Whitening and Sensitivity

The Best Teeth Whitening Products- Dental Hygienist’s Top 3

the-best-teeth-whitening-products-dental-hygienists-top-3

When considering the best teeth whitening products on the market, it is easy to get confused. There are so many options to choose from, how do you know which ones work?

As a dental hygienist, I would like to share with you the top 3 choices of the best teeth whitening products available today. I will get straight to the point as to which products work, how they work and what to expect for results. 

Please read more about me in the About the Author page.

What Makes the Best Teeth Whitening Product?

According to the ADA (American Dental Association) there are only two active ingredients that will actually change the shade of your enamel.

These two ingredients are hydrogen peroxide and carbamide peroxide. Only whiteners with these active ingredients will work. You should consider saving your time and money if thinking of using any other type of whitener.

Products with high percentages of peroxide can cause tissue damage and should only be used with a dentist’s supervision. The percentages you want to safely use at home are 35% carbamide peroxide or 15% hydrogen peroxide.

Best Whitening Products (Dental Hygienist's Top 3)

At any rate, it is always a good idea to check with your dentist before using any whitening product to make sure you are getting what is best your teeth and gums. You can safely and effectively whiten your teeth at home if you choose the right product.  Learn more about how teeth whitening works from Wikipedia.

Make sure the product has the ADA seal of acceptance. This is the American Dental Association’s verification that the product is safe to use and measures up to its marketing claims. This seal removes doubt from all the whitening product claims and is a valuable sign of product quality.

And above all, what makes the best whitening product is the fact that it works! Keep reading and I will disclose the top 3 best whitening products.

Opalescence Go 15%

Opalescence Go 15%

This is Ultradent’s newest whitening product. The Opalescence Go 15% kit comes with form fitting trays that adapt to your teeth completely. The trays span from molar to molar and provide complete coverage of all your teeth.

The kit comes with 20 trays, 10 for your top teeth and 10 for your bottom teeth. The trays are prefilled and can be worn right out of the package with no mess.

These can be worn simultaneously or you can choose if you only want to whiten your top or bottom teeth. This product molds completely to your teeth instantly and in my opinion, amazingly comfortable.

I also like that it is pleasant tasting- almost like a mild minty fresh taste. Opalescence Go 15% contain 15% hydrogen peroxide and only need to be worn for 15-20 minutes a day. Yes, you read that right, only 15-20 minutes a day! They can be worn for 5-10 days depending on the results you would like to receive.

The superior adaptability of the trays ensure that the active ingredient stays in contact with your teeth during the whitening procedure. Your results will last at least 6 months and most people experience results after only 2-3 treatments.

This product has a few added benefits that other whitening systems do not. From a dental hygienist’s view, these features make this product stand out above the others. These benefits are added potassium nitrate and fluoride.

Potassium nitrate helps reduce sensitivity and is the added ingredient in common sensitivity toothpastes like Sensodyne. This ingredient blocks the tubules from the outside of the tooth leading to the nerve that blocks sensitivity to hot and cold.

Fluoride will strengthen the enamel, provide sensitivity protection and reduce cavities. So together, these two added ingredients will help to improve the overall health of the teeth.  Learn more about caring for your teeth and gums here.

Opalescence Go products are sold through dentists and considered Professional products; therefore are not approved by the American Dental Association because of the strength of peroxide being used. So, you are not going to see the ADA seal of Acceptance on this product but you can feel rest assured because it is recommended and supplied through dental offices nationwide.

Dentist-supervised methods include at-home and in-office options. Whitening products supplied by dentists for use at home or applied by dentists in the office are considered “professional products” and are not eligible for the ADA Seal of Acceptance.

Crest 3D White Luxe Glamorous White Whitestrips

Crest 3D White Luxe Glamorous White Whitestrips

You can safely remove 10 years of stains and whiten your teeth 25 times better than a leading whitening toothpaste with these Whitestrips. These are thin, flexible strips that are coated with a tooth whitening gel. The active ingredient is 10% hydrogen peroxide.

These strips mold to the shape of your teeth and are used once a day for 30 minutes. The strips have a no slip grip on your teeth and I have been able to drink a glass of water without these strips moving out of place. Due to “Advanced Seal Technology” they will stay where you put them until you take them off.

Most Crest 3D White Luxe Glamorous White Whitestrips come with 28 strips. This is 14 treatments if you do both your top teeth and bottom teeth at the same time. However, feel free to only do your top teeth or only your bottom teeth if that’s all that show when you smile. It is your choice.

Feel free to only do as many strips as you feel you need to. If you reach your desired whiteness, you can save the rest of the box for a future date. The results will last 6 months. You may have a wedding or reunion coming up and you can easily wear a few strips just to brighten up your smile for a special occasion.

