We all love having perfect smile teeth. However, not everyone can afford the super expensive dentist appointments, or we sometimes don’t have the luxury of time to meet the professionals.
When it comes to whitening, there are a bunch of products you can use. Most of those consist of chemicals that bleach your teeth. You may not like that.
Here, we give you a list of home teeth whitening options that are both safe and natural.
How are Teeth Stained?
Before knowing the home remedies to brighten your teeth, you should know what causes your teeth to become yellow. Generally, there are two reasons for the yellowish texture of your teeth- foods, and erosion of enamel.
There is a specific kind of food that may severely stain your teeth or the outermost layer of your teeth- enamel. Plaque buildup on your teeth can also change the color of your teeth.
Sometimes, your teeth look stained because of the erosion of that enamel layer. The erosion of enamel helps the dentin to show up. Dentin is a bony tissue that lays under the enamel, and it is naturally yellow.
Most discoloration can be treated with regular cleaning of teeth and doing whitening remedies at home.
DIY Hacks For At-Home Teeth Whitening
Here’s a couple of home teeth whitening hacks to try.
1. Baking Soda and Lemon Juice
Baking Soda is used predominantly in the commercial toothpaste we use. It has whitening properties. Baking soda is also slightly abrasive in nature. So, do not use it heavily on your teeth.
You can brush with baking soda and lemon juice. In addition to whitening, it also creates an alkaline environment inside your mouth that prevents bacteria’s growth. However, you need to remember to limit the practice to just once in a week. The result will take and is not going to be shown overnight.
Brushing with baking soda can only buff the surface stains away. For any other medical reason, you should visit a professional dentist.
2. Oil Pulling
Oil pulling is an ancient formula to keep the teeth white and bright. Earlier, people used to pull sunflower or sesame oil daily to maintain their oral hygiene at a maximum level.
Swishing oil inside the mouth kills bacteria and prevents from plaque building, and discoloring. We recommend using coconut oil as it tastes better than other oils, and the lauric acid present in it reduces inflammation apart from the removal of bacteria.
You just need to put a tablespoon of oil inside your mouth and push it through the teeth. Unlike acids, it doesn’t have any teeth eroding material in it. So, you can comfortably use it daily.
3. Check Your Diet
We are what we eat. A balanced diet can help you significantly in taking care of your teeth. Fruits like strawberries and pineapple can rub the plaque away from your teeth and let them stay white.
1. Strawberries
People often use strawberries and baking soda for checking the discoloring of teeth. Malic acid that is found in strawberries helps remove discoloration of your teeth, and baking soda removes stains.
You can prepare the diy teeth whitening in seconds. Just smash a fresh strawberry and mix it with baking soda and brush it normally.
We would advise you not to do it more than once a week. Excessive use of Malic acid may turn counter-productive for your teeth.
2. Pineapple
Pineapples contain bromelain. This enzyme is often used in toothpaste as well. It helps in removing tooth stains and prevents discoloring.
In addition to this, it has multiple dietary benefits that will boost your all over health and hygiene.
3. Hydrogen peroxide
People have used hydrogen peroxide for ages to take care of wounds as it disinfects the places by killing bacteria and viruses. It can be an excellent agent for cleaning teeth as well.
The majority of the commercial toothpaste contains hydrogen peroxide. Some studies show that using hydrogen peroxide with baking soda significantly brighten teeth.
However, there have been reservations about the safety of such concentrations. You should aim at using a 1.5% solution on your teeth. Heavy acidic concentration may lead to gum irritation and tooth sensitivity. It may cause oral cancer, as well.
You can simply use it as a mouthwash before brushing your teeth. In drugstores, generally, a 3% solution is available. You can decrease the concertation by mixing water into it.
Another way of using hydrogen peroxide is to mix it with baking soda and apply the mixture like regular toothpaste. However, you need to remember that using hydrogen peroxide more than once a week will have adverse impacts on your teeth.
4. Prevention is Better than Cure
You have to admit that with age, many things change in our bodies. The same goes for teeth as well. As much as we try to stop it, it is something bound to happen.
Before trying out remedies, it is for the best if you can prevent your teeth from staining. It can be done quickly by changing a few food options and adopting a few new habits.
5. Cut Down on Sugar Consumption
Sugar creates a conducive environment for Streptococcus mutans- a kind of bacteria that is responsible for plaque. Avoiding sugar is also suitable for your insulin resistance.
However, even if you can’t avoid sugar or sugary substances entirely, try to limit to a safe level. And practice brushing each time after having anything sweet.
6. Have Calcium-rich Diet
As mentioned earlier, teeth discoloration may happen through erosion of enamel as well. So, you can prevent this by strengthening the outer layer of your teeth.
Calcium is a vital component for teeth strengthening. Foods that are rich in calcium like milk, cheese, and broccoli may help you on this front.
7. Limit Caffeine
Coffee and tea are a great source of refreshment. However, excessive intake of any caffeine products may impact your oral health. Caffeine products leave a firm stain on the teeth.
We advise you to limit caffeine intake as it may also help the growth of certain bacteria inside your mouth that further increase the chances of plaque. If you are a tea/coffee lover, try using substitutes like green tea, artificial sugar, etc.
Conclusion
By and large, there are multiple home remedies and DIY methods to keep your teeth white and bright. However, you need to remember that not everything works for everyone. You need to try and check what fits the best.
Excessive use of any remedy may be detrimental to your oral health. So, try to use the methods in a limited way. In case of any side-effects, don’t forget to seek dental professionals’ help.
