Want to look younger? Look in your mouth

One of the easiest, quickest and cheapest ways to look younger is to pay attention to your teeth. If you're skeptical about this one, just look around you. Chances are, when you see someone with yellowing teeth you're already thinking one of following:

1. Zero desire to kiss you. Zero.

2. Who's your dentist? He won't be mine.

3. You've really come a long way baby, chain-smoking every step

4. Drink your coffee black?

5. Hmm...must be older than I thought

Admit it--you go there. So here's the mantra: Whiter teeth, younger you. And here are the main options.

Professional teeth whitening procedures...

are by far the most effective way to go--and have the reassurance of knowing youlre under a dentist's care. Easy? yes. Quick? fairly. Cheap? Not by cost-of-toothpaste standards but when you compare it as an anti-aging treatment to cosmetic injectables, cosmetic surgery or the hundreds of $$$ blown on face creams, one or two dentist visits is really pretty darn cost-effective--and the results are impressive. Pro teeth whitening can run $300-$1,000, and is typically not covered by insurance (hey, remember, La Prairie's got a face cream that goes for $1,000...). Treatments can also be irritating for those with more sensitive teeth. Best to discuss your options with your dentist. Additional info is available here.

At-home DIY teeth whitening...

kits have come a long way since Pearl Drops (remember that?!?). There are many to try now from the oral care trifecta of Oral-B, Rembrandt and Crest--just cruise your drugstore aisles--they're all there and they're all pretty much on a par with one another in terms of efficacy as most use the same key ingredient: hydrogen peroxide. Kits will typically set you back around $30, and the results are not as dramatic as a professional treatment, but they will help to remove stains and create a lighter/whiter appearance.

A recent addition to the DIY teeth-whitening collection is the newly launched Pout-n-Polish from celeb cosmetic dentist Dr. Jennifer Jablow. Though her head shot (right) looks like she's more beauty contestant than serious practitioner, she's onto something with her version of the double-ended teeth-whitening and pout-promoting tool.

I've tried other on-the-go in-your-purse whiteners, and have been less than wowed. But this one includes a teeth whitener (Jablow's intelliWHiTE STAiN ERASER) on one end--it's dispensed via a turn & click sponge tip applicator that's slanted a bit at the tip so you can apply the whitening gel more effectively between teeth as well. If you've used the GoSmile teeth whitening system, this has a similar feel when it's on your teeth. Don't expect whitening miracles, but it does help keep teeth stain-free.

The other end houses a lip plumper--in a clear minty gloss, unlike others on the market. The best part of the gloss though is that it's got a pearlessence to it--so it helps magnify lips while still being a bit low-key. Perfect for those of us in the over 40 set who no longer need loud cherry red lips to run to the grocery store.

Pout-n-Polish goes for about $22 and is available at http://www.rxbright.com/.