Everyone wished they were Wendy back in the day. Every year on picture day she was the girl who always had the greatest smile and the photographer loved it. She was so photogenic that her portrait was always displayed by the studio window.

As an adult, I did everything I could to have a perfect smile just like Wendy’s. While I didn’t get expensive braces or veneers, but I certainly improved my smile by having whiter teeth. If you want to make yours a whole lot brighter, here are five easy and inexpensive teeth whitening suggestions that you can try:

Stay Away from Food and Drinks that can Stain

As my dentist would say, anything that could stain a white shirt can stain your teeth too. This includes a chocolates, coffee, tea and soda. If you can’t avoid them (who can?) just brush regularly afterwards.

Stay a Non-Smoker

Every stick contains toxic substances like tar and nicotine that cause the worst staining on teeth. Even professional teeth whitening can’t help smokers unless they kick the habit for good.

Don’t Take Antibiotics Unless You Have To

Did you know that teeth stains can also happen to children? Kids who take antibiotics get grey teeth when they take tetracycline while their baby teeth are growing out.

Make Time for Regular Professional Cleaning

Whenever possible, I ask for regular cleaning from my dentist. Even if I don’t pay for professional teeth whitening, having my mouth cleaned from all that food build-up provides a good working base for at-home-teeth-brightening kits I regularly use.

Choose Healthy (Crunchy) Fruits and Veggies

Snacking on apples and celery can also help you have whiter teeth. Chewing makes for good cleaning action and they also polish teeth by circulating saliva in your mouth.

Having a bright smile paints a picture of good health. You too can have whiter teeth by staying away from stains and having your teeth professionally cleaned regularly. Who knows? Maybe you’ll have your portrait displayed on a store window too!