5 Cheap and Easy Tips for Whiter Teeth

Fortunately, we've got five teeth whitening tips below that will help get your smile a little brighter and make you a little happier — and do it on a budget to boot.

No, we don't mean you should consume your meals in front of a mirror! Instead, be mindful of what you gobble up and the effect it can have on staining and scrubbing your teeth.

Some foods to consider:

• Nuts. According to the American Dental Association, nuts are great for promoting saliva production. Saliva helps to wash away food debris and bacteria and neutralize acid in the mouth, protecting you from tooth decay and enamel erosion, both of which can contribute to tooth discoloration.
• Apples and celery. As well as stimulating saliva flow, crunchy fruits and veggies like these help to whiten your teeth by scrubbing away surface stains.
• Cheese. Most cheeses provide calcium and phosphate that strengthen your enamel, while harder cheeses, like Parmesan, help remove surface stains. Cheese also helps to neutralize acid, so it’s a great snack to have at the end of a meal. 

Strongly colored foods and drinks can leave stains on the surface of your teeth. If you’re trying to keep your smile nice and bright, cut down on the following:

• Dark berries
• Tomatoes
• Tea
• Coffee
• Red wine
• Curries

If you're too much of a coffee nut or an actual sommelier — remember to rinse with water as much as possible. This will help wash away the food or drink that makes contact with your enamel to reduce staining.

Proper at-home oral hygiene could be the best cheap way to whiten teeth. Finding the right routine with the right products can go a long way. You can:

• Brush twice a day. Regular brushing helps to keep plaque at bay and remove stain-causing substances from the teeth before they have the chance to build up. 
• Use teeth whitening toothpaste. Choose a toothpaste specially designed for whitening. These pastes include small, abrasive particles that lift stains from the surface of your teeth. Some also contain bleaching agents like hydrogen peroxide, commonly used in at-home and professional whitening treatments.

A whitening treatment from your dentist can be quite effective — but also quite expensive. However, combining your whitening toothpaste with one of the following over-the-counter options can give results that will surely make you smile:

• Gel strips
• Whitening pens
• Whitening trays/LED devices

Cigarettes and other tobacco products contain lots of chemicals that stain your teeth. Nicotine and tar in particular can stick to the teeth and build up over time, turning the teeth from a light yellow to a dark yellow-brown. Smoking also provides a supportive environment for the bacteria that cause plaque and gum disease, with the Centers for Disease Control noting that smokers are twice as likely to experience gum disease. Both of these conditions can lead not just to tooth discoloration, but actual loss of the teeth. So if your goal is a beautiful smile, quitting smoking will do more than just improve the color. And of course, quitting smoking is great for your general health too, not to mention your wallet. Not only will you save money on cigarettes, you’ll also save on costly dental treatments and whitening.  

Okay, so dental check-ups aren’t the cheapest way to whiten your teeth! But the scaling and polishing your hygienist will perform at your regular check-ups will actually save you money in the long-term.  

First, your regular cleaning can lift lighter stains and prevent them from building up over time, reducing the need for more expensive whitening treatments later on. Second, cleaning helps to get rid of plaque and prevent tooth decay and gum disease. And by doing that, it saves you money on treating those problems down the line (and protects your oral health to boot). When you add it all together, the cost of that check-up is significantly lower.

The most important thing when looking at teeth whitening options is to find one that's best for you. Consulting with your dentist can help determine the right path to take. Perhaps it's just proper at-home oral care. Perhaps it is a whitening treatment with your dentist. Or maybe a more economical route is better for you right now. If it is, you'll be smiling all the way to the bank.

This article is intended to promote understanding of and knowledge about general oral health topics. It is not intended to be a substitute for professional advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the advice of your dentist or other qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or treatment.