10 Natural Ways to Whiten Teeth at Home

Like shiny hair and glowing skin, white teeth are in the spotlight for many too. All you need to know is how to get rid of yellow teeth.

While pearly white teeth give you utter confidence, yellow teeth can be embarrassing. Your pearly white teeth can turn into yellow teeth because of aging, improper metabolism, high doses of antibiotics, smoking, having tobacco and drinking coffee or tea too much. You can get your whiteness back.

Here is a food for thought. Enamel is outer most protective layer of the teeth which continues to wear off exposing the yellow layer. When you are successful in getting white teeth back, be extra careful not to get them yellow again as whitening the teeth repeatedly can lead to translucent or blue teeth.

You can easily preserve your teeth and confidently smile the not-so-suppressed smile by following some of these natural ways to get rid of yellow teeth instead of the costly teeth whitening treatments. No need to suppress your teeth exposing smiles and laughter. Apart from these natural ways, make sure you have a regular oral hygiene routine.

1. Strawberries

Strawberries

Strawberries are packed with vitamin C which aids in breaking down plaque that makes your teeth yellow.

Strawberries contain an enzyme known as malic acid that eliminates yellow stains on teeth. Adding salt to it makes it an abrasive which scrubs away the stain.

  1. Take 2 to 3 large strawberries and mash it.
  2. Add a pinch of sea salt to the strawberry pulp.
  3. Use a paper towel to wipe away any saliva on the teeth.
  4. Generously apply the strawberry mixture on a toothbrush.
  5. Leave it on for 5 minutes before washing it off.

OR

  1. Take 2 to 3 large strawberries and mash it.
  2. Add a one-half teaspoon of baking soda to the strawberry pulp.
  3. Spread it on your teeth.
  4. Let it stay for few minute before washing it off.

2. Baking soda

Baking Soda

If there is any ingredient in your kitchen that simply tops the list for yellow teeth, its baking soda. It’s one of the best ways to whiten yellow teeth.

With its naturally abrasive quality helps to eliminate plaque as well as topical stains from your teeth bringing out the pearly white teeth.

However, remember that using it too often or on a long term basis can entirely destroy your outer protective layer called the enamel. If you opt for baking soda, make sure you don’t use it too much and too often.

  1. Combine a pinch of baking soda, a pinch of salt and few drops of lemon juice to make a paste.
  2. Spread it out on your teeth.
  3. Gently brush your teeth with this mixture.
  4. Then brush your teeth with a regular toothpaste to restore the taste of your mouth.
  5. Just repeat once or twice a week and not more than that.

OR

  1. Dilute a little baking soda.
  2. Scrub your teeth for few minutes with it.
  3. Repeat two times a week initially and then after every 15 days.

OR

  1. Combine baking soda, lemon juice and white vinegar.
  2. Scrub your teeth with this mixture.
  3. Then rinse your mouth.
  4. Repeat once or twice a week to get rid of discolored teeth.

3. Margosa

Margosa

According to Ayurveda, there are certain trees that possess astringent, antibacterial and other qualities that can give you white teeth upon regular usage. Among such trees is margosa (neem).

Margosa contains antiseptic and astringent qualities that are not only useful for getting rid of yellow teeth but also useful for treating bad breath and cavities.

  1. All you have to do is get a tender twig from this treat.
  2. Wash the twig and chew on one end of the twig.
  3. The action of chewing spreads out its fibers which can used brush your teeth for 10 to 15 minutes.
  4. Repeat every day.

OR

  1. Mix some margosa oil in your regular toothpaste.
  2. Use it to brush your teeth.

Other trees whose twigs can be used in such a way are Babool tree and banyan tree.

4. Lemon

lemon

Did someone say whitening? Lemon does not only bright up your skin tone but it also whitens up yellow teeth owing to the nature’s gifted bleaching quality.

Lemon contains a high content of vitamin C which helps to scrape away the yellow layer and surface up the white part of the teeth.

  1. Combine one teaspoon of lemon juice and one teaspoon of water.
  2. Brush your teeth with it.
  3. Rinse your mouth with water.
  4. Then use a regular toothpaste to brush your teeth.
  5. Make sure you always dilute lemon before using as it can damage the tooth enamel.
  6. Follow this remedy two times a week and not more than that.

OR

  1. Rub a lemon peel on your teeth for up to one minute and not more than that.
  2. Rinse your mouth with water.

5. Hydrogen Peroxide

Hydrogen peroxide possesses the power of mild bleaching that makes it effective for yellow teeth. However, be very careful with it as it can result in irritation of gums and sensitive teeth. Use it in controlled amount as it can damage your tooth enamel as well.

  • Gargle and rinse with a mouthwash that contains hydrogen peroxide. Swish it around your mouth but DO NOT swallow hydrogen peroxide. You can also make your own mouthwash by combining 3% hydrogen peroxide in equal quantity of water.

OR

  • Make a paste out of hydrogen peroxide and baking soda to brush your teeth with it. Then brush your teeth again with a regular toothpaste to turn yellow teeth to white.

