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Who doesn't want to show off a bright, white smile? The good news is having whiter teeth is an attainable goal, and not one that needs to cost you a lot of money. Ahead, we've compiled the ultimate guide for whitening your teeth at home, with everything from do-it-yourself tactics to over-the-counter solutions. Read on for 17 tips and insights from top New York dentists that will give you the extra edge when it comes to whitening your teeth.
1. Use baking soda and hydrogen peroxide.
This combination is popular for a reason: It works. Mix together one part hydrogen peroxide and two parts baking soda, then brush your teeth using the mixture. With ingredients under less than $3 for each ingredient, it's hard to imagine a better bargain whitener. Another option? Dip a nubby washcloth in hydrogen peroxide and rub it all over your teeth. The peroxide lightens stains, while the cloth helps to scrub them away. For a less DIY alternative: Swish with a hydrogen peroxide mouthwash, such as Listerine Whitening Vibrant Multi-Action Whitening Rinse or Rembrandt Deeply White + Peroxide.
2. Brush frequently and correctly.
If you're serious about whitening, frequent brushing is a must. A whitening toothpaste isn't necessarily strong enough to dramatically whiten teeth on its own, but many kinds have a a mild abrasive ingredient called silica, which helps scrub away new stains. New toothpaste formulas also come with fluoride (look for ones containing fluoride at .018 percent or above). New York dentist Lee Gause, who cares for the gorgeous grins of Ford Models and civilians alike, recommends Crest toothpaste; check out Crest 3D White Enamel Renewal.
Whether you use an electric or manual toothbrush, opt for a soft head. Hard brushes can act like sandpaper and damage your enamel. Next, if you only spend a few seconds brushing your teeth, it's time to step it up: The American Dental Association recommends brushing for two minutes at least twice a day — gently. (Scrubbing teeth like you would a frying pan not only wears on your enamel, it's bad for your gums.)
3. Consider upgrading to an electric toothbrush.
Even though you can get excellent results from manual toothbrushes, electric toothbrushes really get the job done. "Not only do they provide exceptional plaque removal and gum stimulation, but they have timers to make sure you're brushing long enough," says New York City cosmetic dentist Jeffrey Golub-Evans. We love the teeth-whitening setting of the Philips Sonicare DiamondClean Rechargeable Sonic Toothbrush, but if spending nearly $200 on a toothbrush isn't in your budget, the Oral-B Professional Deep Sweep Triaction 1000 is a less expensive option. Even a $6 battery-powered spin brush can make a difference. Simply put, "vibrations remove more stains," says New York City dentist Michael Apa.
Again, whitening toothpastes don't necessarily produce a dramatically whiter smile on their own, but they can make your teeth whiter than regular toothpaste. Most whitening toothpastes contain little to no hydrogen peroxide because "the ingredient is hard to stabilize," says cosmetic chemist Ni'Kita Wilson. "Instead, they exfoliate away new stains with silica, a gritty mineral." One exception? New Luster Premium Power White Deep Stain Eraser Toothpaste, which contains 2 percent stabilized hydrogen peroxide. "It should work better than other whitening toothpastes," Wilson says.
5. Use a whitening pre-rinse before brushing.
"My recommended protocol is whitening pre-rinse, flossing, brushing, and mouthwash," says Gause. A pre-rinse, with active ingredients like hydrogen peroxide, "loosens buildup and food, so brushing will be even more effective." (Check out Listerine Whitening Plus Restoring Fluoride Rinse.)
6. Use a mouthwash after brushing
Mouthwash gets into the gaps cleaned out by brushing and flossing; if it's a fluoride wash, the fluoride sits there battling decay. "Really swish that fluoride-packed mouthwash around after brushing, too, but wait an hour before drinking anything," Gause says. "Fluoride has to soak into weakened tooth structure."
Mouthwash with hydrogen peroxide can whiten effectively if you gargle twice a day for three months, according to a study from São Paulo State University in Brazil. Try Listerine Healthy White Vibrant Mouthrinse. (One note: You should avoid dark mouthwashes, however. Once the alcohol evaporates, the pigment in them can actually stain your teeth.)