Crest 3D White Luxe Glamorous White Whitestrips are the first and only whitening strips accepted by the American Dental Association. So, you can feel confident that purchasing this over the counter product will give you safe and effective results. These Whitestrips contain the same enamel-safe teeth whitening ingredient as dentists use, so this is another reason you can feel good about their safety and effectiveness.

Be sure to effectively brush and floss or remove plaque from between your teeth by other means before applying any whitening treatment. This will allow you to achieve maximum results.  Clean teeth will allow better absorption of the active ingredients in the best teeth whitening products.

Opalescence PF 35% Teeth Whitening Gel Syringes/Trays

Opalescence PF 35% Teeth Whitening Gel Syringes/Trays

This product is a complete at home whitening treatment system. It comes with customizable (thermoforming) at home whitening trays or can be purchased in a refill kit if you want to use trays you already may have.

The trays that come with it are heated up in boiling water which you will then bite into to make a form fitting tray that will hold the gel in place on your teeth. With the easy syringe delivery, Opalescence PF 35% is easily customizable for each person’s individual needs.

Say you have crowns on some teeth, well you do not need to apply the gel to these areas because crowns and veneers will not bleach. This can be a money saving feature that allows you to place the gel only where you need it which will make the product last longer.

This product is often recommended by dentists to remove discoloration of teeth due to systemic, traumatic, congenital or pharmacologic (from medications) causes. It can simply be used for darkening of teeth due to aging.

Opalescence PF 35% Teeth Whitening Gel contains carbamide peroxide, 20% water to prevent dehydration, potassium nitrate for sensitivity and fluoride for cavity prevention. Each syringe contains 1.2ml of whitening gel and can be purchased in amounts of 4 or 8 syringes at a time.

To use this product you would fill the tray with a bead of gel halfway up the front of the facial side of each tray in the areas you wish to bleach. This should use about 1/3 of a syringe. Place in your mouth and wear for 30 minutes. Rinse afterwards to remove any remaining gel.

You will see impressive results within a week but can be safely worn once a day for 30 minutes for several weeks. However, you will want to discontinue once your desired results are achieved. Results will last for at least 6 months.

I have personally seen no regression years later of enamel shade for my patients who use this. This formulation also comes in 20% carbamide peroxide if you wish but most people prefer the 35% gel for faster results.

You can keep the product refrigerated to prolong its shelf life but it should last 18 months. The reason dental professionals prefer this product is due to its viscosity. It is a very thick, sticky gel (unlike the other thin watery gels of other products). This is important because it is thicker than saliva and therefore won’t be easily diluted in your mouth.

Use A Safe Product That Works!

Happy women smiling I invite you to try any one of the best whitening products- Dental Hygienist’s top 3. You will not be disappointed with any of these choices. When it comes to choosing which one is best for you, it is a matter of preference in how you would like to achieve your whitening results.

If you want a convenient, on the go, all in one product that is fast, then you will want to choose Opalescence GO 15%. This product will also give you potassium nitrate for sensitivity relief and fluoride for cavity prevention.

If you would rather wear a thin strip that is form fitting to your teeth and super comfortable, then choose the Crest 3D White Lux Glamorous Whitestrips. This product has the ADA seal of acceptance.

Or, if you want to wear a custom fitted tray and apply the gel only where you want or need it, then please choose Opalescence PF 35% gel syringe/tray system. This product also provides cavity prevention and sensitivity relief.

All 3 of these Dental Hygienist top 3 choices for best whitening products are recommended and used in dental offices. However, these products are now available over the counter for convenient at home use.

Please feel free to leave a question or comment below and I will be more than happy to reply. Thanks for reading and enjoy your white teeth!

Medical Disclaimer:
The information that I provide on my website is not intended to take the place of medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Care and investigation should always be sought from an appropriate health care provider.  I am not a doctor and do not claim to be one.  I have created this site as a way to share information and experiences. 

24 comments

  1. Boniface-AndroidBix

    Dear Michelle,

    What a brilliant post! 

    I like your review and contribution to what we can do to whiten up and beautify our smiles. I have lately been considering seeing a dental hygienist to work on my teeth but the thought of having them cleaned roughly keeps me postponing. Not that I fear or resent the procedure but I’ve recently taken a close family member to the dentist and they got a cleaning  that did not yield optimal results. 

    That’s why I’m interested in finding out more information on these products you’ve given us- especially the Opalescence Go that has comfortable trays and long lasting results. Is it suitable for people of all ages?

    .

    Boniface from AndroidBix

    1. Michelle

      Thank you for sharing your comments.  I appreciate you sharing your family member’s unpleasant cleaning experience.  Hopefully, that was an isolated incident and not something that happens to them in the future.  They should share their unpleasant experience with their hygienist and I would hope that would make all the difference. These products are safe to use on adolescents and adults.  Whitening products are not recommended for children 12 and under due to the fact that they have changing dentitions (a mixture of baby and permanent teeth).

