12 efficient ways to whiten teeth today

With advancements in dental technology, it is possible to whiten your teeth in a much more affordable and effective method than ever before. The teeth-whitening industry is so large, in fact, that it rakes in more than a billion dollars each year. However, there are efficient ways to whiten teeth and there are not-so-efficient methods. In this article, Consumer Opinion Guide is going to present you with some of the most efficient ways you can whiten your teeth as well as mention the practices you should probably avoid. We will cover all of the top methods, from simple whitening toothpaste to professional tooth whitening. But if you have problems that go deeper than teeth whitening, you may want to look into some of the best teeth aligners instead.

What makes your teeth yellow and what can you do about it?

First, you need to understand why your teeth “go yellow” in the first place. The most common cause of teeth staining is due to grinding your teeth, smoking, partaking in staining drinks and foods, as well as aging enamel. Furthermore, there is a possibility of you having yellow teeth if you have taken tetracycline antibiotics during your childhood.

It is rather easy to obtain yellow teeth but it is a lot harder to whiten them. In general, you have two basic types of teeth whitening at your disposal:

• Extrinsic whitening is when you use mild abrasives to remove any stains from the outer surfaces of your teeth. By doing so, you will simply reveal the tooth’s natural color that is underneath, without changing the color itself.
• Intrinsic whitening, on the other hand, utilizes a tooth-bleaching agent that changes the very color of the teeth enamel. Peroxide is the tooth whitening agent that is most commonly used, as it proved to be the safest method for this purpose.

However, while all teeth whitening falls under one of these methods, there is quite a variety of ways you can use to whiten your teeth. Let’s take a look at the most efficient ones.

Most efficient efficient ways to whiten teeth today

1. Whitening toothpaste
2. Electric toothbrush
3. Custom whitening gel tray
4. Baking soda toothpaste
5. Good oral hygiene
6. Quitting smoking
7. Veneers
8. Whitening strips
9. Professional tooth whitening
10. Not skipping dental checkups
11. Prevent food teeth stains
12. Oil pulling

To better understand which combination of methods is best for you, we have prepared a detailed breakdown of the cost and type as well as the pros and cons of each method. By understanding the advantages and disadvantages, you will be in a much better situation to figure out which one of the efficient ways to whiten teeth is right for you. Of course, finding a good orthodontist and consulting directly with him/her can also be of help.

Use whitening toothpaste

This is the most common way and is really one of the most efficient ones. Whitening toothpaste usually utilizes a combination of ingredients to achieve great whitening results. Most commonly, ceramide or hydrogen peroxide. But there is quite a variety to them, as they can include activated charcoal, baking soda (more on this later), dicalcium phosphate, sodium metaphosphate, hydroxyapatite, etc.

According to 2018 reviews, whitening toothpaste is extremely effective at removing surface stains but is not suitable for intrinsical teeth whitening. The only exception is the toothpaste that contains hydroxyapatite (HAp), as it will fill in the space in your enamel, creating a whiter teeth appearance. This toothpaste will set you back anywhere between $5-30 per tube, depending on the manufacturer.

Notable pros, aside from it being inexpensive and capable of intrinsic whitening, is the fact that this paste may also prevent tooth decay. In some cases, it can even reverse it. Furthermore, HAp toothpaste is perfectly safe for children’s use, whereas some other whitening toothpaste is not.

However, there are some disadvantages as well. For example, toothpaste that contains too much peroxide may cause abnormal lesions if you overuse them, and it may even permanently destroy some of the collagen teeth. Again, when overused. To prevent this, you should only use abrasive whitening toothpaste for a period of no more than 2-3 weeks at a time. If you want to use them for longer than that, you may want to consider hydroxyapatite toothpaste, as they don’t use strong abrasives and are safer for long-term use.

Consider switching to an electric toothbrush

The best tool you can purchase for teeth whitening is an electric toothbrush. They remove surface stains much more effectively than any manual toothbrushes do. There are two varieties of electric toothbrushes, oscillating and sonic-powered. For teeth whitening purposes, you will want to stick to oscillating ones. An electric toothbrush is one of the most efficient ways to whiten teeth on your own.

The cost of an electric toothbrush depends on how many “bells and whistles” you want to have. One thing to note is that most of these added features such as Bluetooth or any specialized heads do not contribute much to teeth whitening. They may add more convenience or help you in another regard, but for teeth whitening, you will do just fine with a basic electric toothbrush. There is some difference in effect, true, but it is really not that significant. For the most part, the basic $8 toothbrush will serve you almost as well as the $300 one will. When it comes to teeth whitening, of course.

The cost of these brushes varies between $8 and $300, but most high-quality electrical brushes are found in the $25-90 mark. Being a toothbrush, they utilize the extrinsic whitening method, are associated with no side effects or dangers to oral health, and may even offer better protection against tooth decay.

However, overbrushing with electrical toothbrushes is a lot more common, and it may cause tooth sensitivity or gum recession. All of this can be avoided if you don’t brush too often or too hard, of course. Oh, and they are definitely a lot more expensive than manual toothbrushes.

Try custom whitening gel tray

If you are looking for the longest-lasting, most sustainable, and generally the best way to whiten your teeth, you may want to look into a custom whitening gel tray. These trays are custom-made and fitted by your dentist and are based on unique impressions of your teeth. The best part is that you can keep the same tray indefinitely. You will, however, need to purchase whitening gel whenever you want to whiten your teeth again. Do note that you will need to keep this gel in the fridge or in a similar cooler.

