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Our featured picks
ADA-accepted strips
Crest 3D Sensitive and Gentle Whitestrips
A peroxide-free pick
Lumineux Whitening Strips
Read our review
Contains nano-hydroxyapatite
Auraglow 8% Whitening Strips
The gradual staining from your favorite homemade espressos and red pasta sauces means your pearly whites probably aren’t as bright as they once were. Thankfully, expensive in-office whitening sessions aren’t the only way to achieve a whiter smile — even if you have sensitive teeth. By incorporating whitening strips specifically made for sensitive teeth into your oral care routine, you can safely and effectively brighten your smile over time from the convenience of your bathroom.
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To help you find the best whitening strips for sensitive teeth, I consulted dentists for their advice and top recommendations. Below, you’ll find five options that brighten your smile more comfortably from trusted oral health brands like Crest, Lumineux and GuruNanda.
Best whitening strips for sensitive teeth
Crest 3D Sensitive and Gentle Whitestrips
Cosmetic and general dentist Dr. Sandip Sachar likes Crest’s 3D Sensitive and Gentle Whitestrips kit, which includes 18 daily 30-minute treatments. According to Sachar, this product is one of the brand’s gentler peroxide-based options. The enamel-safe strips use the power of hydrogen peroxide to gently bleach teeth and, according to the brand, can remove up to 15 years’ worth of stains. Bonus: These whitening strips have the American Dental Association (ADA) seal of acceptance, meaning they meet the association’s high standards for safety and effectiveness.
Lumineux Whitening Strips
If your teeth are extremely sensitive and you feel pangs when using peroxide-based strips, this peroxide-free option could be worth checking out. Sachar recommends this formula, which uses a combination of Dead Sea salt alongside coconut, sage and lemon peel oils to remove surface stains. Though the whitening effect from using these strips will be less noticeable than those that use peroxide-based formulas because Lumineux’s active ingredients can’t penetrate the enamel to remove deeper stains, they’re a solid alternative our editors also approve of.
CNN Underscored deals editor Jacqueline Saguin tested these whitening strips for five weeks and said they “are the most gentle at-home formula out of many I’ve tested over the years.” She found that it takes about two weeks to see a drastic difference in teeth appearance, so patience is key.
Read our review
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Burst Non-Slip Whitening Strips
Dentist and founding partner of Brooklyn Mint Dental, Dr. Alice Hoang, suggests checking out these whitening strips from Burst for gentle brightening. According to the brand, they lift stains in just 15 minutes, thanks to an enamel-safe hydrogen peroxide formula. To address sensitivity during whitening, these strips contain anti-inflammatory ingredients such as coconut oil, aloe vera and xylitol, which also supports enamel remineralization. The strips should be used daily for seven days for best results. In addition to a classic mint flavor option, the watermelon variety provides a sweet, flavorful alternative.
Auraglow 8% Whitening Strips
Auraglow’s whitening strips feature hydrogen peroxide to lift stains and visibly whiten teeth, plus potassium nitrate and nano-hydroxyapatite (hydroxyapatite in a smaller particle size) to minimize sensitivity during whitening sessions. “I reserve these for someone with mild sensitivity rather than for someone that has previously experienced significant pain from whitening,” Sachar said. Each box contains a total of 28 strips (top and bottom) for a total of 14 treatments. They adhere to the surface of your teeth securely and are formulated to be worn for 30 minutes at a time.
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GuruNanda Sensitive Whitening Strips
Dr. Nayson Niaraki, an orthodontist and cofounder of Smilebar, recommends the sensitive version of GuruNanda’s minty teeth whitening strips. Like the brand’s popular premium whitening strips, they’re powered by hydrogen peroxide (they contain just 2% versus 6% in their other variations) and are made with the brand’s Dry Strip Technology to prevent slipping. They also contain aloe and coconut oil, plus xylitol for a soothing effect. According to the Niaraki, the coconut oil in the formula helps the whitening experience “feel more gentle and more comfortable, especially around the gums.” (The number of treatments in each box can vary by retailer, so make sure you’re getting the number of strips you’re looking for.)
