Best teeth whitening gel for a pearly white smile (2024)

You may think the best teeth whitening gel for the job would be available from the dentist, but there are some fantastic at-home kits available that will leave your teeth looking dazzling once more.

Best teeth whitening gels at a glance:

• Best for quick results: VIO405 Teeth Whitening Refills
• Best for stubborn stains: DrDent Professional 8 Teeth Whitening Gel Pods
• Best for number of treatments: mysmile Teeth Whitening Gel Refills
• Best activated charcoal whitening gel: mysmile Activated Charcoal Teeth Whitening Gel Refills
• Designed by dentists: Polished London Teeth Whitening Gel Refill
• Best for price: Stylsmile Gel Refills
• Best professional at-home gel: Smile Science Harley Street Professional Teeth Whitening Refill Kit

Information from Colgate states that teeth whitening gels usually use low levels of carbamide peroxide or hydrogen peroxide to bleach your teeth to remove surface stains from your teeth, as well as deep discolouration. Many also include ingredients that help decrease the sensitivity you feel while whitening your teeth.

Many gels available on the market are designed to be refills for teeth whitening kits, but if you have mouth trays already at home, you should be able to use any refills with them.

Best teeth whitening gel

Tips for using teeth whitening gels at home

With some help from Colgate, we've got a few tips to help you achieve the best results from using a teeth whitening gel at home.

• Always brush your teeth before applying the treatment
• Be careful not to swallow any gel
• Gently remove any residue that might be left on your teeth or gums with a cloth, clean finger or soft toothbrush
• Rise your mouth well

The top tip that Colgate has to offer is to always consult your dentist before using a whitening gel. Teeth with very dark stains, crowns or fillings might not have as good results from home whitening gels as they would in a dental practice.

They also recommend getting a dentist to make the trays for your at-home whitening gel treatment. You can of course get whitening kits that have everything you need inside, but getting a custom-made tray by your dentist will ensure it fits neatly to the contours of your mouth. This way, you shouldn't get any leakage like you could with an off-the-shelf tray that isn't made for your mouth.

How often should you use a whitening treatment?

Initially, you may need to use your teeth whitening gel or other whitening product every day for a number of days to achieve your desired result. After the first course of at-home treatment, you should then only need to use it once or twice a week to maintain your dazzling smile. You should, of course, check the instructions for your chosen treatment before you use it to check how long you need to use it. If you have any doubts, consult your dentist as they'll know what's best for your teeth.

Is it safe to use an at-home teeth whitening gel?

Teeth whitening gels are generally a safe teeth stain remover, as long as you follow the instructions from your chosen gel and check for any safety guidelines. Advice from the NHS states, "no matter what treatment you use, there's a chance your gums will be sensitive to the chemicals used in teeth whitening, particularly if you already have sensitive teeth. There's also a chance of burns to gums and some whitening kits used at home can harm tooth enamel."

If you're worried about using a teeth whitening gel, you may want to start by introducing a teeth whitening toothpaste into your morning routine as these offer a more natural way to brighten your smile and aren't as strong.