      All the best,

      Michelle 

  2. Henderson

    This is a very educative post. I have had problems with my teeth and their color which can be sometimes embarrassing. Eventually, I tried a few toothpastes that didn’t work. I think I’d go for the Opalescence GO 15% since you’ve said it’s fast and easy to use. I’ll be back with my feedback and I’ll also share the post. Thank you!

    1. Michelle

      Henderson, 

      That is great news.  I am glad you are taking the initiative to do something about the color of your teeth if you are not happy with them.  You should never, ever be ashamed of your smile.  And being able to smile confidently makes you feel so much better about yourself.  You can do this.  Please share your results…I am excited to hear the good news!

      Michelle

  3. JJ

    Thanks you for this article. I noticed that my teeth need whitening but I was not sure as to how I would go about it. I only know it has to be done because dark teeth are definitely not attractive. I think I will opt for the Crest whitening strips. The process seems so easy and 14 days is not too long if I want pretty white teeth. Good information.

    1. Michelle

      JJ

      I agree that dark teeth are not attractive.  I feel that when people see a bright and white smile, they correlate that with health.  We now know so much more about the connection between a healthy mouth and a healthy body.  Thank you for your comment and for sharing.

      Michelle

  4. affiliate_ghost

    Hello Michelle :),

    I enjoyed reading this post on the best teeth whitening products. This is highly informative. I have used some very bad teeth whitening products with some health effects and in reading this I now have an idea why.  I am currently looking to get another teeth whitening product and of the three products you reviewed I will be trying out the Opalescence PF 35% Teeth Whitening Gel Syringes/Trays.

    Thanks for this information

    1. Michelle

      affiliate_ghost,

      You really need to be careful with the products you purchase for teeth whitening.  Some can be damaging to the teeth and surrounding tissues.  I would advise you to go with one of the products mentioned especially for safety and effectiveness reasons.  Also, you don’t want to waste your money on a product that doesn’t work.

      Michelle

  5. Carol5162

    There are so many recommendations on products that can whiten teeth. Unfortunately, we are ignorant of the amount of chemicals used in these products and we end up with additional problems other that discolored teeth. I am glad you have mentioned the amount of hydrogen peroxide and carbamide peroxide that should be tolerated. 

    I like the Opalescence Go 15%. Seems like a good fit for any type of teeth. My teeth are somewhat sensitive and I like that they contain Potassium Nitrate to help with this problem. The Flouride to deal with cavities is also a great plus.

    Thank you for taking your time to highlight these products.

    1. Michelle

      Carol,

      I would also recommend the Opalescense Go 15% for you.  The combination of fluoride and potassium nitrate is very beneficial for sensitive teeth.  You could also follow up using a toothpaste designed for sensitive teeth.  These toothpastes have either stannous fluoride or potassium nitrate within them and can give you extra relief from day to day sensitivity.

      Michelle

  6. MissusB

    It is really quite impossible not to have teeth discoloration in your lifetime because of natural causes like certain foods we eat, and for some people who drink cofee or colored beverages like soda. Aging is also one of the causes because the tooth enamel becomes thinner, making teeth yellowish. In other cases, smoking is also one of the culprits.

    So glad you recommended best whitening products that are easy to find. I am planning to use Crest 3D White Luxe. For one, you mentioned that it doesn’t come off easily even when drinking and that we can save other strips for future use if we opt to just whiten teeth that are showing. Second, it’s a very well known product. Having your teeth whitened by a dentist costs a lot especially here in our country that’s why I am opting to do it safely in the comfort of my home with your suggestion. Thank you this helpful article!

    1. Michelle

      MissusB,

      It is true that most people will have discoloration of their teeth within their lifetime.  Surface stains are inevitable from the things we eat and drink.  Also, as we age, our enamel (the outer white part of our teeth) becomes thinner. This allows the underlying surface of the tooth to shine through.  This second layer of tooth is called dentin and has a yellowish color to it.  So, as we age and the enamel thins, the yellow dentin makes the tooth appear darker.  All of the options I have mentioned are excellent choices to brighten up your smile in the comfort and convenience of your home.  Best of luck!

      Michelle

  7. Monalisha

    Hi 

    What an amazing article you have posted here. You have shared with us the top 3 choices of the best teeth whitening products available today. It is really very informative and an important article for people of all ages. So I especially want to thank you for your great reviews.  In your post I have seen three choices of teeth whitening products that are really very essential. The product’s capabilities and working mechanism really impressed me. I prefer Opalescence Go to others. 

    Thanks again. I’ll share this post with my friends and family. 

    1. Michelle

      Monalisha,

      I am so glad you enjoyed this article.  I am excited to share this information with you and others about the choices of best teeth whitening products available today.  With so many options of products on the market today, it is good to be informed of which products are safe and effective to use.  Good luck with your choice!

