Category: Dental Tips and Information

Dental Tips and Information: 6 Ways to Naturally Whiten Your Teeth

1. Brush After Drinking or Eating

The best way to whiten your teeth naturally, however not always the easiest, is to simply brush your teeth after eating. This takes a lot of persistence and can even be kind of difficult depending on where you are at the time of eating.

Avoid smoking cigarettes, drinking too much coffee and/or soda, improving your oral hygiene. Eating a healthy diet also helps prevent yellow teeth. If you do regularly drink staining beverages, do so through a straw and try to cut back. Try to drink more plain water after eating to help reduce the negative effects.

Coffee and stains

Most food does not stain teeth. If you are a coffee drinker or if you smoke, you can pretty much count on having discolored teeth over time.  If this is the case, then having your teeth cleaned every three months may be in order, besides trying some of the natural remedies listed here.

2. Baking Soda and Hydrogen Peroxide

Hydrogen peroxide is an antibacterial agent and works great as a total mouth and gum cleaner and keeps the mouth free of germs. A good oral mouth rinse can be made using hydrogen peroxide; use half water and half hydrogen peroxide, swish around in your mouth for about one minute, and then rinse.

What to do:

To use these products safely to whiten your teeth, brush your teeth as usual first, making sure to reach the back of the teeth too. Baking soda is a gritty substance like sandpaper so be careful that you have enough hydrogen peroxide mixed in with the soda — because if you don’t it can very well scrub the enamel right off your teeth. This is a big problem, considering enamel does not grow back. The paste should not be gritty at all; in fact, it should be a runnier paste than a stiff paste. Rub the paste onto your teeth for about 30 seconds, then rinse well.

3. Coconut Oil Pulling

Can it be true? Coconut oil to clean your teeth? Just when you thought you heard it all when it comes to coconut oil, along comes the news that coconut oil pulling can serve as a natural teeth whitener. Some people attest to their teeth becoming whiter and overall healthier by applying coconut oil to their teeth after they brush, and most people praise the results of oil pulling.

What to do:

Simply put a spoonful of coconut oil in your mouth and swish it between your teeth for five to 20 minutes, or add a few drops to your toothbrush and brush it on. Another option is to apply coconut oil to a corner of a clean washcloth and rub it on the teeth. A bonus regarding coconut pulling? Coconut oil has antimicrobial properties so it’s great for protecting and cleaning your gums as well.

4. Use Apple Cider Vinegar

It makes sense that apple cider vinegar (ACV), which effectively works as a natural antibiotic and teeth/gum cleanser, would also be able to remove stubborn stains on the teeth. ACV is especially helpful for removing stains due to common culprits like coffee and nicotine (smoking). Studies suggest that for many with dark stains it even works just as well as commercial products as a natural teeth whitener. No wonder some report that after using ACV it looks like you just got your teeth professionally cleaned. The key to using ACV for teeth whitening is to be consistent, using it for at least a month continuously in order to see the best results. However, be careful, as, with all acids, it can remove the enamel on your teeth if you brush too hard or use too much.

What to do:

After brushing with ACV, you need to brush again with regular toothpaste, preferably a non-fluoride paste, or rinse your mouth out well. Take your finger and rub apple cider vinegar on your teeth for about one minute. Then rinse your mouth out with water or a hydrogen peroxide rinse.

5. Lemon or Orange Peels

Similar to apple cider vinegar, some swear that using citrus fruits — including lemon and/or orange peels, or lemon essential oil, which contain beneficial acids — also does the trick for whitening teeth. These foods overall are very healthy, such as benefiting digestion due to regulating levels of stomach acid, but the high acid content can also eventually wear away the enamel on the teeth if used too aggressively. Like with ACV, if you use lemon or orange peel on your teeth always rinse your mouth afterward to be on the safe side. Use the hydrogen peroxide oral rinse formula described above for best results.

6. Strawberries and Other Healthy Foods

Rumor has it that some celebrities whiten their teeth with healthy foods like strawberries. Who would have thought? Model Tyra Banks even tried this teeth-whitening trick on her show. She simply mashed up about four or five strawberries and rubbed this yummy mixture all over her teeth, then rinsed well afterward.

Natural teeth whiteners:

Berries contain many beneficial antioxidants and other compounds that can benefit the health of your teeth, but they’re not the only ones that keep your teeth looking great as you age. The quality of your diet overall is highly tied to the health of your teeth. Foods that can help keep your gums and teeth strong, plus free from diseases or signs of aging, include teeth-strengthening foods like

sources of calcium like yogurt or raw milk

• foods high in magnesium and potassium like leafy green veggies, apples, or pears
• cage-free eggs
• mushrooms
• sweet potatoes, carrots or squash
• celery
• nuts like walnuts or almonds
• BONUS: Activated Charcoal

Activated charcoal, an absorbing product used to trap toxins inside the body, can help whiten your teeth by absorbing plaque and microscopic tidbits that cause staining. To whiten your teeth naturally with charcoal, wet a toothbrush and dip into powdered activated charcoal. Brush teeth as normal, paying special attention to areas showing the most staining. Sip a bit of water, swish through mouth thoroughly, and spit. Rinse well, until spit is clear. For best results, brush your teeth with activated charcoal two to three times per week, but avoid using it if you have crowns, caps, or porcelain veneers.

Dental Tips and Information:

A lot of us shy away from wide smiles just because we are not genetically blessed with the white pearly set of teeth. Well, experts from Our Dentist In Bangalore at Diva Dental Clinics say that just a little bit of dental care and a regular visit to your dental clinic in Bangalore can improve the color of your teeth.

If you live in Bangalore and searching for a dentist nearby call us on +9886674330