What is the best whitener for your teeth? Best Teeth Whitening Remedies
Who doesn’t want a set of clear-white teeth? The brighter you can smile, the more confident you are likely to be.
That’s why most individuals are looking for the best way to whiten teeth. But you do not have to use any teeth whitening products that contain loads of chemicals.
It doesn’t matter the cause of the stained teeth. It could be the food you eat which stained the enamel or a build-up of plaque making the teeth to assume a yellowish color.
If you have yellow teeth due to any of these reasons, you can whiten them through regular cleaning and simple whitening remedies.
Teeth may also look yellow due to the erosion of enamel leaving the underlying dentin exposed. Unlike paint which is white, dentin is naturally yellow. It is a bony tissue found right underneath the enamel.
The teeth whitening strategies for this kind of coloration will be much more than simple remedies.
In this write-up, we discuss the best way to whiten teeth, no matter the cause of the discoloration. Read on for more information.
1. Use Baking Soda to Brush
Did you know that most kinds of toothpaste are made using baking soda? The reason for the use of baking soda is that it has natural whitening properties.
If the cause of yellow teeth is nothing but stains on the surface, baking soda can give you the results you desire.
Baking soda also alters the environment in your mouth by making it less conducive for the growth of bacteria.
Brushing your teeth with baking soda is hardly an overnight remedy. Used for over a more extended period, baking soda will give you white teeth.
Existing evidence shows that brushing your teeth with baking powder containing toothpaste is useful in giving you whiter teeth.
In one study, toothpaste with the highest concentration of baking soda was found to be a more effective teeth whitener than that without.
It has specifically been established that toothpaste containing baking soda is an effective plaque remover. Not so for toothpaste with zero baking soda.
The import it that you can use baking soda on its own as a teeth whitener. Mix baking soda with water in the ratio of 1 to 2 and use the resultant paste to brush your teeth.
Doing this only a couple of times a week should be enough. In the end, this is the best way to whiten teeth with nothing but surface stains.
2. Use the Oil Pulling Method
Did you know that oil pulling can help get rid of toxins are improve oral hygiene? If you don’t, then you have a lot to learn from the traditional Indian folks.
Swishing oil over your teeth gets rid of the plaque-causing bacteria. One of the causes of yellow teeth is the build-up of plaque on the surface of the teeth.
You may use sunflower oil, sesame oil, or coconut oil. You may want to try coconut oil which contains lauric acid, which kills bacteria and reduces inflammation. It also comes with many more health benefits.
Just like cleaning your teeth, oil pulling should be done on a daily basis to kill bacteria, reduce plaque, and cure gingivitis.
Oil pulling whitens your teeth by removing the bacteria that could lead to the build-up of plaque. It doesn’t directly target the already existing plaque or stains.
This method is, however, the safest you can use. It is the best way to whiten teeth by preventing the build-up of plaque.
Take a teaspoonful of your choice and put it in the mouth. Spend some time to ensure the oil is pushed and pulled through the teeth.
Since it exists as a solid at room temperature, wait for the oil to melt first. Wait for 15 to 20 minutes before spitting the remaining oil into a trash can or toilet.
This method is safe, given that it hardly exposes your teeth to corrosive chemicals such as acids.
3. Bleach Your Teeth Using Hydrogen Peroxide
Did you know that hydrogen peroxide is an effective antibacterial? Well, now you know it. This chemical is also a natural teeth whitening agent.
It is for this reason that hydrogen peroxide is used in many commercial bleaching agents. However, in most commercial products, the concentration is so high that you cannot use them on your teeth.
This is the best way to whiten teeth with surface stains. There is evidence to the effect that toothpaste containing hydrogen peroxide can make stained teeth whiter.
In one study, brushing teeth with a toothpaste containing a combination of baking soda and hydrogen peroxide, two times a day, resulted in 62 percent whiter teeth in just six weeks.
When using hydrogen peroxide to whiten your teeth, you have to be careful about the concentration. This chemical is more effective at deficient levels.
At higher levels, hydrogen peroxide is likely to leave you with sensitive teeth and irritated gums.
When you buy hydrogen peroxide at the drug store, it is likely to be at a 3 percent concentration. Don’t use it in that form.
First, dilute it to a level of 1.5 percent or less to minimize the unwanted side-effects. Then use it as a mouthwash, just before you brush your teeth.
