How Can I Whiten My Teeth Quickly?

Millions of Americans each year spend time, money, and effort on whitening their teeth. It’s natural to experience discoloration of teeth over time. This is common and can occur for a variety of reasons, making dulling or yellowing of teeth an inevitability for most people. Most of the time, this color change happens with age as tooth enamel wears off and exposes the darker dentin underneath.

So, if you’re looking to whiten your teeth, there are several options from natural at-home remedies, to at-home kits, to professional whitening. All of these options range in price, quality, and of course, how long they take to actually whiten your teeth.

Easy Ways to Help Your Teeth Look Whiter

It’s easy to convince yourself that spending lots of money to brighten your smile is the first thing you should do for whiter teeth. But, there are some basics to cover when talking about teeth whitening. If you haven’t gotten your home dental hygiene routine down, start here. These are habits that will help you in the long run.

Brush your Teeth Regularly

Dentists recommend brushing your teeth twice a day for two minutes at a time. Brushing properly is important, and the number one way you can fight stains, and keep your teeth shiny and white. Be careful not to brush immediately after consuming acidic foods and drinks as this can cause more enamel erosion.

Dentists also recommend flossing twice a day, and if you really want to up your teeth whitening game, electric toothbrushes are the way to go. Also recommended is a toothpaste that is enamel-building. These habits make you feel like you had your teeth cleaned by a professional.

Limit Staining Foods and Drinks

You don’t have to cut out the coffee or the wine from your diet completely. But, being conscious of how often you consume these beverages is key to making sure they don’t ruin your teeth. Switching to drinking tea or coffee through a straw helps the staining liquids bypass your teeth, preserving them a little longer. Staying hydrated in between these beverages also helps.

Making sure your diet consists of more high water content fruits and vegetables is also a great way to maintain healthy teeth. The water content and roughage of the fruit and veggies help cleanse your teeth and gums of bacteria and plaque. Eating fruits and vegetables can also up your saliva production, which can help wash away harmful enamel-eroding acids.

Get Your Regular Cleanings

Last, but certainly not least, see your dentist regularly! Adults should be heading in for dental cleanings every 6 months to make sure they’re keeping their mouths strong, clean, and healthy.

At-Home Cleaning Kits

Whether you buy a cleaning kit from your local grocery store or from your dentist, most at-home kits are half the cost (at least) of getting your teeth professionally whitened by a dental professional. These at-home kits are usually a whitening gel or strip that you place on your teeth for a certain amount of time each day. These kits can take 2 weeks up to months to notice results, but the results are typically noticeable. Over-the-counter whitening trays are typically not as strong as a whitening tray you might get prescribed by your dentist.

There’s Nothing Like Having It Done by a Professional

When looking for the quickest option possible, there’s simply no way to get around going to see your dental professional. While it will likely also be the most expensive option, you get the benefit of having your teeth whitened by someone who does this for their job, and the tools and materials they use in their office will be far superior to what you have access to at home. You’ll see results from your dental whitening appointment within a few hours.