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NewMouth's Top Recommendations
Best Overall — AuraGlow Teeth Whitening Pen
Best on Tough Stains — VieBeauti
Best for Sensitive Teeth — Crest Whitening Emulsions
Best On-the-Go — AsaVea Bright White
Best-Tasting — SweetWhite
Best Fast-Acting — Colgate Optic White Overnight
Best with LED Light — iSmile Teeth Whitening Kit
Best Clean Option — Cali White Professional Teeth Whitening Pen
Best Vegan Option — Tarte Pearly Girl Vegan Teeth Whitening Pen
There’s a teeth whitening pen for everyone. Here are the best options to choose from:
AuraGlow® has everything you want in a teeth whitener. It’s pocket-sized, dries in less than a minute, and has great flavor. Plus, it can give you a brighter smile that’s 4 to 8 shades lighter if you use it twice daily. The price starts at around $20 per kit.
This carbamide-based whitening pen is gentle for daily use, which makes it ideal for sensitive teeth. The soft brush tip lets you coat stained teeth and crevices with precision.
Regarding ingredients, AuraGlow® Teeth Whitening Pen is completely kosher and gluten-free. It also contains Mentha Piperita oil, giving it a cool mint flavor that leaves your breath fresh after every use.
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VieBeauti® Teeth Whitening Pen lightens teeth, making them 4 to 8 shades whiter. Using it twice daily helps remove stubborn stains caused by smoking and food stains caused by coffee, tea, wine, and carbonated beverages.
Like most products, it has a 35% carbamide peroxide formula which is scientifically proven effective. It works on tough stains caused by smoking and dark foods such as coffee, tea, wine, and soda.
One standout feature of the VieBeauti® Whitening Pen is the twist-type mechanism. It supplies the applicator with just enough whitening gel, helping you avoid wastage. It also comes in a pocket-sized 5-inch design.
Normal teeth whitening pens can be too harsh on sensitive teeth. Crest aims to overcome this problem using their whitening emulsions kit. This product uses highly active peroxide droplets suspended in a water-resistant base to combat tooth sensitivity.
The Crest Whitening Emulsions Pen also comes in different varieties. You can choose from either a built-in applicator or a wand applicator. There’s also a version with an LED light to help you achieve quicker results.
Instead of twisting the pen to apply the serum, you’ll have to squeeze the tube. This product uses hydrogen peroxide to whiten your teeth.
Many gels from teeth whitening pens take time to dry, so they’re not the most convenient option. They also don't allow for quick touch-ups. More often than not, you must ensure that the whitening gel stays on long enough for a whiter smile.
AsaVea® Teeth Whitening Pen is an excellent option for on-the-go teeth whitening. Aside from being travel-friendly, the gel dries within 30 seconds of application, leaving you less to worry about if you’re always in a hurry. It also has a mint flavor, so your breath smells fresh after use.
The name says it all. SweetWhite® Professional Teeth Whitening Pen gives you a brighter smile while leaving a delightful taste in your mouth. It has a sweet peppermint flavor thanks to the combination of propylene glycol, sucralose, and natural peppermint oil.
SweetWhite® comes with a clinically-proven formula. It contains 35% carbamide peroxide, giving you a white smile after 7 days of daily use. To top it off, it’s gluten-free and kosher.
Daytime activities such as eating, drinking, and constant salivation can reduce the effects of a teeth whitening pen and delay the results. Shifting to an overnight teeth whitening pen can maximize their whitening power and get a brighter smile faster.
Such is the case with Colgate® Optic White Overnight. You can apply it after your oral care routine at night and safely leave it on while you sleep. During this time, its main ingredient (3% hydrogen peroxide) will act on your teeth to give you a whiter smile.
Its unique formulation also coats your teeth with a protective layer, so it doesn’t wash off with saliva. To remove it, just brush your teeth as soon as you wake up. Colgate® Optic White Overnight can give you pearly white teeth within a week. So if you want a fast-acting teeth whitener with visible results, look no further.
