8 Natural Ways to Whiten Your Teeth

Everyone wants to get a whiter smile. But not everyone wants to commit to a professional treatment or over the counter solutions. Fortunately, there are many methods you can use to brighten teeth and finally quit the tight-lipped smiles. Here are just a few natural ways to whiten your teeth.

Start With Water

It may sound too basic, but water is one of the best natural ways to whiten your teeth. How? Rinsing your mouth with warm water right after eating will remove any residual food particles that could damage or stain your smile. This is especially true for foods or drinks that contain teeth staining pigments. Whether it is spaghetti sauce or red wine, follow it up with a 30 second rinse and you can better preserve the whiteness of your smile. Also, drinking water throughout the day will do much the same to increase saliva production and keep your teeth clean.

Eat More Dairy

This natural way to whiten teeth should be fairly common sense. Diary means calcium. Calcium means remineralization of teeth, aka stronger enamel. In turn, stronger enamel not only means decay prevention, but also can help prevent staining. The enamel is the outermost part of your tooth and the hardest substance in the human body. However, it is also porous, which is why it becomes stained over time. By replenishing the calcium and phosphates in the enamel, you can make the surface less porous, less susceptible to staining.

Eat Crunchy Vegetables

Crunchy foods that naturally whiten teeth include broccoli, celery, carrots, and cucumbers. They are high in cellulose and clean teeth while you chew. Also, the dark green vegetables have specialized mineral compounds that help protect teeth against stains. They shield the teeth by forming a film over the enamel. This film keeps other stains from other foods off of the enamel while you eat.

Eat Fruits with Known Whitening Agents

The adage, an apple a day keeps the doctor away, might be true in this case. A crunchy apple contains malic acid, a chemical commonly used in tooth whitening products. Also, because it is crunchy, it works to increase saliva production and remove dyes and sugars known for staining teeth. Other fruits known for teeth whitening properties include strawberries, lemons, and raisins. These are all popular ingredients in home remedies for naturally whitening teeth.

Cut Back on Black Coffee

Sadly, stains from dark colored drinks dull and darken your smile, especially coffee. The pigments penetrate the porous enamel and take up residence in the cracks and ridges. This leads to permanently brown or yellow staining on your teeth. Some say adding cream to your coffee will cause less dental staining, but this is not exactly true unless you are using way less coffee and way more cream. The only way to effectively avoid staining is giving up coffee entirely. Other drinks you might have to ban include dark teas, sodas, and juices. If that is not appealing, you can try brushing immediately after drinking these beverages and removing the pigments as soon as possible.

Try Baking Soda

You might think baking soda is a miracle cure, and truth is, it really can do so many things. It can deodorize the refrigerator, it can clean your drain, and it can whiten teeth naturally. It does this in two ways: abrasion and chemistry. Baking soda polishes the surface of the enamel and eliminates stains. Also, when baking soda mixes with the water and saliva in your mouth, there is a chemical reaction that lightens some discoloration. However, you should be cautious about using this method too often. You can damage the enamel of your teeth if you take scrubbing with baking soda too far. Use this method only once a week to be safe.

Use White Kaolin Clay

What is white kaolin clay? Usually it is used as a cosmetic clay mask. It is known to gently clean pores without pulling natural oils from your skin. But it is also used to make homemade toothpaste. Much like baking soda, this gentle abrasive agent naturally whitens teeth. Again, because it can damage the enamel, you will only want to dip your toothbrush in this mineral and brush with it only once a week.

Rinse With Hydrogen Peroxide

The last of the natural ways to whiten teeth is using hydrogen peroxide. Most commonly known as an antiseptic, hydrogen peroxide is also a common ingredient in toothpastes and teeth whitening products. By using equal parts of water and hydrogen peroxide, you can rinse your mouth for whiter teeth. Use it like you would mouthwash and be well on your way to a brighter, whiter smile to be proud of.