DEAL OF THE DAY: Get up to 70% off at Walmart's luggage clearance sale!
Don't Waste Your Money is supported by our readers. When you purchase an item through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.

The Best Teeth Whitening Trays

Last updated on October 23, 2023
Best Teeth Whitening Trays

Our Review Process

Don't Waste Your Money is focused on helping you make the best purchasing decision. Our team of experts spends hundreds of hours analyzing, testing, and researching products so you don't have to. Learn more.

Look for the DWYM seal for products that are the best in a category.

Whether you’ve got a special event coming up or you’d just like to remove years of stains from your teeth, using teeth whitening trays can help boost your confidence and make your teeth brighter from the comfort of home. Whitening your teeth with these trays is usually as simple as applying whitening gel and keeping the tray in your mouth for a short time daily over the course of a week or two.

When exploring teeth whitening trays, you’ll find they often come in kits that have multiple tubes of whitening gel and either a single double-sided tray or separate top and bottom trays. The whitening trays are usually one-size-fits-all, so you don’t have to worry about molding them. You will likely need to apply the whitening gel, and some kits like this have an accelerator light attached to the tray that helps speed up whitening.

Sometimes, you’ll find pre-filled teeth whitening trays that take care of the preparation work. These are designed for convenience since you won’t have to deal with applying gel, and you can just throw away the whitening trays after use rather than going through a cleaning process.

If you’re looking for teeth whitening trays that offer a custom fit, moldable options exist and usually are sold separately without the whitening gel included. You put these types of trays in boiling water and then bite into the flexible plastic to make a mold. You get more flexibility in the type of whitening gel you choose with this option.

When comparing teeth whitening tray kits, keep in mind that you’ll find different strengths for the whitening gel used. Higher strengths allow for shorter wear times than lower strengths, but may increase sensitivity during use. You’ll also find the whitening gel often includes extra ingredients to improve the flavor, help with sensitivity or strengthen the teeth.

Our Picks For The Top Teeth Whitening Trays

View All Recommendations
Product Overview
Our Take
 Top Pick

SmileDirectClub Mint Gluten-Free Teeth Whitening Trays, 4-Pack

Don't Waste Your Money Seal of Approval

SmileDirectClub

Mint Gluten-Free Teeth Whitening Trays, 4-Pack

Keep your smile looking bright with these professional-strength teeth whitening trays. Stains are no match for this formula, which is capable of making your teeth nine shades whiter. The solution is a breeze to apply and users are sure to love the fresh mint flavor.

Overall Take

Easy to UseThis teeth whitening tray has you covered for a full six months.

 We Also Like

The ConfiDental 4-In-1 Phthalate Free Teeth Whitening Trays, 5-Pack

The ConfiDental

4-In-1 Phthalate Free Teeth Whitening Trays, 5-Pack

With two heavy-duty and three regular teeth whitening trays, this kit is versatile since the trays work for teeth whitening but also as a mouthguard for sports and teeth grinding. You can mold them to fit your teeth well. You'll need to buy whitening gel separately.

Overall Take

Multi-Purpose OptionIf you're looking for teeth trays that work for whitening and general protection, consider this moldable set.

 Strong Contender

iSmile Gentle Dentist Recommended Teeth Whitening Trays

iSmile

Gentle Dentist Recommended Teeth Whitening Trays

Featuring an LED accelerator and 35%-strength whitening gel, this teeth whitening tray requires just 10 minutes a day for a week. The whitening gel tastes like mint, and you also get a desensitizing gel.

Overall Take

High Strength for Quick WhiteningFor a fast whitening process, this option uses a high-strength whitening gel and accelerating light to speed up the process.

 Also Great

Opalescence Go Gel LED Lights Teeth Whitening Trays

Opalescence Go

Gel LED Lights Teeth Whitening Trays

These mint-flavored teeth whitening trays come pre-filled so they're ready to brighten your teeth when you are. The gel also contains fluoride to strengthen the teeth along with potassium nitrate for sensitivity.

Overall Take

Pre-filled and Ready to GoIf you're looking to avoid filling whitening trays, this pre-filled kit makes the whitening process more convenient.

What to Look For

  • Before you start using any teeth whitening trays, consider talking to your dentist to make sure you don’t have any dental problems that the whitening gel could irritate.
  • Be sure to brush and floss before you start the teeth whitening process each day.
  • Aim to apply the whitening gel around halfway up inside the trays.
  • After you first whiten your teeth, you can expect to have to use the kit again in the future to maintain the results as your teeth accumulate stains again. Usually, you won’t want to go through the whitening process any sooner than three to six months later.
  • To help keep your teeth whiter for longer, pay attention to what you eat and drink. Soda, tea, wine and coffee can all stain the teeth, as can foods with strong colors. Smoking can also lead to stained teeth.
  • Using teeth whitening trays can lead to sensitive teeth, especially if you use a kit with a strongly concentrated gel or leave the gel on for too long. So, pay close attention to the kit’s instructions and stop using the kit if you notice issues.
  • Avoid using too much teeth whitening gel since you can often get four applications out of a single syringe. Using too much can irritate your mouth and cause a mess.
  • Be sure to clean any reusable whitening trays after each use.

More to Explore

While they’re now widely available for at-home use, modern teeth whitening trays didn’t become popular until the late 1980s and were only available through a dentist. Dentists originally used peroxide as an antiseptic for gum treatments and accidentally discovered that this ingredient also worked well for teeth whitening. The trays helped keep the gel on the teeth longer for good results.

However, work had been done as far back as the 1880s that showed the teeth whitening benefits of peroxide. It wasn’t until the 1960s that dentists would find that carbamide peroxide could offer better results when left on the teeth for an extended period with the use of a tray.

Opalescence was the first brand of teeth whitening trays marketed back in 1989, and it used custom-made trays. The company still makes a variety of teeth whitening products today.

MORE:  The Best Charcoal Toothpaste

More to explore