3 Things I Do for a Whiter Smile

THIS POST MAY CONTAIN AFFILIATE LINKS. PLEASE READ MY DISCLOSURE FOR MORE INFO!

Hi lovelies and happy Monday! Today I wanted to hop on and start the week off strong with a blog post talking all about something I get asked about quite a bit… What I do to whiten my teeth.

I’ve been whitening my teeth for years. I got my braces off when I was 14 and my teeth were super white from having brushed them like crazy for years (I was always afraid if I didn’t brush my teeth almost too much while my braces were on, I would have little white spots on my teeth when I got them taken off!) I didn’t feel the need to really start whitening them until I was about 17 or 18 and not routinely until I turned 19 or 20 (when I REALLY got into coffee lol).

I now do a few easy things on the regular to help keep my teeth white and help prevent stains. I have super sensitive teeth, so I have to be careful with how much I whiten my teeth. That’s why preventing stains and keeping them as naturally white as I can is so important to me!

With that being said, here are just a few things I do that help me keep my smile white and bright.

1. Brush with Whitening Mouthwash

Yes, you read that correctly. I brush with whitening mouthwash, I don’t swish it around in my mouth. I do this because, like I said, my teeth are super sensitive so when I try to swish any kind of whitening mouthwash around in my mouth, the peroxide in it causes a pain like no other! Peroxide can break down tooth enamel in the first place, but it’s about 10 times worse for me because I actually have really bad gum recession on both sides of my mouth at both the top and bottom. This means my nerve endings in my teeth are basically exposed on some of my teeth so when anything hits them, (water, toothbrush, food, air, etc) they HURT. So you can imagine how much worse it is when I go swishing around a mouthwash with peroxide in it, a substance that actually breaks down the protective enamel of your teeth! Brushing the whitening mouthwash onto my teeth helps whiten my teeth without actually causing them to hurt.

What I do: I only use the whitening mouthwash once a day at night. After I brush my teeth every night, I pour a small amount of whitening mouthwash onto my toothbrush. I then brush my teeth like I normally would with toothpaste, except I have the whitening mouthwash poured onto my toothbrush. I usually brush it onto my teeth for about 30 seconds or so, so as not to overdo it.

 

2. Drink Only Clear Liquids During the Day

This is a step that helps me avoid stains and yellowing tremendously. I don’t drink any coffee, sodas, etc during the day because I can’t immediately brush my teeth afterwards so the coloring and dyes just sit on my teeth. I’ll have my coffee in the morning while I’m getting ready for work and brush my teeth afterwards before I leave. Now I will admit, I normally have a cup of green tea at work at some point, but I try to just drink water most of the time unless I’m just really sleepy that day. I’ll also have a glass of wine with dinner and we usually drink red wine, which is notoriously bad for staining your teeth, but again, I’ll brush my teeth not long after drinking red wine so that it doesn’t really have to sit on my teeth for very long.

Now there are instances where I break this rule, obviously. For example, if I’m out at a restaurant on the weekend or something, then I’ll have a soda with my meal, or if we’re out to dinner then I’ll have a glass of wine while we’re sitting and eating, but I still try to brush my teeth not long after getting home.

 

3. Use At-Home Whitening Treatments When Needed

Whenever I have a photoshoot or event coming up and I want my teeth to be super white, I use these Equate Whitening Strips to help remove stains and brighten my smile. I really try to only use these when needed so as not to make my teeth any more sensitive. I used to use them probably once every month or every two months in college and my teeth got to be even more sensitive so I had to tap the breaks. I’ll now use them maybe once every 6 months as needed or before a big event I have.

I love using whitening systems treatments when I can, but let’s be honest… I can’t afford to do those on a regular basis or even every 6 months! So as far as whitening strips that you can buy at the store and do at home, I have tried a lot of different kinds and these Equate brand ones are by far my favorite. I’ve been using them since I was about 16 or 17 and they have been the best option for me ever since. I have tried so many other brands and every single one has caused my teeth to HURT while doing the treatment. Like to the point where I have to take them off my teeth and waste an application! So I personally prefer these since they work really well and don’t hurt my teeth during or after whitening.

So those are my 3 tips for keeping your smile white and bright! This is obviously just works for me and what helps me keep my smile looking white, but make sure to check with your dentist to be sure you’re doing what works best for you lovelies.

Thanks for reading and feel free to comment below if you have any comments or questions! Until next post, Xx.

---