7. Brush Even When You're On the Go
Stash extra toothbrushes everywhere (your partner's bathroom, your office drawer, your glove compartment, your purse, and so on.). You can also try GoSmile Touch Up Ampoules, disposable vials loaded with whitening gel. These tiny single-shot tubes are no bigger than your pinky and easy to throw in your purse for a quick whitening session. When you need a mini mouth makeover, simply bend the ampoule until the plastic casing cracks open to release whitening formula onto the tip. The results are impressive: Surface stains disappear and breath is fresher within seconds. (The Fresh Mint flavor is amazing).
8. Take care of your gums.
Remember that healthy pink gums make white teeth appear brighter. "It's the backdrop for a beautiful smile, and bleeding gums mean you have gingivitis," says Gause.
9. Use whitening strips at home.
Teeth whitening kits do work, but you have to know which to choose and how to use them. Kits that whiten in a one-hour session remove only shallow stains, says Apa: "It takes two weeks of daily bleaching with hydrogen peroxide to reach deep stains." He likes Crest 3D White Whitestrips Luxe Professional Effects.
Here's how to whiten teeth at home:
Break one rule. Ignore the directions on the box: Go ahead and brush before whitening. "Just don't use fluoride toothpaste, since it sticks to teeth and blocks peroxide from getting in," says Apa. Use a virgin toothbrush and floss to dislodge plaque, which also prevents bleach from penetrating.
Grab a tissue. Blot your teeth to remove saliva so there's no barrier between the strips and your teeth.
Put them in place. Position the strips so they don't touch your gums. Then, press your fingernail between each tooth to "mold the strips to your teeth in order to bleach the edges," says Marc Lowenberg, a dentist in New York City.
Don't go overboard. Strips are meant to stay on for an hour, max. Leaving them on any longer can "damage gums and erode tooth enamel," says cosmetic chemist Ni'Kita Wilson. That said, don't remove them prematurely. "The more time the bleach spends on your teeth, the more stains break apart," says Apa.
Maintenance matters. If your teeth look dull a few months after whitening, use Crest 3D White Whitestrips 1 Hour Express "to remove new stains before they become deeper and more stubborn," says Lowenberg. It's a good practice to use them every six months to a year.
Use 'em or lose 'em. "Peroxide is unstable, so unopened strips lose their potency within 18 months," says Wilson.
The most common problems with DIY bleaching are sensitivity and gum irritation. Products that promise results within a couple of hours often contain a high percentage of carbamide peroxide (a chemical that changes to hydrogen peroxide once it hits your teeth), which can irritate sensitive teeth and gums. Golub-Evans suggests finding a product with no more than 10 percent peroxide that whitens over a period of two or more weeks, like Crest 3D White Professional Effects Whitestrips. "It may take a little longer, but I guarantee that after a couple of weeks you will have the results you want—without the sensitivity," he says. And unlike bleach in trays that can leak onto your gums, strips are designed to stay on your teeth, so there's less chance they'll cause irritation. Just make sure your teeth are as clean and dry as possible before application so the peroxide is in direct contact with your enamel. The best time to whiten at home is one to two days after getting a professional cleaning, when some stains and plaque have already been removed.
Golub-Evans also points out that the peroxide in whitening treatments doesn't work for everyone. To figure out whether you're a good candidate for white strips, hold a piece of white paper next to your mouth. If your teeth seem yellow, the treatments will work. If they look gray, the staining is from within and can only be fixed by covering them with bonding or veneers. People with fair skin have thinner enamel and are more likely to have this type of gray discoloration.
10. Use a whitening pen.
You can also use a whitening pen to reach spots strips miss, such as right next to the gums and between crooked teeth. Like strips, pens contain hydrogen peroxide and take about two weeks to work. Gause recommends stashing a whitening pen, like Finishing Touch Smile Pen, in your bag ("take this to the bathroom after two glasses of red wine"). We also like Colgate Optic White Toothbrush + Whitening Pen, a toothbrush with a pen in its handle. Glo Everyday Glo is another great option: Like a Tide to Go stick for your teeth, this stain-remover pen contains a clear gel with hydrogen peroxide and whitening silicates. These help whiten teeth and break up stains before they settle into enamel. The pen has a flexible rubber tip that won't aggravate gums while you scrub, and the flavor has a hint of mint, so your mouth feels fresh.
