Eating highly acidic and sugary foods, drinking alcohol, smoking tobacco, and a host of other factors contribute to your teeth losing their white color. There are many products and dental procedures out there that promise you white teeth but burn holes in your pockets, so opt for ingredients that can naturally whiten your teeth.
If you have been shying away from taking a photograph with your friends, you don’t have to worry about that any longer. In this article, we discuss seven natural remedies that can give you pearly white and shining teeth. Read on to learn more!
In This Article
What Causes Teeth To Look Yellow?
Your teeth can lose their natural color and look yellowish as you age. The main factors that contribute to yellowing teeth include:
- Certain foods like apples and potatoes
- Tobacco use
- Poor dental hygiene, including inadequate brushing, flossing, or using a mouthwash
- Drinking caffeinated drinks
- Medical therapies like head and neck radiation and chemotherapy
- Medications like tetracycline and doxycycline can also discolor teeth when given to children whose teeth are still developing,
- Some materials used in dentistry like amalgam restorations
- Genetics – Some individuals are naturally blessed with whiter teeth than the others.
- Environmental factors like the presence of excessive fluoride levels in water
- Physical trauma like a fall can disturb the formation of enamel in young children, whose teeth are still in the developing stage.
Your teeth could have turned yellow due to various factors. However, you can try and restore the whiteness of your teeth using some simple yet effective home remedies.
7 Easy Ways To Naturally Whiten Teeth
1. Coconut Oil Pulling
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Oil pulling with coconut oil offers multiple benefits for oral health. It can help reduce plaque formation and plaque-induced gingivitis (1). Hence, it may also help assist in whitening your teeth.
You Will Need
1 tablespoon of virgin coconut oil
What You Have To Do
- Swish a tablespoon of virgin coconut oil in your mouth
- for 10-15 minutes.
- Spit it out and go about with your usual oral regimen of brushing and flossing.
How Often You Should Do This
You may do this once daily, preferably in the morning, before brushing your teeth.
Related: Are You Aware Of The 3 Major Side Effects Of Oil Pulling? Find Them Here!
2. Brushing With Baking Soda
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Tooth brushing with a baking soda-based dentifrice was observed to help with stain removal and teeth whitening in a study published in the Journal of the American Dental Association (2).
You Will Need
- 1 teaspoon of baking soda
- Water (as required)
- A toothbrush
What You Have To Do
- Mix a teaspoon of baking soda with a few drops of water to make a thick paste.
- Take some of this mixture on your toothbrush.
- Brush your teeth using the mixture for a couple of minutes.
- Rinse your mouth with water.
How Often You Should Do This
You may do this 1-2 times daily.
Related: 6 Ways To Use Baking Soda To Whiten Your Teeth Naturally
3. Activated Charcoal
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Activated charcoal is negatively charged. It binds to the positively charged plaque on the tooth surface and is absorbed by it, thereby whitening your teeth (3).
You Will Need
- A toothbrush
- Powdered activated charcoal
- Water (as required)
What You Have To Do
- Dip a wet toothbrush in powdered activated charcoal.
- Brush your teeth with it for 1-2 minutes.
- Rinse your mouth with water.
How Often You Should Do This
You may do this once daily for best results.
4. Hydrogen Peroxide
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Hydrogen peroxide can help improve the shade of your teeth (4). It is a great home remedy for those who are on a limited budget and want to whiten their teeth.
You Will Need
- ½ cup of 3-5% hydrogen peroxide
- ½ cup of water
What You Have To Do
- Mix half a cup of 3-5% hydrogen peroxide with half a cup of water.
- Swish the mixture in your mouth for 30-60 seconds.
- Spit the solution and brush your teeth without using any toothpaste.
- Rinse your mouth thoroughly with water.
How Often You Should Do This
You may do this once daily.
Caution: High concentrations of hydrogen peroxide solution can damage your teeth. Hence, it is best to seek your doctor’s consent before following this remedy.
5. Lemon Or Orange Peels
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The peels of oranges and lemons contain citric acid, which may help in removing the stains on your enamel and bleaching your teeth. They are also antibacterial and can thus help fight oral microbes (3).
You Will Need
Orange or lemon peel
What You Have To Do
- Scrub your teeth with an orange or lemon peel.
- Leave it on for 1-2 minutes and brush your teeth.
- Rinse your mouth thoroughly with plain water.
How Often You Should Do This
You may do this once daily.
6. Apple Cider Vinegar
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Apple cider vinegar exhibits bleaching properties that can help in whitening your teeth and removing stains (5).
You Will Need
- 1-2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar
- 1 cup of water
What You Have To Do
- Add one to two tablespoons of apple cider vinegar to a cup of water.
- Mix well and use the solution as a mouth rinse.
- Rinse your mouth using the apple cider vinegar solution for 30-60 seconds.
- Follow up by rinsing your mouth with plain water.
How Often You Should Do This
You may do this once daily, before or after brushing your teeth.
7. Fruits And Vegetables
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Fruits like strawberries, papaya, pineapple, oranges, and kiwis and vegetables like celery and carrots have teeth whitening properties. They can help in the removal of stains from your enamel and are also comparatively safe. You can either eat more of these fruits and veggies or leave them on your teeth for a few seconds to see the desired effects (3).
If you are looking for any over-the-counter teeth whitening products in addition to these remedies, here are a few that may help.
Related: 10 Effective Home Remedies For Pyorrhea (Gum Disease)
Over-The-Counter Teeth Whitening Products
- Whitening Toothpaste – There are several teeth whitening toothpastes available that can help in lightening your teeth by 1 or 2 shades.
- Tray-Based Teeth Whiteners – They contain a bleaching gel. All you have to do is wear a fitted tray over your teeth for 2-4 hours a day or as mentioned in the directions.
- Whitening Strips And Mouth Rinses – They can also help in improving the color of your teeth by 1-2 shades.
While these over-the-counter products can undoubtedly help in whitening your teeth, you have to be cautious about the ingredient list as high concentrations of certain compounds can damage your enamel.
Stylecraze SaysInvest in herbal whitening toothpastes as conventional formulations contain abrasives and bleaching agents like silica, pyrophosphates, or carbamide peroxide. These chemical ingredients may cause undesirable effects on the enamel and the soft tissues surrounding the teeth (3).
If you can tweak your lifestyle choices a bit, you may also be able to prevent yellowing of teeth for a long time. Listed below are some tips to follow to prevent your teeth from turning yellowish.
Prevention Tips
- Brush and floss twice daily or after every meal if possible.
- Do not overeat sugary or high-carb foods. In case you do eat them, brush your teeth immediately.
- Avoid foods/drinks that can stain your teeth like coffee, red wine, blueberries, and beetroot.
- Quit smoking and/or chewing tobacco.
- Get your teeth cleaned by a dentist every 6 months.
Did You Know?According to the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry, Americans spent approximately $1.4 billion on teeth whitening products in the year 2016 (6).
Your teeth lose the white color due to several factors like certain food items, poor dental hygiene, genetics, environmental factors, medications. Several teeth whitening products and procedures can help you regain the shine and color of your teeth. However, these can be costly. So, it is best to opt for natural home remedies for teeth whitening.
Coconut oil pulling, brushing with baking soda, activated charcoal, hydrogen peroxide, lemon and orange peels, apple cider vinegar, papaya, pineapple, celery, and carrots may help remove the stain and restore the whiteness of your teeth.
Consult your dentist if these remedies do not work.
