Smiling is a part of our everyday life. Some people may be self-conscious about their smile because their teeth have yellowed over time. If this is the case, you have probably considered teeth whitening remedies that can help remove surface stains from your teeth.
What Causes Yellow Teeth?
Over time, your teeth will start to yellow and change from their natural white colour. Discolored teeth can be caused by a number of different things. Some of these might include drinking coffee or red wine, smoking, eating acidic foods, or not brushing your teeth enough.
While it’s not necessary to stay away from all food and drinks that can stain teeth, they should be ingested in moderation and should be followed by brushing and flossing.
Six Ways To Whiten Teeth At Home
There are several DIY or natural teeth whitening remedies that you can do at home. Here are six tooth whitening hacks to help get rid of yellow teeth stains.
1. Floss and Brush Your Teeth Regularly
First and foremost, you need to build a strong oral health routine. Dentists recommend that, for healthy teeth, you brush your teeth at least twice a day (once in the morning and once in the evening) or after every meal. This can prevent plaque buildup and makes for healthier whiter teeth.
As well, you need to floss. Flossing is one of the most important parts of your oral hygiene routine and can help with tooth sensitivity and prevent gum disease, gum irritation, and tooth decay.
Another step in your journey towards good oral hygiene is to book and attend regular dental checkups and cleanings. These appointments will allow dentists to give your teeth a really good cleaning which can give you whiter teeth over time. As well, they can also work to prevent tooth stains before they happen. Any at-home whitening methods or remedies should be used in addition to regular dental cleanings.
2. Brush With Baking Soda and Hydrogen Peroxide
If you’re looking for a way to whiten teeth with things you already have at home, you might try using baking soda which has many uses including whitening teeth. Some kinds of toothpaste actually have baking soda as a main ingredient because of its cleaning properties. You can mix baking soda with some water until it creates a DIY whitening toothpaste.
Another way to use baking soda is with hydrogen peroxide. Again, many products already contain hydrogen or carbamide peroxide (a chemical containing hydrogen peroxide). This can help lighten the look of stained teeth and kill bacteria; however this method shouldn’t be used on sensitive teeth.
3. Oil Pulling
Another remedy for a brighter smile is coconut oil pulling. This is a natural remedy from India and involves swishing oil in your mouth and through your teeth to remove stains and toxins. Many people who use this teeth-whitening remedy prefer using coconut oil because of its taste.
To start, take a tablespoon of oil and swish it in your mouth, being sure to “pull” it through your teeth before spitting. It’s recommended that you continue this for about 15-20 minutes.
While there is no scientific research that says that this practice is effective at tooth whitening, many users have noticed that this practice helps to remove discolouration.
4 Activated Charcoal
Activated charcoal is one of the natural remedies you can use to keep your teeth pearly white. Charcoal can also be found in some tooth-whitening products as it can help with stain removal.
However, it’s important to not use charcoal for too long as it can thin the tooth enamel layer. As well, charcoal should not be used with small children as it is too rough for developing and growing teeth.
5. Fruit!
While including more fruits and vegetables in your diet will help with your overall health, they can also help keep your teeth clean.
Strawberries, which contain malic acid, can remove some extrinsic stains on your tooth structure when mixed with baking soda. It’s been said that the strawberry will help remove the discolouration while the baking soda whitens your teeth by buffing away stains.
Others claim that if you gently rub banana peels on your teeth that it can whiten them. Apple cider vinegar is another at-home fruit product that is said to help you get white teeth.
6. Whitening Strips and Toothpaste
Finally, the last of the whitening treatments are at-home whitening products. These include whitening toothpaste, strips, whitening pens, whitening trays, and other products. Many of these contain mild bleach and mild abrasives to whiten teeth overnight. The natural bleaching agent is used to remove any stains while the abrasive is to rub away any plaque or food.
Tooth bleaching and tooth whitening kits are ways in which you can clean up staining teeth. However, these teeth-whitening products should not be used for long periods of time. Instead, break it up with regular toothpaste to give your mouth a break.
Hamilton Mountain Dental
Dreaming about whiter teeth? Book a routine checkup and cleaning with us at Hamilton Mountain Dental today!
