A lot of you ask me how I keep my teeth so white, and the honest answer is, it’s a bunch of little things. Like anything beauty related; maintenance is key. I wish all of these little habits were a one-time fix, but it’s the little things you do consistently that keep results! So, here are my recommendations in keeping your teeth ultra white and sparkly.
Brush your tongue.
Do this every morning and night while you brush your teeth. It’s actually best to do anytime you consume a dark-colored beverage, but I know that’s not always realistic. (Not everyone wants to carry around a tongue scraper with them). However, when you’re at home and you’re sipping coffee or tea, I suggest brushing your tongue after! I bet this is something you don’t pay attention to, and it’s one of the most important. This is because one of the biggest contributors to stained teeth is your saliva. When you drink tea or coffee, there is a sort of film that sits on your tongue, and mixes with the saliva that’s constantly in and around your teeth (this is also why drinking / swishing with water is important). Getting that residue off your tongue will help keep your saliva clear, and your teeth unstained.
Rinse.
After drinking dark-colored beverages, rinse your mouth out with water. Besides physically rinsing off the coffee or tea residue from your teeth, swishing with water will do the same as brushing your tongue. They’re both meant to keep your saliva clear.
Straw.
Drink dark-colored beverages through a straw. Even hot ones! It seems weird at first, but you get used to it. The less surface area coffee/tea/soda comes in contact with, the better. You might not even notice, but sometimes we subconsciously swish drinks around in our mouth before drinking them. I’m not sure where this habit comes from, but I’ve noticed myself doing it numerous times. It’s the worst! Drinking through a straw eliminates both of these factors.
Laser teeth whitening.
Specifically, zoom whitening. The above 3 strategies I mentioned will maintain your teeth and prevent staining, but whitening will actually whiten them. A lot. This is something I’ve personally been doing every year, for many years. The cost is about $150-$300 depending on your dentist. I know that’s not cheap, but that money goes a long way. Also, in comparing over the counter whitening strips, here’s my review: They run at $30-$40, they don’t last a whole year, they take 1-2 weeks for effect, and they don’t produce the same results. For me, laser whitening is the way to go.