How to choose the best whitening strips for sensitive teeth
Check the label for whitening agents
To achieve true whitening results, the dentists I spoke with recommend shopping for whitening strips formulated with either hydrogen peroxide or carbamide peroxide, two commonly used whitening ingredients in dental products.
“The hydrogen peroxide molecule is small enough that it is able to diffuse through the outer enamel layer and into the dentin, where reactive oxygen species generated from the hydrogen peroxide interact with and oxidize colored organic molecules,” Sachar said. “This oxidation process changes the colored molecules so that they appear lighter.”
Research shows that carbamide peroxide safely enhances teeth brightening because when it breaks down in contact with water, it releases the whitening agent hydrogen peroxide. This ingredient is more likely to be found in whitening gel trays at the dentist’s office than whitening strips, Sachar said. According to Dr. Jenna Chimon, a dentist at Chimon Family Dentistry, whitening products formulated without peroxide can’t penetrate the enamel to remove those internal stains but can help with surface-level staining.
Consider the peroxide concentration
Because peroxide is the primary cause of “zingers,” those pangs of sensitivity during whitening, Sachar recommends taking note of its concentration. “For someone who is prone to sensitivity, I generally prefer starting at the lower end of the concentration range,” Sachar said. “For hydrogen peroxide strips, roughly 3% to 6% hydrogen peroxide is a reasonable conservative range that I usually recommend to my patients to consider as a starting point.”
You can narrow your search to peroxide-based whitening strips specifically marketed to those with sensitive teeth, as they usually feature lower concentrations of peroxide than those in the standard strips. Even if you don’t have sensitive teeth, Hoang recommends opting for the sensitive version of whitening strips because even people without sensitive teeth can feel discomfort during whitening.
For those who want a truly peroxide-free way to whiten their teeth, options like Lumineux exist, but these formulas won’t eliminate deep stains. “They primarily lift external surface stains such as coffee, tea, wine and tobacco, rather than bleaching discolorations from within the tooth,” Sachar said. “It may be more comfortable, but I advise patients that they should expect more subtle results.”
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Potassium nitrate can minimize discomfort
Potassium nitrate, a desensitizing agent used in dental products, and fluoride can lessen tooth sensitivity, which is why Sachar suggests looking for whitening formulas that contain those ingredients. According to Hoang, potassium nitrate minimizes tooth sensitivity by “acting as a plug” for the dentinal tubules in our teeth, which, when exposed, cause the fluid inside them to move around the nerves, leading to sensitivity. Both Auraglow’s and Burst’s whitening strips contain potassium nitrate in their formulas. Auraglow’s whitening strips also contain nano-hydroxyapatite, which repairs your enamel and fills in those dental tubules to minimize sensitivity.
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Look for whitening strips that carry the ADA seal of acceptance
Both Sachar and Niaraki recommend looking for whitening strips that have the ADA seal of acceptance, which signifies that the product is effective and not harmful for consumers. “I think it’s important that you’re picking something that is considered safe and not damaging to the teeth or the gums,” Niaraki said. “So, generally speaking, if it has that ADA seal, I feel like you can trust the product.” Although the Crest 3D Sensitive and Gentle Whitestrips is the only product on this list that carries the ADA seal of acceptance, dental products that aren’t ADA-accepted are still safe to use; the ADA isn’t a regulatory agency like the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and its Seal of Acceptance program is voluntary.
Sticky strips make a difference
It goes without saying, but whitening strips that fall off your teeth probably won’t deliver the results you want. Niaraki suggests reading through customer reviews to find whitening strips that will adhere well so you can actually get the biggest bang for your buck. You should also decide whether you want dissolvable whitening strips or peel-away ones. “For someone with sensitive teeth, I generally prefer traditional removable whitening strips simply because the patient can immediately remove the strip quite easily if sensitivity or gum irritation develops,” Sachar said.
FAQs
“Whitening strips marketed for sensitive teeth may use a lower peroxide concentration, a more gradual treatment schedule or other formulation changes intended to reduce sensitivity,” Sachar said. They may also contain desensitizing ingredients like potassium nitrate to help with sensitivity, she added.