At around $50 per pack, iSmile® is one of the market's more expensive whitening pens. They also have teeth whitening pens only, but the teeth whitening kit produces more visible results quickly.
The package, which includes a whitening gel and a LED light, has double the whitening power. It combines the effects of both products, giving you a whiter smile that’s 15 shades lighter. Its formula also allows for remineralization and reverses early damage to the enamel.
One major drawback of iSmile® is that it’s an at-home treatment, not an on-the-go teeth whitening pen. Each treatment has to last 15 minutes. Otherwise, you won’t get the promised effects.
Cali White® is an excellent option for buyers looking for “clean” teeth whiteners. This means it is made of non-toxic ingredients and is environmentally friendly.
This USA-made product has a lot to offer in this department. It’s vegan, non-GMO, kosher, and gluten-free. It only has certified organic ingredients and doesn’t contain sulfates, parabens, PEG, and PPG. Best of all, it is dentist-approved.
For teeth whitening, it still relies on a 35% carbamide formulation. Although, the company uses a gentle serum to prevent damaging the enamel. Cali White® can give you 2 to 8 shades of whiter teeth visible within 7 to 10 days.
Tarte’s Pearly Girl is a vegan whitening pen made from all-natural ingredients. It’s also free from formaldehyde, mineral oil, gluten, and parabens and uses hydrogen peroxide to whiten teeth.
The Pearly Girl teeth whitening pen can help whiten your teeth in 30 seconds. No rinsing or wait times are required since its whitening gel clings to your teeth.
In addition, this whitening pen has a refreshing natural mint flavor and doesn’t leave an aftertaste.
A teeth whitening pen is a fast and simple way to brighten your smile while on the go. It’s a thin plastic tube that contains teeth whitening gel. The brush tip allows for a quick application to whiten your teeth instantly.
You can purchase whitening pens over the counter or online. They are also compact, so you can bring them anywhere.
If you want brighter teeth, all you have to do is pop the pen open and brush on the gel. They can help remove teeth stains within minutes, leaving them a few shades whiter.
Teeth whitening pens work by releasing a serum that coats your teeth to remove surface stains and dark spots. Your teeth can lose their natural pearly color for several reasons:
The whitening gel used in teeth whiteners dissolves stains, making them lighter. Don't rinse your mouth after applying the gel with the brush tip. This will allow it to continue lightening teeth stains.
When choosing a teeth whitening pen, it’s best to consider the following:
Most effective over-the-counter (OTC) teeth whitening products contain hydrogen or carbamide peroxide. These are peroxide-based bleaches that act directly on teeth stains.
The gold standard for whitening treatments is a formula containing 10% carbamide peroxide.7,8 Studies have also found that sodium fluoride, sodium hexametaphosphate, and hydrated silica are effective whitening agents.8,9
Sodium fluoride and sodium hexametaphosphate create a barrier on your enamel. The barrier prevents mineral loss, strengthening teeth structures and a whiter appearance.
The price is another factor to consider when choosing a teeth whitening pen. Some whitening pens can be on the more expensive side. You’ll want to get the best value for your money.
While cheap whitening pens are on the market, you should be wary of them. They may promise excellent results but don’t always contain the same quality of ingredients. Choosing a suspiciously cheap whitening pen can harm your teeth more than good.
Teeth whitening products, in general, are known to cause sensitive teeth. As such, you must choose a teeth whitening pen with a lower peroxide level. This level will depend on your teeth’s sensitivity.
Try choosing whitening pens with ingredients that help with sensitivity, such as potassium nitrate. This can help you use the whitening pen more often without worrying about sensitive teeth.
When choosing a teeth whitening pen, look at how many uses it provides. You want a pen that can give you enough treatment for the money you’re spending.
Some teeth whitening pens can be cheap, but they only contain a small amount of product. However, other pens can be more expensive but contain more serum. This means you’ll get more value for your money when using them.
