Want to whiten your teeth naturally from the comfort of your home with things you probably already have on hand? We've got you! We've combed the interwebs to collect the most effective and natural ways to remove coffee, wine, and other teeth-staining culprits. Best of all, these ingredients are affordable and don't leave your teeth looking unnaturally white, which happens far too often when folks go get their teeth whitened professionally.
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Also, these natural products pull their weight because they have so many uses. Take the humble yet mighty baking soda, for example. Sure, you can use it to bake, but it's also a gentle abrasive for your teeth that removes pesky stains. Pair it up with hydrogen peroxide, and you've got yourself a powerful combination of bleaching and buffing action. Keep reading to find out other natural and effective methods to whiten your teeth.
Hydrogen peroxide is a workhorse and an effective product for whitening teeth.
Look no farther than your medicine cabinet for an inexpensive and effective jack of all trades. This common household item is used to bleach hair, clean wounds, and even soften corns and calluses. What’s more, its antiseptic properties are powerful at killing bacteria in your mouth and the peroxide bleaches stains from teeth to restore their natural color.
A simple way to whiten teeth is to use hydrogen peroxide as a rinse.
First brush your teeth with regular toothpaste. Then mix 1 tablespoon of water and 1 tablespoon of 3% hydrogen peroxide. Swish the mixture around in your mouth for two to three minutes. Rinse your mouth with water. Try not to swallow any of the mixture. Repeat two to three times a week.
Supercharge your mouthwash by adding hydrogen peroxide.
While one cleans your mouth and freshens your breath, the other whitens your teeth! Mix equal parts of mouth wash and hydrogen peroxide. Swish around as you normally would and go on about your business.
Try swabbing hydrogen peroxide on your teeth.
Maybe swishing the mixture around doesn’t appeal to you. Here’s another option: Dip a cotton swab in 3% hydrogen peroxide and rub it on your teeth. Do this for one to two minutes, a few times a week.
Baking soda isn’t just for baking.
From reducing heartburn to making your fridge smell better to relieving itchiness and sunburns, baking soda is a powerhouse. There’s also a reason that baking soda is used in whitening toothpaste. Its coarseness acts as an abrasive to remove stains.
Make a baking soda and hydrogen peroxide paste.
This duo works magic. Mix 1 tablespoon of hydrogen peroxide and the same amount of baking soda to create a paste. Brush your teeth with it gently and rinse with water.
Consider baking soda and water a power couple when it comes to teeth whitening.
Make a paste by mixing 1 teaspoon of water and 1 teaspoon of baking soda. Brush your teeth with it, then let the mixture sit on your teeth for about a minute. Rinse.
Add baking powder to your toothpaste.
There’s no need to go out and buy a toothpaste with baking soda when you can just add it. Mix ½ teaspoon of baking soda to 1 teaspoon of toothpaste. Brush as you normally would.
Apple cider vinegar isn’t just for salads.
Apple cider vinegar is great for so many reasons. Lowering blood sugar levels and reducing belly fat are among some of its benefits. But when it comes to your teeth, its acidic and antimicrobial properties work in your favor.
Make an apple cider vinegar and baking soda paste for enviable pearly whites.
Mix 2 teaspoons of apple cider vinegar, 1-2 teaspoons of baking soda and 1 teaspoon of water. Brush your teeth with the paste as you normally would. Let the mixture sit there for about a minute after you’re done, then rinse with water. Do this every other day for two weeks.
Or you can dip your toothbrush in apple cider vinegar.
Brush for one to two minutes and rinse. Then brush your teeth with your regular toothpaste. Please keep in mind that apple cider vinegar is highly acidic and overuse can damage your enamel. Protect that enamel because the damage is irreversible.
Rinse your teeth with apple cider vinegar and follow with a baking soda scrub.
Swirl some apple cider vinegar in your mouth for 1-2 minutes. Then mix 1 teaspoon each of baking soda and water. Gently brush your teeth as you normally would.
There’s a reason you gargle salt and water after a tooth extraction.
Salt is a natural antiseptic, which makes it great for your oral health. By temporarily increasing the pH in your mouth, it makes it difficult for bacteria to survive and breed. That’s why you’re told to gargle a salt and water mixture when you have a sore throat.
Salt and baking soda make an awesome teeth-whitening combo.
