I don't know why I didn't think to write about this before. It's a topic that gets discussed amongst a lot of my friends and family, along with other popular topics. I've put together a list of 10 ways you can whiten your teeth for anyone who is looking to brighten their smile. Obviously, do what you can to make these actions fit into your personal lifestyle. There are certain changes that can be easy and others, not so much. These tips are what I live by daily and the results speak for the themselves. Here are some un-edited photos of my teef for reference:
1. BRUSH YOUR TEEH TWICE DAILY. YES, REALLY.
Brushing your teeth twice daily is annoying but necessary for whiter and cleaner teeth. When you wake up in the morning, cleaning out the smelly bacteria that lingered as you slept is essential for good hygiene and most people brush their teeth every morning. The challenge for many of us, though, is always remembering to brush your teeth at night. The food and drinks you've eaten throughout the day can and do get caught between your teeth, in your gums, and leave a build-up of plaque. Keeping up with this maintenance is important and contributes to whiter, cleaner teeth.
2. FLOSS. YES, REALLY REALLY.
Only 41% of us floss daily. Flossing doesn't necessarily make your teeth whiter but it does go a long way in preventing your teeth from turning yellow. Have you ever looked in a mirror and taken a close look at your teeth and gums? Usually right around the gum area, there could be some yellow staining or residue on your teeth that remains persistent. This is plaque and food particles that builds up in between your teeth. If you neglect flossing, this yellow plaque can not only build up, but it will turn from soft plaque to a hardened plaque which is even more difficult to remove. Flossing combined with brushing is the only real way to combat plaque. Thus reducing the yellowing around your teeth and brightening your smile.
3. USE AN ELECTRIC TOOTHBRUSH
There are electric toothbrushes for every budget, whether you are looking for something under $10 or something that will really last. The best ones are the rechargeable ones so you aren't adding batteries to the cost of your toothbrush's life. If you're debating on purchasing a more expensive one, we always reason that it's okay to splurge on the price for things we use everyday. You are literally going to use it every day, so might as well make sure you love it and that it's of great quality. If it was something that you would only use every once in a while, it makes more sense to us then to go the cheaper route. The ones Drew and I use can be found on our Health list here.
4. WHITENING TOOTHPASTE
We use a whitening toothpaste for maximum effect. These may be a little bit more pricier than your average toothpaste, and many people have trouble justifying the cost, but it's convenient because you don't have to go out of your way to change a habit. You can just swap out your toothpaste brand for something with a little more whitening oomph and continue with your usual brushing routine! I've got it linked on our Amazon store here.
5. AVOID SODA, COFFEE AND WINE WHENEVER POSSIBLE
I know this is hard for a majority of us. Giving up soda? Okay. Coffee and wine? Heck. But that's the sacrifice it takes if healthy, bright, shiny white teeth is your goal. All three are known for their ability to stain teeth. As they saying goes, you can't have your cake and eat it too. We can't indulge often in things that are known to yellow our teeth and have whiter teeth at the same time.
If you must indulge in soda or wine, aim for lighter sodas and white wines. My personal results from cutting out soda and coffee has improved the whiteness of my teeth dramatically. I still have a coffee every once in a while but I make sure to do tip #6 when indulging in coffee or wine.
6. REUSABLE STRAWS ARE YOUR FRIENDS
If you must drink coffee, soda or wine - here's the pro move: get some reusable stainless steel or glass straws. And use them. There isn't any science behind this or proven data, just my sworn word that this has worked for us. I want to say it's because when you use a straw, the contact between the drink and your front teeth is minimized. Preventing staining, not 100% but better than without a straw. I've got the straws we use linked in our Amazon store in our Home items list.
7. EATING FOODS THAT NATURALLY HELP WHITEN YOUR TEETH
There's a science behind eating specific foods that can help naturally whiten your teeth. I won't go into details but some of the most well-known foods are:
- Broccoli
- Strawberries
- Cheese
- Pineapple
- Yogurt
Also choosing things like chocolate over hard candies when satisfying your sweet tooth can help as well. Not in terms of whitening your teeth, but preventing cavities. Sugary candies or hard candies can get lodged in your teeth and they can cause you to be more prone to cavities. Chocolate can also get lodged in your teeth but chocolate's melting temp is much lower than sugar's, so it will eventually dissolve resulting in less chances that it will stay stuck in your teeth.
8. CHEWING TEETH WHITENING SUGAR-FREE GUM IN BETWEEN MEALS
Chewing sugar-free gum promotes saliva production and crazily enough, saliva does more than you think. It's a natural deterrent for all kinds of bacteria. It also carries the minerals that teeth need to rebuild and strengthen. Chewing a sugar-free and teeth-whitening gum like the one we use (which can be found also be found in our Amazon store) after meals can prevent staining and remove pieces of food and plaque.
9. PROFESSIONAL TEETH WHITENING
Drew, my sister, and I all got our teeth professionally whitened before our wedding last year. We went to our local tanning salon which also offered teeth whitening services. It was about $80, I believe, and it only took about 45 minutes. You have to sit in a chair with a mouth piece in your mouth for about 30 minutes total but it wasn't too bad (left photo below). You will drool a little, but they are kind enough to give you tissues for that lol They were able to show you your own before and after shade. I moved up about 2 shades in whiteness and Drew moved up about 5 shades (right photo). Many dentist offices offer teeth whitening services as well but if you're looking for something more casual, see if your local tanning salon or beauty salon offers it.
10. Drinking Water
It's not the most effective way but when combining a bunch of different small ways together, it can add up to make a big difference. Drinking water often can help flush sugars, pieces of food, and stains away from your teeth. It also lowers the acidity levels in your mouth, further preventing tooth decay.
We hope this post has been helpful. Let us know if you have any of your own tips or tricks to getting whiter, healthier teeth and gums. Or if you've tried any of the methods above and your experience with it.
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