It’s also worth noting that these gentler regimens may take longer to reach the desired result, Sachar said.
According to Sachar, a common misconception is that whitening products marketed for sensitive teeth can’t cause sensitivity. “Individual responses to products can vary, and even a gentle product may cause discomfort in some patients,” Sachar said.
Sachar said she doesn’t recommend using whitening strips underneath your Invisalign aligners. “The strips may not fit properly around attachments and the whitening agent may contact the teeth unevenly,” she said. That said, whitening your teeth during this period is still possible. “Invisalign offers a professional whitening system that is designed for use with the aligners and even with attachments in place,” she added.
“When a whitening strip is described as enamel-safe, it generally means that when used according to the directions, it should not cause ‘clinically significant’ damage to healthy enamel,” Sachar said. “However, unless it is supported by appropriate testing, it may simply be a catchy marketing term.”
It’s also important to note that whitening strips marketed as enamel safe can still cause sensitivity. “Whitening sensitivity is typically temporary and is thought to result from peroxide diffusing through the tooth and producing a transient response in the pulp,” Sachar said. “I tell patients that the product can be safe for enamel and still make sensitive teeth uncomfortable. People with sensitive teeth should always consider the strength of the peroxide, the time in contact and the presence of desensitizing ingredients, not just that the product is labeled enamel safe.”
Yes. In fact, all the experts I interviewed recommend brushing with toothpaste for sensitive teeth to help with sensitivity. According to Hoang, you can use the toothpaste before or after whitening.
Sachar said whitening toothpastes primarily polish surface stains and are not as effective when it comes to whitening as peroxide-based whitening strips. On the other hand, custom teeth whitening trays provided by a dentist allow for “more complete and controlled coverage” compared to whitening strips. With custom whitening trays, dentists are also able to decide the type (hydrogen peroxide gel or carbamide peroxide gel), peroxide concentration and if needed, add desensitizing agents.
“In-office teeth whitening generally provides the fastest visible results because higher concentrations of peroxide can be used under professional supervision,” Sachar said. “However, faster does not always mean a better final result; professionally supervised take-home whitening custom trays can often produce a comparable degree of whitening. Higher peroxide concentrations used for in-office whitening may also increase the risk or intensity of temporary sensitivity.”
No. Teeth-whitening strips and other whitening treatments cannot whiten veneers, crowns or tooth-colored fillings, according to Sachar. “These dental restorations will not become lighter, and in fact the whitening strips may create a color mismatch to the natural teeth that will likely get whiter from the whitening process,” she said.
Yes. According to Sachar, shortening the amount of time you wear the whitening strips and spacing out your sessions can make the whitening experience more comfortable. The thought is that a shorter application time gives active ingredients less opportunity to irritate your teeth.
Meet our experts
For this article, I consulted the following experts to gain their professional insights:
- Dr. Jenna Chimon, dentist at Chimon Family Dentistry
- Dr. Alice Hoang, dentist and founding partner of Brooklyn Mint Dental
- Dr. Nayson Niaraki, orthodontist and cofounder of Smilebar
- Dr. Sandip Sachar, cosmetic and general dentist and founder of Sachar Dental
Why trust CNN Underscored
CNN Underscored editors and writers ensure every product included in an article is thoroughly vetted and something we ourselves would feel comfortable buying and using. Our team has many decades of collective experience researching, testing and recommending products across every category — from fashion and food, to home goods and health, to electronics and everything in between — and we’re committed to using that expertise to help you make the most of your money and live a better life.
For this article, CNN Underscored associate lifestyle editor Rachel Dennis consulted multiple dentists on the best whitening strips for sensitive teeth. She’s previously written about the best hydroxyapatite toothpastes and regularly contributes to CNN Underscored’s health and wellness vertical.
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Rachel Dennis is an associate lifestyle editor at CNN Underscored. She oversees the site’s celebrity column, The Essentials, and contributes to lifestyle coverage through roundups and one-off reviews. You can find her watching Lifetime movies, brushing up on her music skills or playing video games.
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