A white smile can change your entire look. We’re always on the hunt for the best ways to whiten our teeth, so we thought we would chat with celebrity loved dentist Dr. Brian Harris. Based out of Phoenix, Arizona, @drbrianharris has over 400,000 followers on his Instagram. He’s worked with influencers like @daniaustin and gives his clients that white as an Instagram filter smile, without the filter of course. We chatted with him about his best tips for teeth whitening and here’s what he had to say:
As a cosmetic dentist, one of the questions I get asked most often is how someone can whiten their teeth effectively for a brighter and more confident smile.
Dr. Brian harris
Before I just dive right in, it’s important that you first understand that there are two different ways to whiten your teeth. There is chemical teeth whitening and mechanical teeth whitening. Chemical teeth whitening is using chemicals to remove intrinsic, or internal stains of the teeth and mechanical teeth whitening uses abrasives added to toothpaste or other products to remove extrinsic, or external stains.
Intrinsic discoloration is caused by genetics, trauma, or medication side effects. This refers to the actual internal color of the teeth and these stains can only be brightened with chemical teeth whitening.
Extrinsic discoloration is caused by things that naturally stain the teeth like coffee, tea, red wine, and smoking. These kinds of stains are best treated with mechanical teeth whitening.
Now that we have a better understanding of how teeth whitening actually works, let’s talk about some of your teeth whitening options.
Some of the best ways to mechanically whiten your teeth at home:
If you are looking to remove the external stains on the teeth, a good whitening toothpaste will do the trick. The key is to find one that is abrasive enough to remove stains but not so abrasive that it damages the enamel. Stay away from activated charcoal toothpastes and those with a high RDA value as they will be too abrasive. Look for brands with a low RDA value so you do not end up wearing away the enamel of the teeth as doing so will actually make the teeth more yellow as the enamel of the teeth is what gives them their white color. Some of the most popular brands include Sensodyne TrueWhite Toothpaste, Opalescence Whitening Toothpaste, and Klen Products Whitening Toothpaste.
Some of the best ways to chemically whiten your teeth at home:
There are several over the counter products for whitening your teeth at home that work well as most of them are comprised of the same whitening agents. The secret is to follow the instructions and brush your teeth before you apply the product. Crest White Strips, Snow At-Home whitening systems, Colgate Optic White, and Klen Products custom whitening trays are just a few of the most popular brands on the market.
Some in-office professional whitening options:
If you are looking for faster and more predictable results, you have a variety of options that your local dentist can offer. In-office professional systems contain a more concentrated whitening agent that can provide faster results. Because of this, they can cause more sensitivity than traditional over the counter options. Some of these options include Zoom Advanced Power, Opalescence, Kor Whitening, and Glo whitening to name a few.
Having a bright and confident smile is a powerful thing. Regardless of what products you decide to end up using, let me leave you with a few things you should always do before and after whitening your teeth. Before you whiten your teeth with gel or strips, make sure you brush them well which will help the product work more effectively. After whitening, stay away from foods that stain for a couple of days. A good rule of thumb is that if it’s going to stain a white shirt, it’s going to stain your teeth.