Teeth whitening is something I have been thinking about regularly in recent months, my teeth are by no means yellow but I would prefer them to mirror those of the people you see in glossy magazines.  I know I shouldn't aspire to be like those in the media as most of it is airbrushed or professional treatments, but when it comes to teeth I find it difficult not to.  I will be trying to whiten my teeth using DIY methods in the future,  don't worry the method I am looking into is safe, so look out for the step by step guide in the next few weeks.

Apart from the off white shade I actually quite like my teeth, they are straight and I haven't needed much dental work in my life.  The reason for them not being as white as I would like is entirely my own, I am ashamed to admit I am a smoker and have been for the last seven years.  I have always looked after my pearly whites brushing three times a day and flossing daily but due to my disgusting habit there is no improvement in the colour.  I know teeth discolouration is the least of my worries with all the other major health consequences from smoking but visually it is one that I notice on a daily basis. 

Smoking not only prevents your teeth from being sparkly white, I'm sure you all know it actually causes them to be increasingly more yellow.  Therefor, at the moment I don't see the point in paying for professional teeth whitening, if I am just going to override the effect by continuing to smoke. Of course there are a number of other oral downsides to my nicotine addiction that are significantly more serious;

• Bad breath - Personally I don't suffer with this as I have a high dental hygiene routine and chew sugar free gum throughout the day
• Increased build up of plaque and tartar on the teeth - I tackle this making sure I floss three times a day.
• Increased loss of bone within the jaw - this terrifies me.
• Increased risk of leukoplakia, white patches inside the mouth - I have never experienced this but when I read this it made me feel sick, how disgusting.
• Increased risk of developing gum disease, a leading cause of tooth loss - This is something I try hard to prevent by using a medicated mouthwash.
• Delayed healing process following tooth extraction, periodontal treatment, or oral surgery - Unfortunately this is something I have noticed, you know when you bite your gum by accident? It definitely takes longer to heal in my mouth.
• Increased risk of developing oral cancer - I think this statement speaks for itself, I NEED to stop smoking

I have tried numerous strategies to stop smoking from nicotine patches, nicotine replacement gum and relying on good old fashioned will power, which apparently I have none of.  All of these things have resulted in me stopping for certain amounts of time but never completely.

I have seen lots of media coverage about one of the ways to help you stop smoking, Electronic cigarettes.  One brand that has captured my attention specifically is Freshcig, after extensive research these in particular one of the more affordable options available on the market.  Anything is more affordable than smoking to be honest, on the website I did the 'How Much Could You Save By Using Electronic Cigarettes' calculator and was horrified by the high figure.  I spend at least £1460 every year on cigarettes, this shocked me to the core, I could buy 97 MAC lipsticks with that!  If I was to use Freshcig I would save over £1250 a year, it's a no brainer how much I really need to stop smoking.



These electronic 'cigarettes' work by replacing the smoke you would inhale normally with vapours.  There are some amazing flavours available including Black Forest Gateau, which makes stopping smoking a win win situation, the taste of cake in your mouth without the calories, fresher breath and healthier lungs.  As I smoke menthol cigarettes I would be most interested in this flavour to replace my cigarettes with something familiar.

The only thing that has swayed me away from these type of stop smoking aids in the past is the physical appearance of them, they are often black and look quite masculine and unlike menthol cigarettes which are white and look reasonably clean, well as clean as a cigarette can possibly be.  Freshcig have overcome this by coming up with beautiful pastel coloured electronic cigarettes, these would be much better suited in my handbag than a packet of smelly cigarettes.

Writing this post has spurred me on even more to stop smoking, 2014 is the year I become a non smoker, watch this space.  If I manage to stop smoking then and only then will I look into paying for a professional teeth whitening service.
 
Have you tried these or have any tips to help me on my journey to becoming a non smoker?  Please leave your comments below for me to seek motivation on days when my will power is non existent.


*this is a sponsered post, however this is something I was naturally going to cover on Button's Blog, all views are honest and my own, for more information see my full disclaimer.