While professional teeth whitening from your dental office is a terrific, easy way to brighten your smile, there are a variety of natural remedies you can also employ to make and keep your smile looking its best.
Most people will experience stains and yellowing of teeth over time, and teeth whitening is the best way to improve the look of your teeth and create a brighter, youthful smile.
Professional In-Office Teeth Whitening and Professional Home Whitening Kits
With one visit to your dentist’s office, your teeth can be whitened up to 8 shades. In-office, your dental team will utilize bleaching agents applied directly to your teeth, for fast and attractive results.
A professional take-home tooth whitening kit provided from your dental team is another excellent option, and works especially well if you have only minor tooth discoloration or stains.
There are also over-the-counter tooth-whitening options that can be purchased for at-home use. These are mostly peroxide-based, and the concentration of peroxide affects the whitening treatment’s strength.
Natural Options to Whiten Teeth
The first thing to remember about choosing a natural option for whitening teeth is that you should try several options to find a solution that may work for you.
- Brush Your Teeth Often
Among the most recommended natural options is also the simplest and most intuitive to suggest: brush your teeth more often. Be sure to brush after consuming foods like tea, red wine, cola, coffee, or dark berries, all of which can stain your teeth.
And, be sure to brush at least twice a day, two minutes at a time, inside, outside, and on the chewing surfaces of your teeth where plaque and tartar are most likely to form.
Brushing with a toothpaste that whitens teeth is also a major help, as these pastes contain mild abrasives to scrub your teeth of surface stains, yet are safe.
Using an electric versus a manual toothbrush can also help you to remove surface stains on your teeth.
- Brush with Baking Soda and Hydrogen Peroxide
A homemade paste of this material can rid your teeth of stains and help to remove plaque. Mix a tablespoon of baking soda and two tablespoons of hydrogen peroxide, and use these ingredients to make a paste. Be sure to rinse your mouth thoroughly after using this combination to brush.
Some commercial toothpastes also include baking soda and peroxide, and they have been shown to be effective in whitening teeth after a period of about six weeks.
- Coconut Oil Pulling
Organic liquid coconut oil may also help remove plaque and bacteria from the mouth, assisting in whitening teeth.
You’ll need to swish one to two teaspoons in your mouth for ten to thirty minutes without swallowing the oil which will contain the toxins and bacteria from your mouth. Rinse your mouth with water after this treatment, drink a glass of water, and brush your teeth.
- Fruit Peels
It’s been claimed that rubbing lemon, orange, or banana peels on your teeth can make them whiter due to the compound d-limonene and/or citric acid in some peels. Rub your teeth gently
with these peels for around two minutes, rinse thoroughly and brush afterward. Again, use this method only short term, because the acid in the fruits can wear your tooth enamel.
- Activated Charcoal
This highly absorbent charcoal can rid bacteria and toxins from your mouth and absorb stains. Capsules available for purchase can be emptied onto a tooth brush for regular brushing, or mixed with a small amount of water to make a mouthwash which should be swished for approximately two minutes. Be sure to rinse your mouth after use. However, the charcoal can be abrasive and damage teeth with continued use.
- Watery Fruit
Consuming raw fruits and vegetables with a high water content can help cleanse your teeth and gums of the plaque and bacteria that lead to dental discoloration.
- Consume More Vitamin C
Vitamin C can reduce the amount of plaque in your mouth that causes teeth to yellow. Specifically papaya and pineapple may have the enzymes that contain not just healthy vitamins and the ability to whiten teeth. These enzymes can also be found in some toothpastes.
Ready to Learn More about Teeth Whitening?
If you’re ready to schedule a regular cleaning or professional whitening, or discuss natural options for teeth whitening with our dental team, reach out to us today at Dental Associates of Lodi. We’re ready to help you achieve your very best smile.