Using a whitening gel tray is very simple. All you need to do is get the whitening gel from the fridge, squirt it into the tray, and then place the tray over your teeth. In the last step, you will want to be careful to protect your gums from being exposed to the gel. You will then wear the tray for around 1-3 hours. Don’t sleep with the tray on, though, as that may cause severe tooth sensitivity.

The main disadvantage of this method is its cost. You can expect to pay anywhere between $250-500 for the custom tray, as well as $20-40 for each gel refill. But if you can “sport” the cost, this is undoubtedly the best method at your disposal.

Utilize baking soda toothpaste

And if you are looking for a cheap, homemade, solution, the best thing you can do is to make some baking soda toothpaste on your own. The research shows that toothpaste that contains baking soda is much more effective in removing yellowing teeth stains, with pastes that have more baking soda in them being more effective. Thus, it is one of the most efficient ways to whiten teeth, while being extremely cheap.

The process is really easy, all you need to do is mix two teaspoons of water with one teaspoon of baking soda. You then dip your brush in that mixture and brush your teeth as normal. The cost is minimal, and it depends on the brand of the baking soda you use.

However, do note that baking soda toothpaste is only extremely effective in teeth whitening and increasing enamel strength. It will not provide you the protection or other advantages that regular toothpaste will.

Maintain good oral hygiene

The fact of the matter is that it is much easier to prevent the yellow teeth problem than it is to rectify it. Our teeth will go yellow over time, it is only natural. To prevent them from doing so rapidly, you will want to maintain good oral hygiene. This requires some discipline and knowledge to be completely effective.

For example, you will want to avoid oral hygiene that involves antibacterial products on a regular basis. Limit the use of any antibacterial toothpaste, essential oils, mouthwash, and mouth rinses based on hydrogen peroxide. While you can use all of these products in moderation, you will want to avoid using them on a daily basis.

Here are the things you should be doing every day:

• Brushing your teeth twice per day, as well as 45 minutes after consuming anything acidic, processed, or sugary
• Flossing your teeth once a day
• Oil pulling with coconut oil
• Scraping your tongue once a day

Good oral hygiene has no drawbacks whatsoever and can keep your teeth healthy both on the inside and the outside.

Quit smoking or using tobacco

You can either be a smoker or have white teeth, it is simple as that. Even vaping can result in dry mouth, which will age your tooth enamel and damage your oral health. The best thing you can do for your teeth (and for yourself) is to simply stop smoking. While it may be hard, you owe it to yourself to at least try.

Get veneers

Veneers are not really a teeth whitening method, but they serve much the same purpose. If you happen to have permanent teeth damage, perhaps a discoloration that simply cannot be fixed, you may want to consider veneers as one of the efficient ways to whiten teeth.

Veneers are artificial tooth coverings that replace the appearance of your damaged teeth. They do not require any dental procedure but are quite expensive. A full set of veneers will set you back around $19,000, on average, which can be prohibitively expensive for most people. But if you have the means, they provide you with a permanent solution for white teeth. They do not last forever, though, and may even require permanent alteration to your natural teeth’ shape. One that cannot be reversed. Make sure to talk to your dentist before choosing this option.

You can apply whitening strips

Whitening strips are basically small, flexible, plastic-coated, pieces of plastic that are coated with a whitening gel. You mold them around your teeth and leave them there for a period of 5-30 minutes. Most commonly, these strips are used over a period of a few weeks. Some whitening strips, however, can whiten your teeth in a single day.

They are inexpensive, ranging from $13-60. The price depends on the brand as well as the strength of the strips. They are readily available, easy to use, and create results within a few days or weeks.

Professional tooth whitening is the easy solution

If you are looking for a fast solution for white teeth, you will need to turn to your dentist. Your dentist will apply an intrinsic whitening method, and you will have white teeth after 1-3 sessions. But the cost of these treatments can be prohibitive, as they range from $650-1250. Furthermore, some of the effects of the whitening will fade away after 2-8 days after the treatment is over.

Don’t skip dental checkups

For a less expensive method, you will want to get teeth cleaning at your dentist’s office around every 6 months. Your dentist will remove the tartar from the teeth, something that you simply can’t do at home. As far as efficient ways to whiten teeth go, it is not as effective as targeted teeth whitening but if you don’t skip your checkups, it is going to be much less costly. The average dental checkup will cost you around $100-200 per visit and is usually covered by your dental insurance.

Prevent any teeth staining from food

If you are consuming acidic foods or drinks that are highly pigmented, chances are that your teeth are going to get stained. To avoid this from happening, you will want to limit your intake of such foodstuffs, as well as rinse your mouth with water after consuming them.

Try oil pulling

While not exactly one of the efficient ways to whiten teeth, oil pulling has numerous advantages to your oral health. It is a combination method of stain prevention and stain removal, all in one. Coconut oil, in particular, can bind to the bacteria on your teeth and remove surface stains. It will not whiten your teeth on their own but it will prevent them from getting permanently stained in the first place.

These were 12 of some of the most efficient ways to whiten teeth today. If you are looking for more information about oral hygiene, teeth braces, and the best companies, feel free to explore the entirety of the Consumer Opinion Guide. There’s an article that answers almost any question!