How I Get & Keep My Teeth White at Home

A few weeks ago I did an Instagram poll asking what beauty related questions you guys had or wanted me to blog about. Hands down, the most asked question was about teeth whitening. So random, right? Literally almost a hundred people wanted to know how I get & keep my teeth so white.

I will say, I take great pride in my white teeth. Tony and I regularly get comments and questions about our ultra white teeth, which I’ve always kind of laughed at. But I totally get it, no one wants yellow teeth.

I’m kind of psycho about keeping my teeth clean and white. Not only do bright white teeth look pretty, they’re kind of a window into your oral hygiene. Think about it: if your clothes have food stains all over them or you show up to work with morning after makeup all over your face, you’re going to look like you don’t give AF. Same goes for your smile!

Remember that episode of Friends where Ross whitens his teeth? He goes on a date and the girl has a black light in her living room (ok weird, but that’s another story). When he tries to kiss her his teeth are like, unnaturally white and she freaks out? Let’s just say… that image is on my teeth vision board.

So (drumroll please)…. Let’s talk teeth!

How to Get & Keep Your Teeth Whiter than White

1. You’ve Gotta Brush Your Teeth

Crazy, right? But the first step to a sparkly smile is brushing your teeth and flossing (and using mouth wash IMO). And I’m not just talking about in the morning… TWICE A DAY.

You have to brush those bad boys in the morning and at night. Get that nasty night time breath taken care of when you wake up & scrub the food off before you go to bed. Pretty simple.

A few teeth brushing tips from my dentist:

• Soft bristles are the winner vs. hard bristles. The hard bristles actually can wear down your tooth structure. Sometimes people think that the harder the bristles are, the better they’ll clean. But that’s not necessarily true.
• Harder ALSO isn’t better. You’re not trying to scrub the bathroom floor. Plaque is soft and loose, so you don’t have to scrub. Rather than scrub, think about massaging your teeth.
• You should brush at least twice a day for 2 minutes each time. Plain and simple. My dentist recommended popping in some headphones and listening to a song. Most songs are about 2-3 minutes long, so once you’ve listened to your favorite song, you’re done!
• You need a new toothbrush every 3-4 months. AND you need to get a new toothbrush if you’ve been sick. That means every time you get the flu, throw that toothbrush or brush head away and get a fresh, clean new one.
• Start from gum to gum & go up and down. NOT back and forth!
• Don’t forget your gums! Angle the brush at 45 degrees and massage your gums lightly. Oh, and while you’re at it, don’t forget to brush your tongue!

2. My Favorite Teeth Whitening Product

Oddly enough, I haven’t always been a fan of at home teeth whitening products. Normally – I feel like they cover my gums and throat in whitening goo. Burn my gums. Taste terrible. Not to mention, take forever to work. Who has 2 months of daily whitening patience to see a difference?

The other alternative I’ve looked into is getting my teeth professionally whitened. But I’m going to be honest, it’s crazy expensive. I’m all about making smart financial decisions and can’t whole heartedly recommend putting yourself into debt for white teeth.

Enter a new option: The ARC Teeth Whitening System!

What is it?

ARC is a professional level whitening system you can do at home. It’s brand new and sold at everyone’s favorite store… TARGET! It’s super easy to follow and incorporate into your daily routine.

ARC uses known and proven methods of teeth whitening with no extra ingredients, just the same enamel safe whitening ingredient dentists use.

ARC was created after hundreds of companies releasing products with unproven whitening ingredients. Have you seen all of the charcoal gimmicks? Lavender? Pomegranate Seed? Lemon juice? Even though these ingredients might smell or taste good, ARC felt like people were being misled. 

ARC also noticed the growing popularity of home-created remedies. When I searched “DIY teeth whitening” on Pinterest, I found so many random tutorials. Including people recommending to mix things like bleach and lemon juice. GROSS! Not just ick, but majorly dangerous! These ingredients can damage your enamel and are NOT always safe for use. You wouldn’t drink bleach, so why would you brush your teeth with it?

How Does it Work?

• The ARC Whitening Kit comes with 14 ARC Treatments, each with 2 strips (1 upper and 1 lower).
• The ARC whitening strips are designed to actually stay on your teeth, so you don’t have to worry about them sliding around your mouth.
• To take your teeth whitening to the next level, you can use the ARC Smile Amplifier. The Smile Amplifier is an LED blue light that actually works. The ARC Light emits blue light at a specific wavelength that targets stains to weaken their chemical bonds (yes – killing those gross coffee stains). When you use the light for the last five minutes of your treatments, it makes the treatment even more effective than with just strips alone. The best part is that the light works for up to 28 treatments!

How Do You Use the System?

1. Apply the strips to your top and bottom teeth. Set a timer for 25 minutes and go do your thing. I’ll put them on when I’m getting ready in the morning or watching TV at night.
2. When your timer goes off after 25 minutes it’s time for the blue light! You’ll keep this on for 5 minutes, for a total of 30 minutes of treatment. The blue light will beep and turn off once you hit 5 minutes!
3. Use them on a consistent basis. I like to do it every day for a week. But you can totally skip a day or two, especially if you have sensitive teeth. But it’s best to keep the treatments as close together as possible.
4. You’ll start seeing results after 3 days of use! That’s right, only 3 days until you’ll notice your teeth are getting whiter!

What I Love About Arc

• It’s no BS, just a straightforward, easy to use, easy to follow treatment.
• The treatment only takes half an hour, which is super easy to incorporate into your daily routine.
• The price is super reasonable at only $45 for 14 days of whitening strips + the blue light.
• The strips actually stay on my teeth and don’t leave a nasty taste in my mouth.
• I actually noticed results in 3 days, just like the box said! Which is actually kind of crazy… I love honest advertising!

3. A Few Other Tips for Preventing Teeth Stains

• Steer clear of dark liquids & sodas. I drink my coffee out of a straw, I know it sounds super extra but it works. It keeps the coffee from staining my teeth! Skip the plastic straws and find a reusable glass, metal or silicone one!
• Avoid sipping red wine through your teeth. Throw it back! Kidding, but not really. Wine has a tendency to stain teeth, so be cautious when drinking. I like to keep a little travel tooth brush with me when I’m wine tasting or know I’ll be drinking red wine!
• Don’t smoke cigarettes! Obviously there are a ton of reasons not to smoke, mainly for your health. But tobacco is also one of the worst offenders when it comes to staining teeth.
• Wondering what foods stain your teeth? Anything that can stain a white cotton T-shirt can stain teeth. So if you’re eating a bunch of tasty marinara pasta, rinse your mouth or brush your teeth 20-30 minutes after eating to prevent staining.

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of ARC. The opinions and text are all mine.