11. Avoid foods and drinks that stain.
Basically, anything that can stain a white shirt — coffee, tea, red wine, cola, ketchup, mustard, hot chocolate — can also stain your teeth. "The absolute worst is something that's hot, darkly pigmented, and sticky, like hot fudge or barbecue sauce, which will adhere to your teeth and cause them to stain," says Golub-Evans. He suggests, whenever possible, choosing the lighter option: iced cappuccino over espresso, champagne over red wine, grapefruit juice over cranberry juice.
12. Chase wine with water.
Red wine isn't the only culprit when it comes to staining your teeth. A study out of the Johannes Gutenberg University in Mainz, Germany found that the high acid levels in white wine temporarily damage the enamel, making teeth weak and especially vulnerable to stains. Brushing right after drinking Pinot Grigio or anything else that's acidic can worsen the damage since you're essentially grinding the acids in. The good news is, your saliva will remineralize your enamel if you give it a chance. (Crazy, right?) So instead of brushing right away, wait a half hour to give your saliva a chance to work, and chase anything acidic with a glass of water to rinse away the acids. "Drinking water is the best thing you can do," says New York City cosmetic dentist Irwin Smigel. (And since it takes 30 seconds for dark pigments to penetrate your enamel, water is your best weapon against staining, too.) Eating calcium-rich foods such as cheese with your wine helps to neutralize the acids that yellow teeth.
13. Stimulate saliva.
Saliva acts as a natural cleanser for your mouth, so do whatever you can to stimulate saliva production. Chewing sugar-free gum, sucking on sugar-free candies, and eating hard, raw fruits and veggies are all healthy ways to get your saliva going! (Don't bother chewing whitening gum, by the way. It doesn't sit on the teeth long enough to make a difference for actual whitening.)
14. Wear blue-based lip colors.
Colors with names like "cherry," "wine," and "berry" tend to have blue undertones, making teeth appear whiter — especially when the products have sheer, glossy finishes. Clinique even called on a dentist to identify lipstick colors that make teeth look brighter. Using a dental color guide (a strip that shows the gradation of white), the dentist compared how white teeth would look before and after someone applied certain lipstick colors, finding 12 Clinique shades that made teeth look a full shade whiter. Which ones made the cut? Blue-based red and berry colors, violet-y soft pinks, and bright corals. Here is a complete list of all the winning colors:
- High Impact Lip Colour in Go Fig
- High Impact Lip Color in After Party
- High Impact Lip Color in Peach Pop
- High Impact Lip Color in Red-y to Wear
- Colour Surge Butter Shine Lipstick in Cranberry Cream
- Colour Surge Butter Shine Lipstick in Raspberry Rush
- Colour Surge Butter Shine Lipstick in Pink-a-Boo
- Different Lipstick in Raspberry Glace
- Different Lipstick in Ice Bloom
- Different Lipstick in A Different Grape
- Different Lipstick in Shy
- Long Last Lip Stick in Twilight Nude
15. Use bronzer.
True, sporting a (safe, fake) tan — or wearing blue-based lip colors, for that matter — won't actually make your teeth whiter, but the tan will 100 percent give the illusion of dazzlingly white teeth.
16. Use Vaseline as a barrier.
Take a lesson from Miss America and put a layer of Vaseline 100% Pure Petroleum Jelly on your teeth. Not only will it keep lipstick smudges at bay, it will create a protective barrier against food and wine stains. We're just sayin'.
17. Get your teeth whitened at the dentist's office.
What's the quickest route to pearly whites? If you want to whiten teeth fast and money isn't an issue, head straight to your dentist's chair. With its combination of peroxide and LED light, treatments like Philips Zoom WhiteSpeed can make your teeth up to eight shades lighter in 45 minutes flat for about $600. (For less intense whitening that's also easier on your wallet, your dentist may offer a single 20-minute session that can lighten teeth three to five shades for about $250). One option to consider: Opalescence Boost is a professional treatment that chemically whitens teeth with a power-bleaching gel containing 40 percent hydrogen peroxide. It delivers results in less than an hour for about $500. Your dentist can determine which whitening option will work best for you and how many shades lighter you can go.
"Whitening is much, much faster in the office," Gause says. "Technically, we're using 20 to 35 percent peroxide under a UV light. By contrast, over-the-counter strips contain no more than 10 percent peroxide."
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