How To Actually Whiten Your Teeth – And It's Not With Toothpaste

We all want that Hollywood smile, those fresh, gleaming white teeth that say, "hello, I have a nice mouth".

Whitening toothpaste has for a long time been considered by many to be the way forward. It's a good place to start, but there's much more to be done.

A leading dentist explains that the standard products don't actually do anything deep down. They have a superficial effect, improving, for a time, the surface – but they don't change the "intrinsic colour" of teeth.

As Dr Ada Cooper says in a video with Business Insider that "whitening" toothpastes contain "abrasives" that remove surface stains. They paint over teeth without fully changing their real yellowy hue.

All those Nando's chicken burgers take their toll. All that coffee makes your teeth sad.

"Be careful," Dr Ada mentions. The dentist reveals a simple way to wash your mouth out . She says to really improve your smile and make a difference, you need to use a form of peroxide.

"Use whitening material that contains a form of peroxide," she says.

Unsurprisingly, Dr Ada recommends first an "in-office" procedure. But we all know dentists can undertake costly work to give us that bright glow.

There's also a "take-home method," though, which involves a special gel, tooth strips, and an overnight gum shield. Chemists and pharmacists usually stock this stuff and it can be a cheaper alternative.

But Dr Ada also adds that white teeth don't always mean healthy teeth – and keeping your teeth in your mouth, white or not, is the most important thing.