5 Best Whitening Pens for Teeth Whitening 2024

When it comes to teeth whitening, it seems we have more options every year. With the rise of social media influencers, you’re probably constantly seeing beauty trends that are quick and convenient for consumers. And is it just me, or are we also all obsessed with coffee at the moment? Enter: the perfect timing for teeth whitening pens to create a brighter smile! 

Some of our favorite daily drinks can result in some serious staining on our teeth and that’s definitely not passing the vibe check these days. But can a simple little whitening pen at home actually make our smiles brighter? Turns out they can be super effective and easy to use at home or on the go; after all, they can easily fit in your purse or desk drawer. Having so many options can make choosing the best whitening pen for our teeth can feel a little bit overwhelming. You can relax! I’ve narrowed down some of the top whitening pens currently available (as well as their current cost, because who doesn’t mind saving a few bucks in today’s economy?!)

How Do Teeth Whitening Pens Work?

Teeth whitening pens are a quick and easy way to whiten your teeth in a short amount of time. They’re great for people who prefer not to deal with messy strips or gel-filled trays. While whitening pens won’t brighten your teeth as dramatically as an in-office whitening treatment, they are still a great option for on-the-go and touching up your smile.

Many over-the-counter teeth whitening pens contain the active ingredients carbamide peroxide or hydrogen peroxide. Both hydrogen peroxide and carbamide peroxide essentially break down the bacteria that can cause staining on your tooth surface. And in turn, the oxidation process can make your smile look much brighter working as an whitening agent. Plus when used as directed, teeth whitening pens can help better maintain previously whitened teeth so that they stay brighter between dental checkups. 

Studies show that hydrogen peroxide breaks down faster than carbamide peroxide does. That’s why it’s often a preferred choice when looking for a quick teeth whitening fix. Usually it can result in a whiter smile in under 60 minutes. Its important to remember that whitening your teeth will NOT take the place of a routine dental cleaning where your hygienist polishes off your tooth stains. Showing up for your routine dental appointments is crucial in removing difficult surface stains and often recommended prior to trying a whitening product. Clean teeth just whiten better and faster, period. 

Do Teeth Whitening Pens Or Strips Work Better?

While whitening strips and whitening pens are both convenient options that can be used at home, they have a few differences that are important to note. Both products use the same makeup of hydrogen peroxide or carbamide peroxide. But whitening strips tend to have higher concentrations that result in a brighter result. For those with tooth sensitivity concerns, there are whitening strips that are made without a peroxide base. This can make them more tolerable for patients that can’t handle the full strength peroxide ingredients. 

Teeth whitening pens are extremely convenient and only taking a few minutes to apply. Plus, they’re an affordable option for people that are looking to brighten their smiles. However (dun, dun, dun) they cannot lift your tooth color to the extreme shade that something like an in-office whitening treatment can provide. 

Whitening strips require more time to work, as they are often worn anywhere from 15-30 minutes at a time. The good news is that they can brighten a bit than what you’d accomplish with just a whitening pen application. If you’re looking for a more dramatic whitening response, strips are probably the best choice. However, teeth whitening pens work great as an alternative for consistent and on-the-go treatments. To get the most dramatic brightening of your smile, in office treatments or teeth whitening trays are usually best. But on the flip side, over-the-counter (OTC) products like strips and pens tend to be easier on people who have sensitive teeth. 

5 Best Teeth Whitening Pens

Here are my top 5 best teeth whitening pen picks that are currently on the market. Depending on what you’re looking for, you really can’t go wrong with any of the teeth whiteners or brands mentioned below:

1. Auraglow Teeth Whitening Pen

Strongest Whitening Pen

Okay, I must say Auraglow has a very esthetically pleasing product that really connects with their audience. Who doesn’t want a pretty whitening pen? One of the things that the brand does is ensure their products are effective is make with the highest quality ingredient right here in the USA. Plus, they provide a FULL money back guarantee if you are not satisfied with your whitening results!

Key Features

American made and full money back guarantee. It contains a stronger, higher concentration of whitening ingredients. 

How to Use

Auraglow whitening pen contains a 35% carbamide peroxide whitening gel that promises a brighter, whiter smile for just $22. Apply a thin layer of whitening gel to clean teeth and allow it to sit for 30 minutes a day. Repeat for 7-10 days for results that will last anywhere from 1-3 months! That’s a pretty good deal considering the cost and convenience. 

Ingredients

Auraglow whitening pen contains:

• Glycerin
• Urea peroxide
• Propylene glycol
• Xylitol
• Carbomer
• Mentha piperita oil
• Triethanolamine
• Water
• Ascorbic acid
• Eugenol
• Camellia sinensis leaf extract

Final Thought

I don’t know about you, but when I see a money back guarantee I get excited. It seems like Auraglow truly believes in its products and is willing to bet that it will work so well you would likely not want to return it, but if you were dissatisfied they value their customers’ input. To me it’s a win-win for this pen considering they will refund you if you’re not happy with the whitening results.

Plus, I give them bonus points for containing xylitol for its added oral health benefits.

