How to Make Your Teeth Whiter (and Healthier) Easily

Last Updated on January 7, 2021

Are you tired of keeping your lips shut during important social events? Or are you (or someone you know) having some serious dental nightmare? Not only do your teeth help you chew and talk, they can also make or break your appearance.

Having bad dental hygiene can make it hard for anyone to say something as simple as cheese or to smile. The truth is that, the problem for some people, besides not caring about dental hygiene, can be caring wrongly about their teeth.

A bright and healthy smile is one of the best ways to make an extraordinary first impression as well as a lasting one. As reported by the American Academy of Periodontology, 50% of individuals say that the first feature they notice about another person is their smile.

Keep your pearly whites healthy all the time by following these golden dental tips!

Here are the 10 secrets for keeping your precious
teeth in tip-top shape

#1 – Go On a White-teeth Diet

If you’re guzzling black tea and red wine or smoking cigarettes or cigars, you should expect not-so-pearly whites as a result. There are also other things you can blame for grimy teeth including gravies, colas, and dark juices. To cut long story short, if it’s dark before you put it in your mouth, chances are it will stain your teeth.

Make sure to brush your teeth immediately after eating or drinking, especially the foods that stain teeth. Also, use a good bleaching agent for white and healthy teeth, either in the dentist’s office or over-the-counter. And for convenient teeth-cleaning action, simply eat an apple!

#2 – Get Rid of Your Toothbrush…

… Or if you have an electric toothbrush, make sure to change its head at least every 2 to 3 months to maintain healthy teeth. Otherwise, you’re just transmitting external bacteria directly to your mouth (EEW!).

Beverly Hills dentist, Harold Katz, revealed that the ultimate way to brush your teeth is by placing your toothbrush against your gums at an angle of 45-degrees and then gently moving it in a circular motion, not a back-and-forth motion.

Also, try to grab your toothbrush like a pencil so you won’t scrub too hard.

#3 – Clean Your Tongue

To clean your tongue, use a tongue scraper to eliminate tongue plaque and freshen your breath every morning. One of the primary causes of bad breath is the accumulation of bacteria on the tongue, which a daily tongue scraping will help remove.

Moreover, using a tongue scraper can be much more effective than brushing your tongue with a toothbrush. Other causes of dragon breath include dehydration, gum disease, stomach ulcer, overweight, or a serious lurking illness. But first, clean your tongue!

#4 – Eat ‘Detergent’ Foods

Did you know that certain foods can actually help clean your teeth? Foods that are crisp or firm can do this as they’re eaten. We already mentioned apples, which are renowned as nature’s toothbrush; other teeth-cleaning options include celery, raw carrots, and homemade popcorn.

To get the best results, try to make those “detergent” goodies the last food you eat in your meal, especially if you know you won’t be able to brush your teeth right after eating.

#5 – Gargle with Apple Cider Vinegar

The vinegar helps whiten teeth, remove stains, and kill bacteria both in your gums and mouth. Gargle with apple cider vinegar in the morning and then brush as usual for clean, white, and healthy teeth.

Other wide-ranging benefits of apple cider vinegar include everything from alleviating cold symptoms to curing hiccups, and some people even use it to help with health problems such as diabetes, high cholesterol, heart issues, cancer, and overweight. It’s only wise to keep apple cider vinegar handy in your pantry.

#6 – Brush Your Teeth with Baking Soda Once per Week

Brushing your teeth with baking soda on a regular basis will eliminate stains and whiten your teeth. Use it the same way you would toothpaste. Not only baking soda but also salt can be a great toothpaste alternative.

Just make sure to spit it out so it doesn’t add up to your daily sodium intake! And in case the use of baking soda makes your gums start feeling raw, replace it with brushing with salt regularly.

#7 – Stay Fresh

The best and easiest way to examine the freshness level of your breath is to lick your palm and smell it right away. If you smell something, then it’s time for a sugar-free mint to freshen your breath. And when you’re shopping for mouthwash, always look for the alcohol-free varieties.

The majority of over-the-counter mouthwashes contain excessive amounts of alcohol, which can dry out and irritate your oral tissues, making them more prone to bacteria. In some individuals, the alcohol can cause sensitivity to the teeth’s root surfaces.

#8 – Practice Flossing with Your Eyes Shut

Why would you want to shut your eyes? Well, if you’re able to floss without having to use the help of a mirror, you’ll be able to floss anywhere anytime; at your desk, in your car, before important meetings, and while in bed. So you may consider buying multiple packages of floss and store them in your purse, car, desk, briefcase, and nightstand.

Did you know that you can start a fire using dental floss? Just in case, it’s good to know that waxed floss is flammable and you can turn it into a useful tool during your next bonfire. Simply wrap it around kindling and light it up.

#9 – Brush Your Teeth after You Wake Up and before You Go to Bed

Right after you get out of bed in the morning, and before you get back in at night, are the two essential times for brushing your teeth, as stated by Kathleen W. Wilson, an internist at the Ochsner Health Center in New Orleans.

That’s because saliva, which keeps cavity-causing plaque at bay, dries up at night, so it’s important to have all plaque cleaned off your teeth before bedtime.

For healthy teeth, it’s also important to brush your precious teeth as soon as you wake up to remove plaque and bacteria (which is responsible for that morning breath) that may have accumulated as you slept.

#10 – Conceal with Color

Ladies! You can simply reach for your lipstick to brighten up your smile. Choose a medium coral, dark cherry, light red, or bright fuchsias lipstick.

Besides making you look fabulous, these colors will make your teeth look whiter, and any yellow stains on your lips will be less noticeable, whereas lighter-colored lipsticks would rather bring out the yellow in teeth. Your lipstick can always save the day!