How to Whiten Teeth in Photoshop (Step by Step) (2024)

Do you take a lot of photos of people? Then you’re going to have to whiten and brighten teeth at some point.
In this article, I’ll show you how to whiten teeth in Photoshop by using adjustment layers.

How to Whiten Teeth in Photoshop

Before you start, it’s important to know how white normal teeth should be. If you make teeth look too white and bright, the result will not look natural.
Take a look at portrait photos in magazines to get a sense of how far you can go.
I’ll use this photo as an example. Her teeth look OK, but they could be slightly whiter and brighter to make the portrait look perfect.

How to Whiten Teeth in Photoshop (Step by Step) (3)

Here’s how to whiten them in Photoshop.

Whiten Teeth in Photoshop: Method 1 – When You Need to Get it Done Fast

This is the ‘quick and dirty’ option, but in most cases, it works just fine. And you don’t have to make further changes.

Here’s how it goes:

  1. On top of your image layer, create a new layer.
  2. Fill your new layer entirely with 50% grey (type 808080 at the bottom of the color box).
  3. Change the blend mode of your new, grey layer to Overlay. If you’ve done everything right, the new layer should now be invisible.
  4. Grab yourBrush tool (press B). Select a white brush with soft edges (hardness at 0) and a low opacity (5-10%). Set its size to roughly match the size of a single tooth.
  5. Select the grey layer on the layers panel (if it’s not currently selected).
  6. Paint over the teeth with the white brush. This will make them brighter.
  7. If you feel that they’re too bright, flip your brush to black. Black makes things darker.
  8. Be sure to zoom out and check if the image still looks natural as a whole.

If you’re satisfied with the result, export the image, and you’re good to go. This method takes less than a minute, usually.

How to Whiten Teeth in Photoshop (Step by Step) (4)

Method 2

Step 1: Use the Lasso Tool to Select the Teeth

Open the photo and zoom in. Select the Lasso Tool from the tool bar (Shortcut ‘L’) and make a selection of the teeth.
It’s better to select a bit of the lips as well for now. We’ll make it look perfect later.
How to Whiten Teeth in Photoshop (Step by Step) (5)

Step 2: Add an Adjustment Layer

Click on the New Fill or Adjustment Layer icon at the bottom of the Layers window and add a Hue/Saturation Layer.
The layer appears above the background layer so you can always go back to the original image.
How to Whiten Teeth in Photoshop (Step by Step) (6)

Step 3: Whiten Teeth

Select Yellows in the Adjustment Layer settings drop-down menu. Lower the saturation by dragging the slider to the left.
This will only affect the area we’ve selected earlier and will make the teeth whiter.
How to Whiten Teeth in Photoshop (Step by Step) (7)Don’t go all the way to -100. Natural teeth always have a little bit of yellow in them. Keep looking at the photo while dragging the slider and stop when it looks good.

Step 4: Brighten Teeth

Now you know how to whiten teeth but there’s more. The problem in my example was not so much the color of the teeth but the brightness.
When you need to make teeth look whiter in Photoshop, you also have to make them lighter.
Select Master again in the drop-down menu and drag the Lightness slider to the right. The more you drag the slider, the brighter the teeth will get.
How to Whiten Teeth in Photoshop (Step by Step) (8)It’s clear now that the selection we’ve made earlier wasn’t perfect. We’ll use a masking technique to remove the lighter areas on the lips and mouth.

Step 5: Make Final Adjustments to the Selection

Look at the Layers window. The layer mask thumbnail is almost all black. The selection of the teeth is white but almost not visible.
Only the white areas are affected by the Adjustment Layer. You can add or remove areas by painting with black or white on the photo.
How to Whiten Teeth in Photoshop (Step by Step) (9)Select the Paint Brush tool from the tool bar (Shortcut ‘B‘). Adjust the settings so it’s small and soft.
How to Whiten Teeth in Photoshop (Step by Step) (10)How to Whiten Teeth in Photoshop (Step by Step) (11)Make sure to select the mask thumbnail in the Adjustment Layer and start painting with black on the lighter areas.
Keep cleaning up the photo until all the lighter areas on lips and mouth are gone.
How to Whiten Teeth in Photoshop (Step by Step) (12)You can reverse the effect if you make a mistake by painting with white. Switch between back and white using shortcut ‘X‘.
Here’s a ‘Before and after’ to compare.
How to Whiten Teeth in Photoshop (Step by Step) (13)
And the result…
How to Whiten Teeth in Photoshop (Step by Step) (14)

Conclusion

Now you know how to whiten teeth in Photoshop. Easy, right?
Before you start, it’s best to know how white healthy teeth really are. This way you’ll get the best results. No one will guess that you used teeth whitening.
Always use a layer mask so you can go back to the original photo if you don’t like the result.

