Safe Ways to Whiten Teeth In today’s culture, having nice white teeth is sis important. In fact, 18% of people in a recent study said that they hid or concealed their teeth when taking a photo of themselves. 18% might not seem too serious, but that's quite a bit! Your teeth are undoubtedly one of the first things that people see when they see you or meet you – which makes this an important issue. If you want a way to whiten your teeth but you don’t want to get into the whole teeth whitening with strips, creams or foams deal, there are other options available to you, read below for more information. Apple Cider Vinegar Mouthwash When it comes to mouthwash, apple cider vinegar isn’t as strong as commercially made mouthwash. However, it is a good gum cleaner, mouth cleaner and it can remove stains on the teeth. This is a proven method that does work, but you will have to be consistent when using it. Since this is an acid, it can eat away at the enamel on your teeth, though, so make sure that after you rinse your mouth out with it – or brush your teeth with it, that you re-brush your teeth with regular toothpaste. Rinse your mouth out well after using apple cider vinegar and try to use a non-fluoride toothpaste too. Strawberry Paste Many of the celebrities out there swear by this, so hey, its worth a try. You would simply take some strawberries and your toothpaste and mash them together, place some on your toothbrush and brush your teeth as you normally would. The acid content in the strawberries is what whitens your teeth, but this is also a pithy fruit, and it has those tiny little “seeds” in it that help scrub away stains on your teeth. If you hate the way minty toothpaste tastes with strawberries, that’s okay. You can also just use macerated strawberries on a toothbrush or just start eating more strawberries. Either way, you choose, just make sure you rinse your mouth out well. Crunchy Fruits and Veggies If you want another easy way to make teeth whiter, consider eating or adding more
crunchy veggies and fruits to your diet. You can do so with apples, celery, carrots and more. Chewing these helps to remove bacteria from your mouth, as well as excess food on and in between your teeth, but the texture mixed with the acids in the fruits and veggies also help keep your teeth whiter. Apples specifically contain the same acid as strawberries called Malic Acid – its a chemical found in teeth whitening products as well, that are specifically for surface stains. Food for thought! Replace Your Toothbrush Believe it or not, you should be replacing your toothbrush every three months! Replacing your old toothbrush for a new one is an easy way to get whiter teeth. An older toothbrush has bristles that begin to lose their shape and won't clean your teeth properly anymore. So as soon as that three month mark hits or you begin to see the bristles bending inward or downward, make sure that you replace it with a new one. They aren’t that expensive; often you can find sales in grocery store chains for major name brand toothbrushes. Turmeric Oil Turmeric is an yellowish orange herb that is meant for cooking, and its usually used as a powder. However, you can also find it in an oil form as well. For this, you might want to buy one toothbrush JUST for this method, since it will dye your toothbrush yellow! You will be using a powder option. Simply wet the inside of your mouth and your teeth and then dip it in 1/8 teaspoon of powder. You will then brush your teeth as you normally would, but instead of rinsing, you should keep the turmeric on your teeth for 3-5 minutes. Once your time is up, you will then spit and rinse as you normally would and follow up with your normal toothpaste. You will notice a yellow tint to your teeth, if you do, keep rinsing until its all gone. Right away, you should see a brighter and whiter smile. If you don’t personally notice a difference, try it for a week and see if you notice a difference then. Some people swear by this method and say that it works! You can also make a paste with turmeric powder and coconut oil if you prefer that more. Coconut Oil and Peppermint Leaf Studies using coconut oil are inconclusive for oral health. But, the reason people use it and its on this list are because it CAN decrease stains on the teeth. Coconut oil can help remove some of the surface bacteria on your teeth that lead to stains, and the Peppermint leaf oil can give you minty fresh breath. Coconut oil has an ingredient in it called Lauric
Acid, it is a chemical agent that breaks down bacteria, and unlike something like baking soda which should only be used once a week or once every few weeks, coconut oil is not abrasive so you can use it every day daily until you begin to see results. As with the apple cider vinegar above, you won't see immediate results, but over time you will begin to notice a difference! You can create a simple paste with the coconut oil – it will begin to melt as soon as it meets anything remotely warm, such as your mouth, and you can mix it in a small cup with some peppermint oil. Swish it around with a spoon or cotton swab, and dip your toothbrush in it. Brush as you normally would. All of these ingredients in the above-mentioned methods can be found in your local grocery or health food store.