Mix a teaspoon of baking soda with ½ teaspoon of sea salt. Brush your teeth for two minutes with the paste. Rinse and brush with regular toothpaste. The baking soda and salt are gentle abrasives that remove surface stains from teeth.
Salt and hydrogen peroxide work wonders together.
Like baking soda, the salt works as a gentle buffer on your teeth. Mix it with hydrogen peroxide, and you’ve got yourself some new buffed pearly whites. Mix 2 tablespoons of hydrogen peroxide with 1 tablespoon of salt. Rub the paste against your teeth for 1-2 minutes. Rinse.
Turmeric is amazing on so many levels.
Turmeric contains a compound called curcumin, which is a natural anti-inflammatory. It’s also a powerful antioxidant. But when it comes to dental care, turmeric powder is a gentle abrasive and removes surface stains.
Using turmeric to whiten teeth might seem counterintuitive because of its color.
But we promise it does work. Start by mixing 1 teaspoon of organic turmeric powder and a small amount water in a small dish. Then use a soft toothbrush to apply the paste to teeth. Brush for two minutes, then rinse with water. Finally, brush with regular toothpaste.
Activated charcoal has an impressive resume.
Activated charcoal is used in the emergency room to treat poisonings. It also reduces intestinal gas and lowers cholesterol levels. Activated charcoal also whitens teeth by absorbing plaque and other tooth-staining substances, leaving your teeth cleaner and brighter.
Brush your teeth with activated charcoal powder.
Wet your toothbrush and sprinkle a little food grade activated charcoal powder. Brush for two minutes. Rinse with water. Then brush with your regular toothpaste.
Lemons are high in citric acid which acts as a natural bleach for stains on teeth.
Lemon lightens and brightens. It’s exactly why so many people have squeezed lemon juice on their tresses to achieve natural-looking highlights. Similar to apple cider vinegar, the acid in lemons help whiten teeth. Just be careful not to overdo it because you could cause damage to the enamel on your teeth.
Lemon juice, hydrogen peroxide, and baking soda are the ultimate trio.
You get dual whitening action from the lemon juice and the hydrogen peroxide. Meanwhile, the baking soda acts as a gentle scrubber. Start with 1 teaspoon of baking soda and add a few drops of hydrogen peroxide and lemon juice until it’s mixed well enough to become a paste. Apply to your teeth and leave for a minute. Rinse with water.
Lemon juice and salt make a gritty mixture that’s great for whitening your teeth.
Add enough salt to 1 tablespoon of lemon juice to create a slurry. Then use a toothbrush to gently brush your teeth with the mixture. Rinse. Then brush your teeth with your regular toothpaste.
The lemon peel is magical.
Rubbing a lemon peel on your teeth can have a stain-lifting effect. Make sure you rinse your mouth after you do this. It avoids damaging your teeth’s enamel.
Many people swear by banana peels to whiten their teeth.
A lot of people and DIYers say that the potassium and other minerals in banana peels help whiten teeth. So far, this theory hasn't been proven scientifically, but you can try it out for yourself and see if it works for you.
Rub, rub, rub!
Rubbing the inside of the banana peel for a few minutes, a few times a week on your teeth might be something you want to do. Even if you don't see a difference in the color of your teeth, the potassium in the banana peel is good for bone density.
Strawberries can fight teeth stains!
Strawberries contain compounds and antioxidants that are beneficial to lifting stains on your teeth. Wait, what?! It's true. Strawberries contain a tooth-whitening enzyme called malic acid.
This strawberry and baking soda might even taste yummy.
Mash a strawberry and mix in baking soda until combined. Brush your teeth for a few minutes. The grit from the baking soda and the strawberry’s seeds will work their magic.
Orange peels not only smell great.
They are also great at removing stains from your teeth, just like lemon peels. Specifically, it's the white parts of the peel that help because they contain vitamin C, pectin, limonene, gluconate, and soluble fiber that act as natural teeth-whiteners.
You can count on this citrus to whiten your teeth.
When using orange peels to whiten your teeth, use oranges that are organic when possible and certainly pesticide-free. Rub the white part of the orange peel on your teeth, then brush your teeth and rinse.
Use an electric toothbrush.
Electric toothbrushes are better at knocking off debris from your teeth. Once you go electric, it's impossible not to notice how much cleaner your teeth feel. Make the investment in an electric toothbrush if you haven't already.
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