Because you’re never fully dressed without a pearly-white smile.

Looking to make your smile glisten from ear to ear? Although many dentists offer professional teeth whitening services, there are a range of safe, effective and affordable products available over-the-counter that will help brighten your smile in no time.

 

Here’s our round-up of the 5 best ways to whiten your teeth from the comfort of your home.

 

1. Whitening Strips

They may leave a gnarly taste in your mouth, but whitening strips are a great cost-effective way to achieve a sparkling white smile. Most teeth whitening strips contain bleach or peroxide, which works to whiten teeth by removing stains and discoloration from the surface of teeth. The recommended amount of time for leaving whitening strips on is about 20-30 minutes per day,  meaning you can easily whiten while watching an episode of your favorite sitcom. These plastic strips may take perseverance to see results, but they certainly get the job done.

MYSA Effectiveness Rating: 4/5

 

2. Whitening Toothpastes and Rinses

Whitening toothpastes and rinses offer a less invasive way to cleanse teeth by gently lifting surface stains. However, this method is not as powerful as using a whitening strip. For best results, pair your whitening toothpaste with a sonic powered toothbrush. ISSA is the perfect electric toothbrush to help remove tartar and plaque build-up and with the combination of whitening toothpastes and rinses, you can easily maintain a bright and healthy smile.

MYSA Effectiveness Rating: 2/ 5

 

3. Paint-On Teeth Whitening

For this method of whitening, you directly paint a peroxide and bleach formula onto your teeth. The benefit of this technique is that it allows people to target specific teeth instead of the whole mouth. However, the paint can come off easily and leaves quite a bitter taste in the mouth.

MYSA Effectiveness Rating: 3/5

 

4. Teeth Whitening Trays

Teeth whitening trays can be sold in either a one-size-fits-all style tray or a bendable mouthpiece. To use whitening trays, simply fill them with bleaching gel and then place them in your mouth for the recommended amount of time. Whitening trays are slightly uncomfortable to wear, however they are the next best solution to whitening after a pro treatment from a dentist.

MYSA Effectiveness Rating: 5/5

 

5. Coconut Oil Pulling

If you’re looking for an all-natural alternative to teeth whitening, try oil pulling. Oil pulling is a traditional Indian folk remedy used to improve oral hygiene and remove toxins from the body. By swishing one tablespoon of coconut oil around in your mouth for 20 minutes per day, you can remove bacteria that can turn into plaque later on and cause teeth to look yellow. Not only does oil pulling keep your mouth healthy, it tastes great too.

MYSA Effectiveness Rating: 2/5

 

Happy whitening!