These 9 Best Teeth Whitening Pens Make Brightening Touch-Ups Easy

Best Overall

VieBeauti Teeth Whitening Pen

$20 at Amazon View on Viebeauti.com

Active Ingredients: 35% carbamide peroxide | Treatment Length: 30 seconds, twice daily

Of all the teeth-whitening pens we tested this one impressed us the most. The pen functions as advertised: It has a soft brush-tip applicator that’s easy to control and can get into crevices between teeth to ensure you achieve even coverage. The rinse-free formula and application make it a product you can use easily while traveling or as a fast addition to your morning and nighttime routines. A small but nice detail is that the pen that holds the gel is transparent, allowing you to see how much product is left. We love that the pack comes with three pens and is still quite affordable. 

After using it twice daily for just one week, we saw a noticeable improvement in the whiteness of our teeth—about four shades. The one downside is that it can cause minor sensitivity if you get the gel on your gums, but this is typical for whitening products, and if you’re careful while applying it with the brush, you should be able to avoid that.

Best Overall, Runner-Up

Philips Zoom Whitening Pen

$26 at Walmart

Active Ingredients: 5.25% hydrogen peroxide | Treatment Length: Twice daily for two weeks

The intuitive pen is fast and easy to apply, and we were incredibly pleased with how well it worked to remove stains and brighten teeth overall. We lightened teeth four shades after using it twice daily for two weeks, though we saw a noticeable improvement in just a few days. The formula uses the power of hydrogen peroxide to lighten staining, and we appreciated that it didn’t cause sensitivity in the teeth or gums. We like that the pen features a brush-tip applicator, which helps to evenly distribute the serum and get into the crevices between the teeth.

We did experience a bit of a funny aftertaste in the few minutes following application, but this isn’t unusual for whitening products, and it went away shortly after. A bonus: after using it as directed, there was still plenty of product left in the pen that could be used for touch-ups down the line. 

Best Budget

Polar Teeth Whitening Polar Teeth Whitening Pen Single

$22 at Walmart View on Polartw.com

Active Ingredients: Carbamide peroxide | Treatment Length: 60 seconds for gel to dry, 30 minutes minimum on teeth

This teeth whitening pen isn’t just highly effective—it’s super affordable, too. Though it’s not quite as convenient or pleasant to use as other options on this list, its effectiveness and accessibility make it a product we'd still recommend. Rather than swiping it on and going about your day, you need to apply it with the brush (which is great for evenly coating your teeth), keep your mouth open while it dries for 60 seconds, then let the gel sit for a minimum of 10 minutes before rinsing your mouth. So it’s not ideal for use on the go, but the results make it worth it. After using it consistently for three weeks, we noticed a real improvement in the whiteness of our teeth; our dentist even commented on how white and bright our teeth looked (the true testament of a worthy whitener).

Best for Sensitive Teeth

Lumineux Bright² Pen

$20 at Target $20 at Walmart View on Lumineuxhealth.com

Active Ingredients: Carboxymethyl | Treatment Length: 60 seconds

Tooth and gum sensitivity from teeth whitening products is no joke—if you’ve experienced it, you know just how painful it can be. We’ve experienced severe discomfort from whitening products in the past. but had absolutely no sensitivity while using this product consistently for two weeks. The gel was comfortable and effective; we saw a visible improvement in stains by the end of our test. It was simple and intuitive to apply and could be easily used on the go. Although the results were not as dramatic with this option as with others we've tried, and it took the full two-week period to see a visible difference, we still highly recommend it for anyone with sensitive teeth looking to lighten staining. 

Best Flavors

Smileactives Teeth Whitening Pen

$36 at Amazon $33 at QVC View on Smileactives.com

Active Ingredients: Hydrogen peroxide | Treatment Length: 2-4 times daily

Like other pens on this list, this pen is effective and affordable, but where it stands out is its flavors. It comes in six different flavor profiles, including vanilla mint, melon, and artic blast, so there's likely something you'll enjoy. It features a brush-tip applicator for simple and fast application. The pen comes with a lot of gel, meaning it will last you quite some time—after using it twice daily for two weeks, we still had tons of product left. 

