The Whitest Teeth

Something that I truly care about, in my world of vanity, is having white teeth. I don’t get too focused on specific parts of my appearance often, but a white smile makes such a difference in all of the photos I take, especially since the majority of photos are of…me!

Some background…I have the teeth I was born with. I was fortunate enough to never wear braces and to have a mostly easy time. I do have a particular gene that causes soft enamel, so I try to take care of my smile, lest a deeply expensive dental bill coming soon! That said, I’m also not a saint. I drink a lot of “staining liquids” — coffee, red wine, and (diet) soda, so staining on the teeth is a serious problem for me. Here’s how I battle that to get a white smile.

Switch to an electric toothbrush if you haven’t yet.

I was so shocked at the difference an electric vs a manual toothbrush made. If you haven’t, do it! It’s really affordable now, thanks to brands like Quip, and this was the first step to getting my teeth to their whitest point. I’ve been using Quip for about six months now, and I love how convenient it is. A new brush head and battery arrive like clockwork every three months and I can swap them out seamlessly. It’s also the most fashionable electric toothbrush I’ve seen yet. It looks great on my counter and doesn’t take up much space at all because of the lack of charger. I love it and happily recommend it!

What kind of toothpaste do you use?

Charcoal toothpaste is hella abrasive, so you should not be using it every day. A few days before a big event, I’ll use charcoal toothpaste to give my teeth a little boost. When I’m not using that, which is the majority of days, I prefer Colgate Optic White, but I know that everyone has a preference. Pick something with peroxide, and use it consistently. I find that (unfortunately) sensitive teeth toothpaste does not work well for whitening, even the ones labeled whitening.

Use whitening strips!

I have been using Crest 3D Whitestrips since high school and I would recommend them so much over every other brand. I use these about twice a month, sometimes more, and I’ll leave them on for the maximum recommended time. If you have sensitive teeth, don’t leave them on as long. I can see the difference instantly and these are the most immediate whitening treatment that exists. I’ve used all the generic treatments, and nothing works like the brand name ones, unfortunately. I linked the ones I use down in the Shop the Post bar.

Let’s talk floss.

This is the last thing I’d recommend. Floss at least once a day. I floss twice, but I use the water flosser. I didn’t think that I would love this as much as I do. The one that I have (linked below) came with 8 different attachments. I certainly don’t use them all, but I love using them. It blasts out in between my teeth like magic. I love my water flosser. I hated flossing, now I do it after meals, without fail. It really amped up how white my smile was. When shopping, the one thing you absolutely need is adjustable water pressure. Don’t buy one without that. I didn’t even know what I was missing!

What’s your secret to a white smile?

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