2. MOON Teeth Whitening Pen

Best Whitening Pen

I bet you did not expect to read about Kendell Jenner today, but here we are folks! The MOON whitening pen is a product from Kendell Jenner’s company, MOON. MOON has created top notch oral care and beauty products that are meant to take everyday activities to the next level. MOON’s whitening pen is one of the company’s top selling products and was awarded the 2023 NewBeauty Award Winner as the best teeth whitening pen on the market!

Key Features

The MOON whitening pen contains the active ingredient carbamide peroxide as well as an antioxidant blend of lavender oil, strawberry fruit extract, and honeysuckle flower extract. The MOON whitening pens come in 3 different flavor options including vanilla mint, rose mint and platinum mint. The ingredients do NOT contain any SLS, SLES, parabens, artificial flavors or animal products. This is a great vegan friendly option! 

How to Use

For most teeth whitening pens, the application process is the same. For the MOON pen you must click the pen as many as 10 times when you first open the product to see the whitening gel appear on the application brush. Apply 1-2 times per day on a dried tooth surface for up to 2 weeks to whiten teeth. For the best whitening results, MOON recommends you limit beverages that can increase staining like coffee, tea and juice.

Ingredients

MOON's Elixir Iii proprietary blend features:  

• Lavender Oil
• Strawberry Fruit Extract 
• Honeysuckle Flower Extract
• Propylene Glycol
• Glycerin
• Urea Peroxide (carbamide peroxide)
• Tris (Hydroxymethyl) Aminomethane
• Carbomer
• Tetrasodium EDTA
• Organic Stevia Rebaudiana Extract
• Fragaria Ananassa (Strawberry) Fruit Extract
• Lavnadula Angustifolia (Lavender) Oil
• Vanilla Mint Flavor

Final Thoughts

This vegan teeth whitening pen is just $19.99, the MOON whitening pen is a great option for budget savvy on-the-go whitening for anyone who appreciates more natural ingredients with a bit of fancy fun flavors thrown in! This pen also contains light reflecting pigments that help to brighten the appearance of your natural teeth even more! If you want to feel a little “extra” and whiten your teeth at the same time, try the MOON whitening pen next time you shop for your oral care beauty products! 

3. Philips Zoom Whitening Pen

Top Rated Whitening pen

Philips Zoom! is the top patient-requested whitening brand. After all, they are the leaders when it comes to same day teeth whitening in your dentist’s office. Zoom! products speak for themselves; you really can’t go wrong with any of them. While the in-office treatment is the most common, Zoom! also makes other whitening devices like teeth whitening pens. 

Key Features

The Philips Zoom! whitening pen uses a 5.2% hydrogen peroxide solution that can easily brighten your tooth enamel when used as directed. It typical costs around $20-$25 depending on where it’s purchased from. Some dental offices to sell this teeth whitening treatment as well, as it is easy for patients to use.

How to Use

Each Zoom! pen consists of 30 treatments in total. All you have to do is click the pen until gel solution is visible and apply to visible tooth surfaces. It’s recommended to wait at least a full 30 minutes after applying the whitening solution before eating or drinking. This allows for activation time for the teeth whitening ingredients without any interruption.

Ingredients

Zoom! whitening pens contains:

• water
• hydrogen peroxide
• carbomer
• glycerin
• PEG-60 hydrogenated castor oil
• PVP
• ammonium hydroxide
• flavor
• sodium saccharin
• etidronic acid
• potassium stannate

Final Thoughts

The Philips Zoom! whitening pen is a great addition to your oral care routine, especially for people who may want to maintain their recently whitened smiles after using professional products. Since everyone’s teeth are different, this product doesn’t make any claims as to how bright your teeth will get. They do, however, encourage a stronger whitening treatment prior to using the pen to help enhance your results. 

This teeth whitening pen is a great option for my patients that have invested money in professional whitening treatments and want to keep their teeth whiter, longer. It’s just like that saying goes, “If you’re not whitening, you’re yellowing!”… Keeping up with your whitening can prolong the results from previous whitening treatments and in the long run can save you money! The more you keep up with using something like a tooth whitening pen, the less likely you’ll be to need major teeth whitening treatments in the future. 

4. Colgate Optic White Overnight Whitening Pen

Most Convenient

Colgate Optic White Overnight whitening pen promises to whiten your smile, you guessed it, overnight! Colgate states it’s best to leave the applied gel in contact with your teeth for at least 4-6 hours for the best results. The cost is anywhere from $25-$20 depending on which retailer you’re purchasing it from. 

Key Features

Colgate Optic White whitening pen works best when applied after your oral hygiene care before you hit the hay. That way the solution stays directly on your teeth overnight. This option is best for sensitive teeth and is great for people who prefer to whiten their teeth while they sleep or who don’t want to mess with whitening products during a busy daily routine.

How to Use:

Brush and floss your teeth as you normally would, then just click the pen until the solution appears. Apply a thin layer to the surfaces you would like to brighten and go to bed. Don’t eat or drink anything! While you are sleeping, the hydrogen peroxide works to brighten the tooth enamel for a whiter smile when you wake up! I don’t know about you, but I’m a fan of any directions that tell me to literally go to bed after step one.