You can also make your toothpaste by mixing hydrogen peroxide and baking soda in a 2 to 1 ratio. Once you have a paste, use it to brush your teeth. Don’t overuse this kind of paste, given that it can erode the enamel on your teeth.
4. Vinegar as a Teeth Whitener
Among the natural chemicals that have for centuries been used to kill bacteria is vinegar. This natural chemical kills bacteria, thanks to the acetic acid content.
Use vinegar to clean your teeth and also get rid of the plaque-causing bacteria. In a study involving cow teeth, vinegar was established to the bleaching effect. You can use vinegar to whiten your stained teeth and prevent the build-up of plaque.
But you should be careful when using vinegar as a teeth whitener. Vinegar also softens teeth and can erode the enamel. If you must use vinegar, do it only occasionally. Using vinegar on a daily basis is a no-no.
Only use vinegar as a mouthwash after diluting it. Pass it over your mouth for a couple of minutes and then use plain water to rinse your mouth.
5. Eat Plenty of Vegetables and Fruits
Did you know that what you eat has an impact on your dental health?
Not just the nutrients you get but the action of the food on the plaque already existing on your teeth.
It turns out that certain fruits and vegetables can make a difference when it comes to whitening your teeth by removing plaque.
The two fruits that have been proposed to have the most significant impact include pineapples and strawberries. As you crunch them, they brush against your teeth to remove plaque and other stains.
Pineapples contain the enzyme bromelain, which has been shown to remove stains from teeth when used in toothpaste.
This goes to show that eating pineapples could help your teeth interact with this enzyme, thus whitening in the process.
For some time now, celebrities have been using a mixture of baking soda and strawberry to whiten their teeth. Strawberries contain malic acid, which removes discoloration, even as the baking soda gets rid of the stains.
These celebrities are right to a certain extent. Berries are useful when it comes to removing stains on the surface of your teeth but not necessarily deep inside.
If this is the best way to whiten teeth for you, use it only to a limited extent. A few days in a week is enough to give you white teeth in the long run.
6. Prevention Is Better Than Cure
As you grow older, your teeth will become yellower, almost by default. But who said that you should resign yourself to fate and watch as your teeth get stained.
By taking some deliberate steps, you should be able to ward off the stains long before they become part of your teeth.
If you have never smoked, don’t try it. For those who are already doing it, stopping smoking is the way to go. Tobacco contains tar and nicotine, which make teeth yellow.
The earlier you quit smoking, the better you will be able to manage the teeth whitening process.
Soda, red wine, and coffee are huge culprits when it comes to staining teeth. Cut down on the amount of these drinks you take in any given time.
If you have to take soda, drink it out of a straw. Make sure to brush your teeth as soon as you have consumed these drinks.
Did you know that taking a lot of sugar in your diet can stain your teeth?
Limit the amount of sugar you eat. It is the sugar that provides the perfect environment for plaque-causing bacteria to thrive.
Taking less sugar will undoubtedly help you prevent gingivitis too. Anytime you eat food with too much sugar, brush your teeth.
Teeth, just bones are made up of calcium. If your teeth are discolored due to the erosion of enamel and the exposure of dentin, then you should eat a lot of calcium in your diet.
Calcium strengthens the paint so that your teeth remain as white as can be. Eat plenty of broccoli, cheese, and milk for your calcium needs.
7. Brush and Floss Your Teeth Regularly
Regularly brushing and flossing your teeth is very useful when it comes preventing the build-up of plaque. Your mouth contains bacteria, which decompose food particles causing the formation of plaque.
While flossing gets rid of these bacteria, brushing helps to remove any stains that could have formed earlier on. Make sure you regularly clean your teeth to prevent the formation of plaque.
Dentists suggest that you do it after every meal to remove food particles.
8. Visit the Dentist’s Office
If you have tried all the methods suggested here and you still cannot see significant results, you should ensure you see a dentist. These professionals are usually meticulous in the way they clean your teeth.
They typically use a whitening gel made of hydrogen peroxide in high concentrations. While the dentist’s fee can be too high, the results are much better than the other at-home DIY solutions.
Conclusion
Don’t wait until your teeth are too stained that the only option you have is to visit a dentist.
Try preventive measures such as avoiding smoking, steering clear of coffee and other drinks, and eating more foods that contain calcium.
Most of the methods discussed here are safe enough to try at home. But if you cannot find the best way to whiten teeth, then visiting a dentist should be the right approach.