We observed a noticeable improvement in the appearance of surface stains and the overall brightness of the teeth after two weeks of use. This improvement was even noticeable after just a few days. While it caused a bit of minor sensitivity on the gums, it dissipated quickly after each use and stopped happening after the first few days. If you’re anti-mint flavoring, now you’ve got options. 

Best for Maintenance

Tarte Pearly Girl Vegan Teeth Whitening Pen

$25 at Sephora $25 at Target $25 at Kohls.com

Active Ingredients: Hydrogen peroxide | Treatment Length: 30 seconds up to 4x daily

If you’re looking for a product to help you dramatically whiten your teeth overall, this whitening pen isn’t going to be your best bet. But if you’re looking for a product to keep with you and utilize when you need some stain removal, we absolutely recommend it. It’s compact and easy to swipe onto your teeth, doesn’t cause sensitivity or discomfort, and works to maintain a brighter smile (great for in between professional whitening treatments). It’s gentle enough to be used up to four times daily and takes just a few seconds to apply and 30 seconds while waiting for it to dry before you can move on with your day.

Best Overnight Treatment

Colgate Overnight Whitening Pen

$20 at Amazon $20 at Target $20 at Walmart

Active Ingredients: Hydrogen peroxide | Treatment Length: Overnight

Using a whitening pen can be a pain when you have to wait for it to dry with your mouth open or not eat anything for an hour or so after application, but this one cuts all those frustrations out. You apply it right before bed and then just let it do its work while you sleep, easy peasy. It can be a bit tricky to get the back teeth, but since no one really sees the front of them anyway, it wasn't a dealbreaker, especially when we saw the results. After just one week, or tester's teeth were one full shade whiter (even her husband noticed).

It did cause a bit of tooth sensitivity (even though the brand claims the gel is designed for tooth sensitivity) but this dissipated quickly. It was much easier to use than white strips, and at just $20, we'll definitely be coming back for more.

Best for Subtle Whitening

Crest 3DWhite Teeth Whitening Pen

View on Crest.com

Active Ingredients: Hydrogen peroxide | Treatment Length: 60 seconds, twice daily

Some folks may not need a super-powered whitening pen but rather one that will just give them a slight bump for a special event. That's why we like this easy-to-use pen from Crest—in just 60 seconds a day, you can get in some subtle whitening in that won't cause tooth sensitivity. Our tester already liked the shade of her teeth but found this pen clicked them up a touch in just one week of use, giving her teeth she liked even more. She appreciated the pen was much easier to use than whitening strips (and less uncomfortable, too). It was a little annoying to have to keep her mouth open for 60 seconds to let the whitening formula dry (and not something she'd do in public), but all in all, a minor inconvenience.

The brand recommends whitening twice a day with the pen for the full effect, but since you can't eat or drink for an hour after each application, or tester stuck to once a day. We think you might get more of a whitening effect if you use it twice a day as recommended.

Best for Travel

Snow Sensitive Teeth Whitening Serum

View on Trysnow.com

Active Ingredients: Carbamide peroxide, Hydrogen peroxide | Treatment Length: 9 minutes daily for up to three weeks

Whitening pens may all look compact and easy to use on the go, but some require you to keep your mouth open for a while, which can make using them in public somewhat awkward. This pen from Snow does not have that requirement. Our tester said all they had to do was let the serum dry for 60 seconds, then they could get on with their day. They only experienced minor gum sensitivity and noticed their teeth were a shade whiter after just five days of regular use.

The company sells an LED light that you can use to enhance results, but we noticed a difference without it. While we loved the quick whitening payoff, we do wish the pen came with clearer instructions on how to use it most effectively. You can find answers on the company's FAQ page, but our tester didn't appreciate having to take that extra step. Despite that, it's one of the more effective, gentle, and affordable whitening pens we've tried.