Lastly, you’ll want to check the brand’s reputation. With many teeth whitening brands, checking what customers have to say about the product is important. If a teeth whitening pen performs well, customers will likely have good things to say.
You can check reviews on their website or other popular e-commerce sites. This will give you a general idea of a brand’s effectiveness and safety.
Hydrogen and carbamide peroxide are equally effective at whitening teeth. How they work is slightly different.
Carbamide peroxide releases 50% of its whitening effects in the first two hours of application. These effects can last for six more hours afterward.1
On the other hand, hydrogen peroxide breaks down faster than carbamide peroxide and lightens stains in as little as 30 to 60 minutes. But it doesn’t produce much effect until the next application.2
The end result of both ingredients is the same. Studies show that while carbamide-based teeth whiteners produced dramatic effects in the first 14 days of teeth whitening treatment, hydrogen peroxide produced the same results in 21 days.3
Yes. Teeth whitening pens produce instant results but continue whitening teeth for several minutes to hours after application.
Treatment with a teeth whitening pen usually lasts for 7 to 10 days. You will continue to see visible effects throughout the process.
Most manufacturers recommend using a teeth whitening pen at least twice daily:
Pro tip: Avoid rinsing your mouth, eating food, or drinking beverages within the first 30 to 60 minutes (if using hydrogen peroxide) or within 2 hours (if using carbamide peroxide) of use.
Teeth whitening pens containing hydrogen or carbamide peroxide are proven to be safe and effective. While bleaching can cause tooth sensitivity, it is unlikely to happen with a whitening pen if you follow the recommended use.4
Bleach-based whiteners work on extrinsic or external teeth stains caused by environmental factors. Based on studies, they produce visible effects in the following situations:4
They don’t work on intrinsic or internal teeth stains caused by the following:4
Teeth whiteners also don’t work on stained caps, crowns, fillings, or veneers. Unlike natural teeth, they lack organic compounds that bleach can bind to.4
Some studies suggest that bleaching can lead to tooth sensitivity. However, this only applies to aggressive bleaching methods. Examples of aggressive bleaching methods include power bleaching, where high concentrations of hydrogen peroxide (30 to 50%) are used to whiten teeth.5
Most whitening pens contain 10 to 30% hydrogen peroxide, making them safe for daily use.
Applying 35% carbamide peroxide has also been shown to damage tooth enamel. When the enamel is damaged, teeth become sensitive and stain more easily. However, enamel damage only occurs with 14 days of consecutive use.6
Although many carbamide-based whitening pens have the same 35% formulation, manufacturers only recommend using them for 7 to 10 days which is within the safe range.
Pro tip: Consult a cosmetic dentist before using a teeth whitening pen. This is especially true if you have sensitive teeth, dental restorations, dark teeth stains, a single dark tooth, or fillings and crowns.
Teeth whitening pens have several advantages, such as:
Other kinds of teeth whitening products exist besides pens. They are available over the counter and contain hydrogen or carbamide peroxide as a whitening agent. These include:
The best teeth whitening method will always depend on your needs and preferences. Opting for in-office treatments is best if you want a more effective method. A cosmetic dentist will know how to whiten teeth with minimal side effects.
The NewMouth editorial team analyzed dozens of products available today to determine the available products.
Our evaluation and recommendations are based on:
NewMouth is a leading and trusted online resource for dental information, including product recommendations, primary dental care, at-home oral health care, orthodontics, procedures, costs, and more.
We have a dedicated team of medical writers, expert researchers, licensed dental professionals, and medical reviewers who create and oversee every piece of content published on our site.
Our recommendations are determined by:
After extensive research and product testing, this article also underwent an intensive review process:
Teeth whitening pens are convenient and affordable for those looking to whiten their teeth without needing professional treatments. These pens contain safe and non-abrasive ingredients to help you achieve a brighter smile.
While teeth whitening pens are generally safe, you must observe proper safety precautions and consult your dentist. Additionally, comparing the available options and reading user reviews before purchasing is important.
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