Another natural teeth-whitening idea: Swishing with coconut oil for 10 minutes. Yes, the texture will be gross, but the coconut is antibacterial and draws out stains, says Sands. For best results, do this every day. (Bonus: Coconut oil will also decrease the bacteria in your mouth that can cause bad breathe.)
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How to Whiten Teeth Fast: Get Out Your Baking Soda
This is one of the oldest tricks in the books," says Sands. Simply add baking soda to your toothpaste (after you put it on the brush) to give your toothpaste superwhitening powers.
Because baking soda can be abrasive and potentially damage your enamel, you don't want to use it too frequently. Sands says to use baking soda every other day until your teeth are the level of whiteness you want, then switch to once a week to maintain your results.
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How to Whiten Teeth Fast: Grab Some Whitening Strips
If you want a movie star smile, an in-office treatment is your best best, says Sands. While at-home whitening strips won't give you the brighter-than-white results that you can get at the dentist, Yazdan still recommends them, and says they're especially useful for maintaining in-office whitening treatments. "In the dental office, we are able to isolate all of your tissues, and protect them from the bleach, so the result is a much greater whiteness," she explains.
We all know the usual suspects that stain teeth -- soda, coffee and red wine. But did you know that white wine can actually lead to more staining than that glass of red?
"White wines are more acidic than red, which disintegrates the calcium in your teeth more quickly, making teeth more porous and more susceptible to staining," says New York City-based dentist, Laura Torrado, DDS.
To offset staining from either kind of wine, take a bite of cheese before you sip. Torrado says the calcium in the cheese will create a film over your teeth, preventing any erosion from the wine's acidity.
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How to Whiten Teeth Fast: Prevent Stains With Vaseline
Alright, this one sounds pretty gross -- but this mother of all healers can protect your teeth from stains. Just rub a thin layer of petroleum jelly onto your teeth and it will keep food and drinks from staining your pearly whites, says Gregg Lituchy, DDS, of Litchuty & Kantor in New York City. Sure, it might feel a little weird, but it's worth it when you know that coffee won't be doing a number on your pearly whites.
If you smile into the mirror and are self-conscious about your not-so-pearly-whites, you're probably wondering how to whiten teeth fast. Because, honestly, when you barely have the energy to remove your makeup at the end of the day, time is of the essence.
"The main culprits of yellow teeth are aging, smoking and dark foods or drinks such as coffee, red wine, black tea, colas, dark sauces and even various fruits like blueberries," says Dr. Kevin Sands, a celebrity cosmetic dentist who works with everyone from the Kardashians to Emma Stone. "These items are high in pigment-producing substances that stick to tooth enamel."
Don't worry, we're not asking you to give up your morning coffee or evening glass of wine in pursuit of whiter teeth. Because the stains that come from these pigmented foods and drinks are on the outer layer of your teeth, they can be removed, explains celebrity cosmetic dentist Dr. Desiree Yazdan MS, DDS.
Here, we've rounded up all the easy ways you can whiten teeth at home -- from quick teeth-whitening kits to natural teeth whitening ideas. So what are you waiting for? Your megawatt smile is waiting, and it only takes minutes to get whiter teeth.
