighter.”

“I have used 7 days out of 10 and have noticed a change in my smile. My teeth are whiter and others notice as well.”

People appreciate its ease of use, the adhesion of the strips, and the convenience of Crest’s LED mouthpiece:

“The application process of Crest Whitening Strips is straightforward and comfortable. These strips adhere securely to the teeth, ensuring a snug fit without any discomfort or slipping.”

“The standout feature of Crest 3D Whitestrips is their easy-to-use design. The strips are thin, flexible, and perfectly molded to fit the curves of your teeth, ensuring even coverage and optimal contact with the enamel. Applying the strips is a breeze, and they adhere securely to your teeth, allowing you to continue your daily activities while whitening your smile.”

“What I like as one who has used this type of product (LED light) in the past, is it’s only five minutes. Far superior time-wise than 30 minutes. Strips stay on teeth.”

A lot of reviewers didn’t experience sensitivity with the product:

“I have sensitive teeth and gums, no issues at all with these strips like I’ve had with past strips.”

“This was recommended by my dentist and worked better than expected! All whitening products cause sensitivity but I felt this one caused less issues.”

“Unlike some other teeth whitening methods, Crest 3D Whitestrips are gentle on the teeth and gums. I experienced no sensitivity issues during or after use, which is often a concern with teeth whitening products.”

Negative Reviews on Crest 3D Whitestrips

Some people aren’t impressed with their results and say that its whitening strips gave them minimal whitening:

“Crest strips are easy to use, but I am not sure that the whitening is all that effective. I did notice a slight improvement in the shade of my teeth, but will likely try a different product next time I need to use one.”

“Not sure what I was expecting but I didn’t get the whitening results I hoped for. My teeth usually whiten pretty easily with whitening strips, but I didn’t get much improvement at all even after the 10 treatments.”

“Personally, I used this precisely as directed for ten consecutive days (no coffee, no smoking, no soda, brushing twice a day, using whitening mouthwash), and you can see in my attached pictures that the change, while non-zero, is nothing to write home about.”

Some users developed sensitivity with Crest Whitestrips. Many of them had to stop using the product or reduce their treatment time:

“I would not recommend it for those with sensitive teeth as I have found out I have sensitive teeth after trying this. I’ve tried others before with no issues but with this one, I was experiencing toothache for hours at some point. It was unbearable.”

“Around day 4, I was noticing sensitivity in my actual teeth. I now have to spread out application days apart. It isn't painful, but very uncomfortable. I do recommend but not if you have sensitive teeth to begin with.”

“I have really sensitive teeth so after about 30 minutes. I had to cut my time short and use the light because my teeth were getting sensitive to the strips and the light did not help.”

Few customers experienced gum irritation, although some of them believed it was because of how they placed the strips:

“My gums were left sore and irritated so much that it was hard to even brush my teeth. Might have been worth it if it had actually whitened my teeth as I had hoped, but it didn’t.”

“On the first application, I took them off after 45 minutes because I couldn’t stand the pain. Two days later, my gums are so sore that it’s difficult to eat. After they heal, I’ll try again, but make sure the strips don’t touch my gums.”

“After putting on the first pair of strips, I could instantly feel my gums start to burn. I kept it on thinking the burning would subside—it didn’t. I took them off after 30 minutes and now my gums have burn marks on them. Maybe I put too much of the strip on my gums—I don’t know. But I’m going to try again after my burn marks heal.”

Where To Buy Crest 3D White Strips with Light

You can buy the Crest 3D Whitestrips + LED Light online at these stores:

• $75 on Crest (Original Whitening Strips at $4.68 per treatment)
• $69.99 on Amazon (No-Slip Whitening Strips at $6.99 per treatment)
• $68.42 on Walmart (No-Slip Whitening Strips at $6.84 per treatment)
• $74.99 on Walgreens (Original Whitening Strips at $3.94 per treatment)

To find the best deals: I recommend getting the kit from Amazon if you only want 10 days of treatment. They offer deals on the regular (I got mine for only $49.99!). But if you want longer treatments that last for 16 to 19 days, buy the kit from Crest’s website and Walgreens.

Final Thoughts on Crest 3D Whitestrips and Light

Crest Whitestrips with Light is a great choice if you want whiter teeth but don’t want to spend a fortune on professional treatment. The kit can give you a noticeably brighter smile with minimal risk for sensitivity.

However, some people have had less-than-satisfactory results and discomfort from using the product. The non-reusable LED light also adds unnecessarily to the cost. Thankfully, there are other alternatives available:

• For affordable teeth whitening ⁠— Try Crest’s 3D Whitestrips without the light. They’re usually cheaper, and you can choose from strips that provide faster results or gentler whitening.
• For shorter treatments — Snow’s whitening kit has 30-minute treatments and a reusable LED mouthpiece that you can continue using with refills.
• For sensitive teeth — Go for HiSmile’s PAP+ Whitening Strips. Unlike Crest, they don’t have hydrogen peroxide and instead use PAP+ to whiten teeth.