Teeth Whitening Pens — Do They Work, and How Do They Compare to Strips?

Teeth whitening pens can lighten teeth, because many contain the same peroxides as strips, but the evidence behind paint-on gels is thin and a pen's short contact time makes it better suited to touch-ups than to a full whitening course. A pen is convenient; it is not a shortcut to the result of trays or strips.

A pen is simply a click-up tube with a brush tip that paints a thin film of gel onto the front of the teeth. How much it can do depends on what is in the gel, how strong it is, and how long it stays on before saliva and lips wipe it off.

What the evidence says about paint-on gels

Paint-on gels are one of the product types the 2018 Cochrane review of home whitening covered, alongside tray gels and strips. It found that bleaching agents including carbamide and hydrogen peroxide paint-on gels whitened teeth compared with a placebo over short periods, but it rated the certainty of the evidence low to very low and could not say which method was better.

The ADA also summarises a 2020 systematic review that found whitening toothpastes had similar efficacy to paint-on gel but less efficacy than whitening strips. That review did not test pens against strips directly, but if paint-on gel performs about as well as a toothpaste, and toothpaste falls short of strips, paint-on gels are unlikely to sit at the strong end of the at-home options.

How pens differ from strips

The big difference is contact. A strip holds gel against the teeth for a set time, often many minutes; a pen leaves a thin film that you are asked to keep exposed briefly before closing your mouth.

BURST's Precision Whitening Pen, for example, says to apply, "smile wide for 60 seconds", then go. Crest's Professional White strips, by contrast, are worn for 45 minutes a day. More contact is not automatically better, because contact time also drives sensitivity, but it explains why pens are usually sold as a quick top-up or a spot treatment rather than a full course.

Pens also make it easier to be precise. A brush tip can reach a single tooth or avoid a crown, which some people find useful. The trade-off is that it is also easy to paint gel onto the gums by accident.

Strength: what pens say, and what they don't

Only one of the three pens we read states its strength, and it is strong. BURST says its Precision Whitening Pen uses 9% hydrogen peroxide and sells it for $14.99; it also sells a PAP version for $19.99. SNOW says its Teeth Whitening Pen, $39.00 for the full size, contains hydrogen peroxide and carbamide peroxide, but the product page we read does not give a percentage.

A 9% pen would sit well outside the rule in the UK and EU, where any whitening product sold over the counter may contain no more than 0.1% hydrogen peroxide and products up to 6% may be supplied only through a dental practitioner. Our guide to hydrogen peroxide limits by country sets out those rules and what they mean when buying online.

What a pen costs per use

A pen's box price hides how many uses it holds, and only one seller we read gives a count. BURST says its Precision Whitening Pen holds "up to 90 spot treatments" or "up to 45 full treatments". At $14.99 that works out at about 33 cents per full treatment by our arithmetic, which is far less per go than any strip we priced.

That low figure is the pen's appeal, and it comes with a catch: each "treatment" is a 60-second exposure, not a 15- or 45-minute strip, so cost per use is not cost per result. SNOW does not state how many uses its $39.00 pen holds, so its cost per use cannot be worked out from the product page.

How to use a whitening pen

The directions on your pen come first, but the principles are the same across the ones we read. Clean teeth, a thin even coat on the front surfaces only, the stated exposure time, and nothing on the gums.

1. Brush and dry your teeth if the directions say so.
2. Twist or click until gel appears; BURST notes the first use can take a few clicks.
3. Paint a thin layer onto the front of each tooth, keeping clear of the gum line.
4. Keep your lips away from your teeth for the stated time.
5. Avoid eating or drinking for as long as the directions say.

Stop if your teeth become sensitive or your gums sore, as you would with any whitening product. Health Canada's required warning for peroxide products says to stop and consult an oral health professional if the gums or mouth become red, swollen or sore.

Pens with strips, trays or LED devices

Some sellers suggest using a pen alongside strips or trays. BURST, for example, says its pen can be used on its own or as a complement to its strips or trays. That is a seller's suggestion, and it adds exposure to exposure.

Combining products multiplies the peroxide your teeth and gums receive in ways no single label accounts for. If you want to use a pen after a strip course, finish the course first, let any sensitivity settle, and follow the pen's own directions. Our guide to how often you can use whitening strips covers spacing between courses.

Who a pen suits

A pen suits someone with healthy teeth who wants a quick, occasional touch-up, or who needs to whiten around a crown or filling without covering it. It does not suit someone expecting a large change from a pen alone, someone with sensitive teeth or gum problems, or anyone under the age limits: the UK and EU rules keep products stronger than 0.1% hydrogen peroxide away from under-18s.

If you are choosing a whitening product for the first time, a strip or a dentist-supplied tray is the better-evidenced starting point. Our ranking of the best teeth whitening kits compares those on what each seller discloses, and a check-up with a dentist first pays us nothing.

We do not link to any pen from this page, because we would rather point you to the better-evidenced options first.