Want to learn the secrets of Lightroom editing as well? Check out our course Effortless Editing with Lightroom! Or, for more great Photoshop tutorials, check our guides on how to crop and straighten or add a cool lens flare effect!

How to Whiten Teeth in Photoshop (Step by Step) (2024)

FAQs

How do dentists whiten teeth step by step? ›

After the shade has been determined, the dentist will place a cheek-retractor, which exposes your teeth completely for treatment. Then, they will apply a protective resin or gel that will harden to keep your gums from being irritated. Then the actual bleaching gel is applied and left to sit for upwards to half an hour.

How to whiten teeth in Photoshop with Lasso Tool? ›

Select "Yellows" from the Edit list in the Hue/Saturation dialog box. Drag the Saturation slider to the left to remove the yellow color from the teeth. His teeth now appear whiter after removing the yellow with the Hue/Saturation adjustment layer.

How to whiten teeth? ›

For your benefit, we've provided you with seven different ways to naturally whiten your teeth.
  1. Eat Strawberries. ...
  2. Eat Plenty of Fruits and Vegetables. ...
  3. Brush After You Eat or Drink. ...
  4. Rinse with Apple Cider Vinegar. ...
  5. Apply Coconut Oil. ...
  6. Brush Your Tongue. ...
  7. Use Baking Soda and Hydrogen Peroxide.

How to whiten teeth in 2 minutes? ›

Baking-powder eliminates stains on the surface of your teeth and lemon juice as we already said has multiple components that lighten teeth. Just mix a teaspoon of baking powder and a teaspoon of freshly squeezed lemon juice and brush your teeth with the paste this mixture will work wonders in just two minutes.

What is the best DIY teeth whitening? ›

The best way to bleach your teeth is at home with a lower-concentration hydrogen peroxide gel, as recommended by your dentist and used in mouth guards custom made by your dentist.

Can yellow teeth become white again? ›

What Can Be Done to Whiten Yellow Teeth? If you're looking for a radical change in the coloring of your teeth, you need professional-grade whitening to get the job done. Your cosmetic dentist can provide treatment that penetrates deep into the enamel and removes years of stains with a powerful bleaching agent.

How do you whiten teeth in Photoshop 2018? ›

How to Quickly Whiten Teeth in Photoshop
  1. Step 1: Create a Vibrance Adjustment Layer. Go to the Layer menu on top, click on New Adjustment Layer, and then select Vibrance. ...
  2. Step 2: Invert the Adjustment Mask. In the Layers window, click on the mask thumbnail to bring up the Layer Mask properties. ...
  3. Step 4: Whiten the Teeth.
Feb 16, 2023

How do you whiten teeth in Photoshop Elements 15? ›

How to Whiten Teeth in Photoshop Elements?
  1. Open Photoshop Elements and Select the Images. ...
  2. Prepare the Image for Teeth Whitening. ...
  3. Open the Lasso Tool. ...
  4. Create a Hue/ Saturation Adjustment Layer. ...
  5. Set Layer Options to Yellows. ...
  6. Lower Yellow Saturation. ...
  7. Check Your Work. ...
  8. Brighten the Teeth.

How do I whiten a selected area in Photoshop? ›

The Dodge tool allows you to lighten specific areas of your image without affecting hue or saturation.
  1. Select the Dodge tool (O) .
  2. Use the Options bar to customize tool settings, like brush size, range, and exposure, to get the effect you want.
  3. Drag over the part of the image you want to lighten.
May 23, 2023

How do you make an object whiter in Photoshop? ›

Go to Menu Bar: Image > Adjustments > Brightness/Contrast. Simply increase the Brightness and watch your object turn white. And your object should now be white!

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