The teeth whitening industry is a massive one, running into billions of dollars. Americans spend about $1.4 billion on teeth whitening products at home. This indicates the huge demand for ways to naturally whiten your teeth at home.
While there are several products and teeth whitening kits available, many contain harsh and toxic chemicals. These chemicals can have serious side-effects that can affect our health and body. If you want to whiten your teeth but prefer natural ways and ingredients, then we have just the way for you to do so.
The first thing to do is to understand why teeth stain or turn yellow. Understanding the root cause will put us in a better position to prevent and cure it.
Certain foods and items can cause your teeth to stain over a period of time. They stain your enamel, which is the outermost part of your teeth. Plaque build up on your teeth can also cause them to look yellow and dull. Discoloration like this can be treated with regular cleaning or whitening methods and treatments.
Sometimes teeth look yellow and dull for deeper reasons. The hard enamel has eroded, revealing the dentin underneath. Dentin is naturally bony, yellow tissue that lies beneath the enamel. To avoid reaching this stage, we can try natural and home remedies to white our teeth.
Brush with Baking Soda- Baking soda has natural whitening and cleaning properties. It is regularly used in commercial toothpastes and teeth whitening kits. Baking soda has mild and abrasive properties that can scrub the stains from the surface of the teeth. It also creates an alkaline environment, ensuring that additional bacteria doesn’t grow in your teeth. Baking soda is slow to show its impact but it definitely gives good results. Toothpastes containing baking soda have known to be more effective in whitening teeth than the ones without baking soda. Mix one teaspoon baking soda with two teaspoons of water and brush your teeth with this paste. You can try this 2-3 times a week. Stop if you feel any adverse reaction, pain, or irritation.
Eat fruits and vegetables- What you eat has a major impact on your teeth. A diet rich in fruits and vegetables can help whiten your teeth and reduce plaque buildup. Crunchy, raw vegetables can help rub plaque away as you chew. In fruits, strawberries and pineapples are two fruits that claim to whiten your teeth. Whitening your teeth with strawberry mixture and baking soda has been made popular by celebrities and influencers on the internet. While there is no solid science backing this remedy, strawberries may help exfoliate your teeth and make them appear whiter. However, they are unlikely to penetrate the stains on your teeth. Excessive use of this remedy could also cause damage. Toothpastes containing bromelain, an enzyme found in pineapples was significantly more effective at removing stains than a standard toothpaste. But there is no scientific proof that eating pineapples has the same effect.
Try Oil Pulling- An Indian traditional remedy, oil pulling has been around for centuries. It is meant to improve oral hygiene and remove toxins from the body. For oil pulling, you have to swish oil around your mouth, removing bacteria that turn into plaque. Traditionally, Indians used sunflower oil or sesame oil for oil pulling. Any type of oil will work for teeth whitening. Most people prefer coconut oil due to its taste and other health benefits. Coconut oil is also high in lauric acid, which has the ability to reduce inflammation and kill bacteria. Daily oil pulling helps in killing bacteria, reducing plaque, and gingivitis. Streptococcus mutans is one of the primary types of bacteria in the mouth that cause plaque and gingivitis. One study found that daily swishing with sesame oil significantly reduced Streptococcus mutans in saliva in as little as 1 week. To oil pull, put 1 tablespoon of coconut oil in your mouth and push and pull the oil through your teeth. Coconut oil is solid at room temperature, so you may need to wait a few seconds for it to melt. Continue the oil pulling for 15–20 minutes. Remember to spit the coconut oil into a toilet or trash can, as it could return to solid form once in your drain pipes and cause a clog. Unlike many other tooth whitening methods, coconut oil pulling does not expose your teeth to acid or other ingredients that erode the enamel. This means it’s safe to do daily.
There are ways to prevent yellowing of teeth and staining before it happens. You can limit certain foods such as dark berries, coffee, soda, red wine, and colas. Drinking beverages out of a straw also ensures you reduce the chance of your teeth getting stained. A diet high in sugar supports the growth of bacteria that causes plaque and gingivitis. Reduce your sugar intake and brush your teeth regularly to prevent plaque buildup.