      Michelle

  8. Daniel

    Hi Michelle, I must say that this article is very helpful and informative. I never used teeth whitening products but now I see that it would not be bad to try one. I left smoking last year which made my teeth yellow but I used soda bicarbonate with lemon and it worked. I want to ask should I go to my dentist before trying one of these products or can I use it without consulting?

    1. Michelle

      Daniel,

      I would definitely consider a product other than the use of lemon and baking soda.  The baking soda is fine to use but lemon is very acidic to the enamel and can actually cause a condition called acid erosion.  When this happens, the outer protective layer of enamel is worn away.  This is an irreversible state that can be damaging to your teeth. The abrasiveness of the baking soda is probably what removed the surface stain from smoking.  I would start with a professional cleaning and exam which is recommended every 6 months for most people.  This will remove any remaining surface stain and rule out any cavities.  Using one of the mentioned whitening systems should be fine for you to do but a good cleaning to remove tartar and or stain above and below the gum line is also a good idea.

      Michelle

  9. Harber

    The information you provided is excellent. Thank you for spending hours researching, writing and bringing this valuable info to us. And following your advice will lead to a healthy best teeth whitening system! I think although it may be expensive, I would rather go to someone the first time I try this. Our teeth are very important and very  important to keep them healthy.
    It’s great that your website motives people to find other ways of learning. Thanks for sharing your knowledge of this one.

    1. Michelle

      Harber, 

      I appreciate your interest in the article and am glad you have commented.  Having your teeth whitened at the dental office is a very effective way of achieving the results you may be looking for.  The Opalesence products are distributed by dental offices as well.  As for the Crest Whitestrips, you can find some dental offices have their own version of these also which are provided to us through the dental products distributer.  These will have the same active ingredient but may have a higher concentration of it.  Thanks for sharing!

      Michelle

  10. Kevin

    I love this post. I’ll probably come back to reference it again. The Crest 3D Whitestrips look particularly interesting to me. It’s the brand I have been most exposed to via commercials and such. Your post has informed me so much more on this product that I’ll probably buy it! I’m a little bit more interested in how these products work in terms of longevity of results. I noticed you mentioned 6 months for the Crest product. What kind of things should I be doing to keep my teeth whiter for my entire lifetime?

    1. Michelle

      Kevin,

      I appreciate your comments and interest in this article.  The Crest 3D Whitestrips along with the other 2 options will have very stable results.  As I have mentioned, most results last 6 months or more typically.  To keep your teeth free of surface stains to begin with, you can avoid certain teeth staining foods and drinks.  These include but are not limited to: wine, coffee, tea, beets and blueberries.  Smoking and other tobacco products are known to cause surface stains as well.  To keep your teeth whiter for a lifetime, I would highly advise you to invest in an electric toothbrush.  This article will provide you with the best options:  What Is The Best Electric Toothbrush? | Oral B or Sonic (5 Best Choices).

      Thanks for reading,

      Michelle

  11. Michel

    You are right. It is easy to get confused and overwhelmed with all the teeth whitening products available.  Thanks for the advice on hydrogen peroxide and carbamide peroxide.  I had no idea that these are must ingredients in these types of products. 

    The products with trays to put on your teeth definitely look easier and less finicky to use than the strips. Am I correct in assuming that this will be the best route to go if doing it at home for yourself?

    Thanks for a very informative post on doing this at home. 

    1. Michelle

      Michel,

      Thanks for your interest in the article ‘The Best Teeth Whitening Products- Dental Hygienist’s Top 3’.  Actually, all 3 of the choices mentioned are very user friendly.  They are each designed to work well with little to no mess or fuss.  I think you will be pleasantly surprised at the ease of use from any one of these three choices.

      Good luck with your choice!

  12. Shelley

    Wow! If there is one thing I need right now, it is these teeth whitening products. I’m glad I came in contact with this article and your suggestions. Though, my son already suggested the Crest 3D White Luxe Glamorous White Whitestrips before but for me to have seen it in the list here, then definitely it is worthy of being used. But the problem I always have with chemical tools and products is the reactions it has on our body. Can I be promised of the efficiency of this because the claim is rather huge and I’m getting excited to use it?

    1. Michelle

      Shelley,

      Your son has suggested a great product for you.  That is why it is included in this article ‘The Best Teeth Whitening Products- Dental Hygienist’s Top 3’.  Every person is different as far as how they react to products.  However, you can be reassured knowing that Crest 3D White Luxe Glamorous White Whitestrips have earned the ADA seal of acceptance.  This means that every product with this seal will have been scientifically evaluated  to be safe and effective.  There are many products to choose from on the market.  Being sure to choose a product with the ADA seal of acceptance is important.

      Thanks for your comment,

      Michelle

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *