Teeth Whitening Options: the Pros and Cons of Each

Oct 7, 2026

By David Hall

The main teeth whitening options are whitening at the dental surgery, take-home trays from a dentist, LED whitening kits, whitening strips and whitening toothpaste. Dentist whitening is the most supervised and the most expensive; at-home kits and strips cost less and fit around your day; whitening toothpaste helps with surface stains but will not change your natural shade. The right option depends on your teeth, your budget and how much time you have.

Whichever you choose, start with healthy teeth and gums. The NHS says whitening is not done on unhealthy teeth or gums, and that a dentist should check them first.

Teeth whitening options at a glance

Option	Pros	Cons	Best for
Whitening at the dental surgery	Fastest result, done by a dental professional	The most expensive option, appointment needed	A big change in one visit
Take-home trays from a dentist	Custom-made trays, supervised by your dentist	Private fee, slower than in-surgery, appointments	Dentist supervision at home
LED whitening kit	10 minutes a day at home, up to 8 shades whiter in 7 days (SmilePro)	A daily routine for a week, then top-ups	Your first course at home
Whitening strips	No light or trays, easy to travel with	30 minutes a treatment, up to 5 shades (SmilePro)	Travel and top-ups
Whitening toothpaste	Part of your daily brushing	Surface stains only	Everyday maintenance

What are the pros and cons of whitening at the dental surgery?

Whitening at the dental surgery gives the fastest result: your teeth are covered in a whitening gel and a light or laser is shone on them, which the NHS says is faster and more effective than gel on its own. The downsides are cost, because it is private treatment and not available on the NHS, the appointment itself, and possible side effects such as sensitivity to cold or sweet food and drink, or sore gums, which the NHS says can last a short time.

Pros: one visit, and a dental professional checks your teeth and protects your gums first.
Cons: the most expensive option; charges vary between practices, and the Oral Health Foundation recommends getting a written estimate before you start.

What are the pros and cons of take-home trays from a dentist?

Take-home trays combine dentist supervision with treatment at home. Your dentist makes trays that fit closely around your teeth, and you wear them at home with the whitening gel. It is slower than in-surgery whitening and needs appointments, and you pay a private fee.

What are the pros and cons of an LED whitening kit?

An LED kit lets you whiten at home in short daily sessions. With the SmilePro Advanced Teeth Whitening Kit you paint the gel onto your teeth with a pen, then use the blue and red LED light for 10 minutes, once a day for 7 days, for up to 8 shades whiter. A session can be up to three 10-minute cycles if you want to push it. The gel is a peroxide-free PAP formula with potassium nitrate, enamel-safe and Sensitivity-free, and the Kit has a 30-day money-back guarantee (conditions apply).

Pros: costs far less than the dentist, takes 10 minutes a day, and the light switches itself off after 10 minutes.
Cons: you need to stick with it for 7 days, then top up every 2 weeks; it will not whiten crowns, veneers or fillings.

Choose carefully. The NHS says kits bought from a pharmacy or online do not work as well as dentist whitening and may harm your teeth and gums, and the Oral Health Foundation explains that in Europe, including the UK, it is illegal to supply whitening products containing more than 0.1% hydrogen peroxide direct to the public. Read does LED teeth whitening really work? and what PAP teeth whitening is.

What are the pros and cons of whitening strips?

Strips are the simplest option: no light, no trays, nothing to set up. SmilePro Teeth Whitening Strips take 30 minutes once a day for a 7-day course and whiten up to 5 shades; the pack's other 7 treatments are top-ups, one every 2 weeks. The trade-off is time and size of change: 30 minutes a treatment against 10 for the Kit, and up to 5 shades against up to 8. Compare them in whitening strips vs LED kit.

What are the pros and cons of whitening toothpaste?

Whitening toothpaste fits into your daily brushing, and the Oral Health Foundation says it is good at removing staining, although it is not strong enough to change the natural shade of your teeth. It may also help a whitening result last, the Oral Health Foundation adds. SmilePro Whitening Toothpaste helps lift everyday surface stains between treatments.

Which teeth whitening option is right for you?

If your teeth are sensitive or your gums are not healthy, see a dentist before choosing any option. Anyone offering whitening in person must be a registered dental professional: you can check the General Dental Council register.

The biggest change in one visit: whitening at the dental surgery.
Whitening at home in short sessions: an LED kit. Read at-home vs dentist teeth whitening.
Travel and top-ups: whitening strips. Read do teeth whitening strips work?
Everyday stain control: whitening toothpaste.
Crowns or veneers at the front: read does teeth whitening work on crowns and veneers? first.
Sensitive teeth: read teeth whitening for sensitive teeth.
An event coming up: read how to whiten teeth fast.

How long do teeth whitening results last?

No whitening is permanent, whichever option you choose: how long it lasts depends on how quickly new stains build up. With the SmilePro Kit, a 10-minute top-up every 2 weeks, or once a week if you drink a lot of coffee, tea or red wine, keeps your result going. After each treatment, wait 1 hour before eating or drinking anything except water. More in how long does teeth whitening last?

SmilePro whitening products are not suitable for anyone under 18, or anyone pregnant or breastfeeding. If you have sensitive teeth or unhealthy gums, see a dentist first.