Ways to Naturally Whiten Your Teeth

We have all been told to avoid red wine, dark berries, and black coffee for a beautiful set of white teeth, but what about foods that actually brighten your smile?

Check out these natural solutions for that brilliant beam.

1. Brush After Drinking or Eating

The best way but not always the easiest is to simply brush your teeth after eating or drinking something. This takes a lot of persistence and can even be kind of difficult depending on where you are at the time. Most food does not stain teeth, but if you are a coffee drinker or if you smoke, you can pretty much count on having discolored teeth from staining. If this is the case then having your teeth cleaned every three months may be in order, besides trying some of the natural remedies listed here.

2. Baking Soda and Hydrogen Peroxide

This works great as a natural teeth whitener. Many people confirm to the fact that it does make their teeth look whiter. Mix a small amount of hydrogen peroxide mixed with a small amount of baking soda to make a paste, brush your teeth as usual, making sure you brush those back teeth too.

Hydrogen peroxide is an anti-bacterial agent and works great as a total mouth and gum cleaner and keeps the mouth free of germs. Baking soda is a gritty substance like sandpaper so be careful that you have enough hydrogen peroxide mixed in with the soda because if you don’t it can very well scrub the enamel right off your teeth and enamel does not grow back. The paste should not be gritty at all, and in fact it should be a runnier paste than a stiff paste.

3. Coconut Oil Pulling

Just when you thought you heard it all when it comes to coconut oil, along it comes to the rescue as a natural teeth whitener. Some people are attesting to their teeth becoming whiter by applying coconut oil to their teeth after they brush. But for most people, they are praising the results of oil pulling. Simply put a spoonful of coconut oil in your mouth and swish it between your teeth for 5 to 20 minutes or add a few drops to your toothbrush and simple brush it on, or add the coconut oil to a corner of a clean wash cloth and rub it on.  Also, coconut oil has antimicrobial properties so it’s great for your gums as well.

4. Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV)

It makes sense that apple cider vinegar would eventually work as a mouth gum cleaner and remove stubborn stains on the teeth, especially from coffee and nicotine. It has been proven that

it does work as a natural teeth whitener but you have to be consistent and it takes a least a month of continuous usage to see results. Some say that using ACV looks like you just got your teeth professionally cleaned but be careful, as with all acids, it can remove the enamel on your teeth.

After brushing with ACV, you will need to brush again with regular toothpaste, preferably a non fluoride paste, or rinse your mouth out really well.

5. Lemon or Orange Peels

There have been reports that lemon and or orange peels will also do the trick of whitening your teeth. Guess you don’t know until you try.  Here again, these food products are very healthy and good for your stomach but the acid content might eventually wear away the enamel on the teeth. So if you use lemon or orange peel always rinse afterwards to be on the safe side.

A good oral mouth rinse is hydrogen peroxide because it keeps breath fresh by eliminating bad breath and also is a very good bacterial agent. Use half water and half hydrogen peroxide, swish around in your mouth and leave in for at least a full minute.

The following foods are other aids to whiten the teeth

1. Cheese

2. Baking soda

3. Apples

4. Oranges 

5. Strawberries

6. Water

7. Onions and Garlics

8. Carrots

9. Pears

10. Pineapples

Compiled by Adekunle Adewale