Many of you have asked about my smile and if I use professional teeth whitening. I’M FLATTERED. But no. I do all of my dental and teeth whitening care myself at home, and I’m really consistent (read: psycho) about it. There are never any secrets with me, so today I’m going to share all of my at home tips and products to get your smile in tip top shape.

4 Steps for getting your teeth whiter than a Trump rally:

1. Whiten

A lot of people are surprised to learn that for teeth whitening, I just use good old fashioned Crest Whitestrips. Except I don’t use them as directed (classic me). Rather than using them once or twice a day for two weeks (which, if you have sensitive teeth like I do, is actually pretty painful), I only use them once a month. Yes, ONCE A MONTH(!) I’ve been doing this since high school, and I just think of it as maintenance (like getting your eyebrows waxed). I like the “professional effects” ones because they don’t slip around in your mouth and you can drink water while they’re on. I’m always pounding water. And btw, Crest uses the same enamel-safe ingredients dentists use for teeth whitening.

2. Brush

For toothpaste I use, you guessed it, Crest 3D White. Again, for maintenance. I haven’t hopped on this whole natural/organic train yet, but I’m interested, if anyone has any recommendations. I brush MINIMUM twice a day but sometimes it’s much, much more. I love it, what can I say. I’m obsessed with the Philips Sonicare Diamond Clean Toothbrush bc I’m a nut (and omg how chic is the black version?), but if you’re looking for a smaller investment, get a super cute rose gold one from Quip!  Just make sure to go electric for the best clean and gum health, and change your brush head every three months.

3. Floss

I BET YOU WANT TO SKIP THIS SECTION BUT YOU SHOULDN’T. I get it though. Dealing with a roll of floss is annoying af, and was always super difficult for me – my teeth are so close together I can barely fit the floss through. I realized I could get way more leverage with the twin layer floss picks. Push them through, scrape both sides of your teeth, and massage your gums. So much less drama to deal with than with regular floss. I keep a pack in my car and use them during red lights. I use the pick side to stimulate my gums on my lower teeth, since I have a permanent retainer and can’t floss there. I also leave them in the shower (and sometimes brush my teeth in the shower too, bc why not). I’m warning you – once you get used to these picks they start to feel REALLY GOOD and are super addictive. Plus, you won’t have to lie to your dentist about how often you floss anymore.

4. Photo Editing

Ok let’s just say HYPOTHETICALLY that your teeth didn’t look great in a photo and you wanted to whiten them for the gram. Facetune 2 is my fave app for that. Glide your finger over the areas you want whitened (your teeth, the whites of your eyes, the wall in the background, anything). Then use the slider to adjust the intensity of the whitening to your liking.

5. Smile 🙂

THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT TIP – don’t forget to smile! I love to smile, and always smile in my pics (even if most other bloggers are doing differently!) I’m not a Kardashian, and I see your smile as your business card. It’s your first impression – so make it a good one.

What are your smiling secrets? Share with us below!