We all love Elvin Ng’s fun-loving personality and charismatic smile. But is it possible to get a ting ting smile like Elvin Ng’s pearly whites through teeth whitening short and long-term techniques without breaking the bank? Read on to learn how to whiten your teeth effectively without the use of expensive gel.

Culprits of Yellow Teeth

Heard of the saying “yellow yellow dirty fellow”? If it is not obvious enough, improper brushing and flossing techniques will result in yellow teeth! While yellow teeth may be a sign of careless brushing and non-existent flossing techniques, most of us overlook how lifestyle habits stain and tarnish our chompers.

Caffeine:

Coffee and tea can do serious damage to your pearly whites. Your teeth actually contain little ridges and cracks too small for the naked eye and the dark pigments of coffee and tea love marking their territory in those grooves and ridges! Over time, these pigments can cause permanent yellow stains on your teeth! “What if I add milk to my coffee or tea?” I hear you ask. Well, unfortunately, adding milk doesn’t lighten the dark pigments in those drinks so it will still stain your teeth. Unless you add so much milk until there is practically no coffee or tea in it, to which I’ll ask “Do you want milk with your coffee or coffee with your milk?”

Smoking:

Ever seen those graphic and gruesome images on top of cigarette packs and wondered if those images were legit or were they just to scare teens off from smoking? Turns out smoking can stain your teeth yellow really quickly due to the nicotine and tar in the tobacco. Smokers are also more likely to produce plaque, leading to gum disease and ultimately, tooth loss (yes! Bogeh!!). So if you think you look cool smoking, think again.

Excessive fluoride intake:

While fluoride is good for teeth and is found in many of our toothpaste and mouthwashes, excessive fluoride use can cause yellowish-brown spots called fluorosis. While these spots aren’t caused by bad oral care, they, nonetheless are an eye-sore and yellowish-brown spots on teeth flatter no one.

So what should I do?

Not everyone has the money to splurge on luxurious dental whitening treatments, expensive gel or custom dental veneers to achieve the perfect smile. Here at Beauty Insider, we got you covered with some of the easiest ways to naturally whiten your teeth!

Short-term solutions:

Let’s say you got an event to attend tonight where everyone will be made up and dressed to the nines. Want to make a lasting impression with an unforgettable smile?

  1. Charcoal brushing!

Hear me outputting black charcoal on your teeth to whiten them seems absolutely ridiculous and counter-intuitive but it actually works! Charcoal can help whiten teeth by absorbing plaque and other microscopic nasty stuff that cause teeth staining. While it is a temporary solution, this method is great for last-minute dinner parties or events where you need to impress. Simply dip a wet toothbrush with powdered activated charcoal and brush your teeth as per normal while avoiding any crowns, caps or veneers. Once coated with activated charcoal leave it on for 5 minutes before rinsing your teeth well until spit runs clear and you’re ready to go!

  1. Play around with lip colours

If charcoal brushing isn’t effective enough to lighten those stains, try changing up your lip colours! Choose cool-toned lip colours to conceal those yellow stains! Need some recommendations? For bold lip colour, try MAC’s Ruby Woo or NARS Audacious Lipstick in “Liv”. Looking for something more subtle and pretty? Try Revlon’s Colourburst Lip Butter in Cupcake!

Long-term solutions:

Now, unless you want to be stuck with brushing your teeth with charcoal or use the same old lip colours for every event, you need to start making some lifestyle changes for that ting ting smile I’ve mentioned earlier.

  1. Be good friends with straws

No one ever said you had to give up your beloved teh or kopi o for white teeth. What you do need to give up though, is sipping them straight from the cup. USE STRAWS! It may seem unnecessarily bougie, but straws help to take your beverage straight down to your throat, avoid any sort of contact with your teeth.

  1. Stop smoking

What else is left to say? It’s harmful to your health and it stains your teeth. Start slow by gradually reducing the number of sticks you smoke every day and replace your smoke breaks with activities like grabbing ice cream with friends. It’s impossible to just quit smoking immediately so start by making small daily goals to quit and soon you’ll reach there.

  1. Snack on strawberries

A healthy diet gives you a set of healthy teeth. Give up all those harmful potato chips and prawn crackers and exchange them for healthy fruits and vegetables! Berries contain antioxidants and other beneficial compounds that may benefit your teeth in the long run. Take advantage of this superfood to whiten your chompers without ingesting a bunch of chemicals on the side!

  1. Use Apple Cider Vinegar

Apple Cider Vinegar contains acetic acid and enzymes and probiotics that help with eliminating germs while encouraging the growth of “good” bacteria. With its natural acidity, it breaks down plaque and removes stains from your teeth! For best results, use apple cider vinegar as a mouthwash for at least a month. Make sure to always rinse the apple cider vinegar off with water as it may erode your enamel away in the long term if you don’t be careful!

When it comes to teeth whitening, results always show gradually so be patient and consistent and you’ll definitely see results! Always monitor your progress and watch out for any signs of pain or sensitivity when it comes to using any of the tips we recommended. If you experience any major discomfort, stop immediately and consult a dentist for the advice!