We get it, life happens – from that extra shot of espresso to your love affair with red wine, your teeth go through a lot on the daily. Which is all fine until you’ve got a glitzy event or a fancy dinner to attend and those pearly whites are not looking their best. But fear not, because the journey to a blindingly bright smile is easier (and quicker) than ever. We tapped dentist to the stars Dr Victoria Veytsman DDS to get her top celebrity-approved teeth whitening tips that will help you achieve whiter teeth overnight. Yes, really.
Dr V’s mantra for a megawatt smile is that “the mouth is the gateway to overall health”. She’s a huge advocate of the confidence a beautiful grin can bring. Whilst you might not have time for a single clinic treatment let alone a full course, there are a few things you can do the night before, or on the morning of a big day to whiten your teeth for that celebrity look. With a roster of A-list clients including Hailey Bieber, Angela Bassett and just about every Housewife and Bachelorette on TV, it’s safe to say she knows a thing or two about getting red carpet-ready teeth. Here she shares her tried-and-true teeth whitening hacks to bag yourself that superstar smile, fast.
Tear a strip off
The absolute OG of on-the-go whitening, these sticky little suckers work in as little as 30 minutes. The key is the hydrogen peroxide gel quotient as the magic ingredient for fast whitening. Both moulds and strips are just vehicles for this compound, so the easier, time-saving strips should always be on hand for quick fixes. Choose a brand with the best concentration for better results!
In a flash
Of LED, that is. As I just said, the magic ingredient is hydrogen peroxide, but an LED-powered device is also great for a whitening boost as the light speeds up the activation of the HP gels. Results depend on the level of staining and how porous your teeth are. Laser, halogen and LED light-activation increases the lightening of a tooth shade and maintains the lighter shade longer than non-light-activated teeth whitening, so grab yourself a suitable piece of kit to keep at home for emergency whitening.
avoid TikTok
Desperate times might mean desperate measures, but I’m sorry to say that viral techniques and social ads are not your friends when it comes to actual results. As a professional cosmetic dentist, I can safely say do not believe all you see. Like influencers smear dirt-like charcoal over their teeth to reveal gleaming smiles. Charcoal is abrasive and counteracts any benefits, and it can even cause micro edges, scrapes or scratches to the enamel surface – the last thing you want! Whilst we are on the subject, it’s a no to baking soda too. Anything abrasive will wear down your tooth enamel and cause countless problems.
Try Oil pulling
Coconut oil pulling is a natural alternative and a viral hack that is actually harmless. My patients who practise this love how fresh their breath feels afterwards, and there’s also a little more scientific proof to this one. Coconut oil is a fatty substance, and the wall of bacteria in your mouth is made of a fatty substance (like a lipid). So, the coconut oil will bind to the fatty layer of the interior wall and pull it out when you rinse.
Sonic zoom
An electric or sonic toothbrush and whitening paste the night before an event may sound obvious, but they’re crucial. You need your paste to have peroxide in it as an ingredient to oxidise those stains. You can do so much more with an electric toothbrush than a manual one as it’s much more powerful and requires less effort.
watch your diet
Alternative methods and viral hacks (even the natural ones) are not a replacement for the benefits of continuously keeping on top of your mouth care routine. Keep flossing, don’t miss those cleaning appointments, and – crucially – say no to any foods and drinks that have serious staining properties. Red wine, curry, tea, blueberries and blackberries… basically anything that will stain a white shirt. People think white wine is better than red wine but it’s still acidic and can promote staining later. Stick to water if possible, or make sure you rinse well after white wine and any food that’s not on the white diet.