Ingredients

This teeth whitening pen includes:

• alcohol
• acrylates
• octylacrylamide copolymer
• water
• hydrogen peroxide

Final Thought

With the promise of overnight whitening, Colgate Optic White has got to be one of my favorite teeth whitening options for when we have a special event coming up. Or if you’re a last-minute kind of person who forget until the night before and they wish their teeth were brighter and whiter, this one can save you.

5. VieBeauti Teeth Whitening Pen

Top rated on Amazon

VieBeauti touts itself as a “natural and luxurious beauty line dedicated to crafting personal care products with the finest formulations for a more beautiful you”. So what does this have to do with teeth? VieBeauti makes a great teeth whitening pen that is actually quite popular in the beauty world. With over 36,000 reviews on Amazon, it has got to be worth taking a look at how effective this teeth whitening pen claims to be.

Key Features

The VieBeauti whitening pen claims to provide fast results within just one minute by applying the gel directly to your teeth. The pen contains over 20 uses and claims that teeth can appear 4-8 shades brighter than prior to use. High concentration of whitening ingredients. 

How to Use

Like other teeth whitening pens, all you do is brush this one directly onto the tooth surfaces that you want to look whiter. Easy peasy. 

Ingredients

This whitening pen includes one of the higher concentrations at 35% carbamide peroxide for serious brightening power. Other ingredients include carbopol, propanediol, and glycerin. 

Final Thought

This teeth whitening pen is also sold on amazon in a pack of three, costing about $20 total. It’s a great deal for a reasonable price. I love that this teeth whitening kit is sold in a three pack, because let’s be honest, we’re going to run out eventually and when would we not want extra whitening pens on hand? You can put one in your car, bathroom, or purse. It’s a great bang for your buck and customers seem to love it for its price and its effectiveness. 

What Should You Look For In A Whitening Pen?

When shopping around for a whitening pen, keep your big picture needs in mind. Do you want to reduce stain? Brighten your teeth just a little bit? Or drastically whiten your entire smile? These are all things to consider when deciding if a whitening pen, strips, or professional treatment is the best option for you. If you decide that trying something as easy as a teeth whitening gel pen is the best bet, be sure to check the ingredients. 

1. Consider your overall goals: Determine whether you want to reduce stains, achieve a slight brightening, or drastically whiten your entire smile.
2. Evaluate your options: Choose between whitening pens, strips, or professional treatments based on your preferences and needs.
3. Check ingredients: If you opt for a teeth whitening gel pen, carefully examine the ingredients. Look for either hydrogen peroxide or carbamide peroxide on the label for effective whitening results.
4. Be cautious when shopping: With numerous products available online, be vigilant to avoid being misled by claims that may not deliver the promised results. Always verify product claims before making a purchase.

With so many products available at the click of a button, it’s easy to get tricked or misled into buying products that claim one thing and deliver another. Always be sure to look for either hydrogen peroxide OR carbamide peroxide on the label for effective whitening results.

Side Effects Of Whitening

Are teeth whitening pens safe? Yes! Will they give you sensitive teeth? Maybe. While the effects of whitening products will certainly be different for everyone, there’s a few things to look out for to ensure you are being safe about the process! Of course, we would love the side effect of a whiter smile, but make sure you are aware of any possible negative outcomes.  Here are so poislbe side effects of teeth whitening: 

• Gum sensitivity
• Teeth sensitivity
• Gum irritation

Things like hypersensitivity of the teeth, burns on your gums, or any severe discomfort are all signs you should stop using teeth whitening products and discuss the concerns with your dentist. 

Teeth Whitening Alternatives

If teeth whitening pens are just not cutting it for you, there are other treatment alternatives to consider. These include:

1. In-office teeth whitening

Professional whitening will usually consist of a combination of teeth whitening gel solution and light activation applied by your dental professional or cosmetic dentist. This is the most effective for at whitening teeth.

2. Custom teeth whitening trays

Custom whitening trays are a great option for people that want to whiten a bit more dramatically than gel pens but want to do it on their own time or in the comfort of their own home. A set of impressions will be taken to create an exact mold of your teeth. This is used to make trays that hold whitening gel directly against your teeth. This is one of my favorite options.

TIP: If you get super sensitive teeth, skip a day and try adding an anti-sensitivity toothpaste to your routine to help reduce discomfort. Or try sensitive whitening strips.

3. Whitening strips

A great OTC choice for anyone not looking to spend hundreds of dollars but still wants a bit more “oomph” than the gel teeth whitening pens have to offer.

The Best Teeth Whitening Pen Recap

Whenever you are unsure about what teeth whitening products may be best for you, it’s always recommended to discuss concerns or questions with your dentist. Also, whitening is not recommended for young children, pregnant women, nursing women, or individuals with severe tooth decay. And if you’re someone with white fillings or crowns in the front of your smile, note that they will not respond to teeth whitening products. 

For everyone else, teeth whitening pens can be a great starting point! You can conveniently apply the product to your teeth from the comfort of your home, car or office without having to break the bank. Whether you have a crazy busy schedule and just don’t have the time for lengthy treatments or you want to prevent future yellowing or staining of your teeth, gel pens are a great introductory product to try out.