6. Oil Pulling

Oil Pulling

Orally pulling oil might sound strange but it’s a very effective ayurvedic technique that does not only aim at giving you sparkling white teeth but also treats a variety of ailments like sinus infection, migraine, arthritis and eczema.

When it comes to oral hygiene, oil pulling aids in eliminating plaque, gingivitis and bacteria present in your mouth giving your pearly white teeth you desire. When you swish oil in your mouth, you automatically pull away toxins, parasites and bacteria present in your teeth and mouth in general. This is where it gets its name from.

  1. Take a tablespoon of organic oil particularly olive oil, coconut oil or sesame oil.
  2. Swish, push and pull the oil around and through your teeth for 15 minutes.
  3. Continue doing this for 15 to 20 minutes every day for teeth stain removal.

7. Holy Basil Leaves

Basil Leaves

Holy basil leaves possess teeth whitening qualities that safeguard your teeth against oral problems like pyorrhea and severe periodontal diseases.

  1. Take some fresh holy basil leaves and leave it out in the sun to dry.
  2. As soon as they are completely dry, crush the leaves to get powder.
  3. Spread it over your teeth using your fingers or add it to your regular tooth paste.
  4. Let it stay for 15 to 20 minutes.
  5. Then rinse your mouth.

OR

  1. Grind basil leaves to powder form.
  2. Add 2 teaspoons of orange peel powder to basil leaf powder.
  3. Spread it over your teeth.
  4. Let it stay for 15 to 20 minutes.
  5. Then wash it off using water.

8. Crunchy Fruits and Vegetables

Apples, carrots, cucumber, broccoli and celery are examples of crunchy fruits and vegetables that naturally scrub away the teeth and get rid of the yellow stain.

Crunchy vegetables and fruits are natural tooth brushes for your teeth. When you chew on crunchy fruits and vegetables it automatically helps to get rid of bacteria and food from your mouth.

The acids present in these fruits not only make your mouth bacteria free but also keeps your teeth sparkling white. Make sure you chew it properly since it will give time to the acid in crunchy fruits and vegetables to work on your teeth making it whiter.

Apples and strawberries contain malic acid which scrapes away stain from your teeth and is present in many teeth whitening products as well.

9. Salt

Remember when your granny used to tell you to use salt on your teeth if you forget your toothbrush. She did so for a reason.

Salt is a great cleansing agent for your teeth and has been so since ages. It restores lost mineral in your teeth and get back your sparkling white color. Make sure you don’t rub it on your teeth too harshly as you will damage your tooth enamel and gums.

  • One way of using salt is using it instead of toothpaste every morning.

OR

  • Combine salt with a little baking soda and rub your teeth with a light hand.

OR

  • Combine common salt and charcoal and gently rub your teeth with it.

10. Orange Peel

Orange Peel

Orange peel contains a high content of calcium and vitamin C that not only makes your teeth yellow but also takes care of the microorganisms. So using fresh orange peel on your teeth makes sense.

  • Take some orange peel and rub it on your right before you go to sleep. Continue doing this for few weeks to get rid of yellow teeth. You can also rub lemon peel in a similar manner but not more than half to one minute. Then wash it off.

OR

  • Just in case orange peel isn’t available you can also use orange peel powder. Rub it on your teeth with your fingers and wash it off.

Some useful suggestions!

  • Avoid using a lot of whitening agents and use them in a controlled manner because you don’t want to lose your enamel so soon and leave your teeth really sensitive.
  • Sugary products can be harsh on your gums and teeth and result in gum diseases, cavities, and plaque causing yellow teeth. Try to cut down on sugary products and sweetened beverages. If you do eat sugary products, brush your teeth after half an hour. If you don’t happen to have a toothbrush, you can sip some water and swish it around in your mouth.
  • Make it a habit of taking few sips of water every hour and rolling it around in your mouth. This helps to get rid of residues and debris that build up on your teeth giving you yellow color.
  • Don’t just brush your teeth. Make flossing your teeth a habit too. Floss two times a day. In flossing is much more important compared to brushing. Flossing eliminates staining and makes your teeth look white.
  • Say no to dark drinks like coke and coffee which are well known for staining your teeth.
  • When you drink soda, tea or coffee, make use of straw. Drinking through straw will expose your teeth to the drink lesser. Remember drinking your wine or coffee through straw is less embarrassing than yellow teeth. Make sure you brush your teeth after having such drinks.

Wrap up!

While these home remedies for teeth whitening are not instant, they do show off some good results over time. Make sure when you opt for any of the above remedies, you do it regularly. You can only get good results if you stick to a remedy. Go natural and save your money for something else and feel good about yourself at the same time.

Reference

http://www.innovareacademics.in/journals/index.php/ajpcr/article/viewFile/6558/2679

http://scholar.googleusercontent.com/scholar?q=cache:TIPKE7fKPgQJ:scholar.google.com/+J+Mishra,+AK+Dash,+DK+Dash+-+World+journal+of+pharmacy+and+%E2%80%A6,+2013+-+wjpps.com&hl=en&as_sdt=0,5&as_vis=1

http://www.livestrong.com/article/15795-whiten-teeth-peroxide/

 

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