How to Whiten Your Teeth?
White teeth are considered an attractive feature, but the dilemma is how to maintain white teeth. It was seen that in 2015, Americans used up more than $11 billion on whitening their teeth. That was inclusive of more than $1.4 billion spent on home teeth whitening products.
If you are thinking about teeth whitening, you can use a range of products, starting from manufactured products such as TADSmile to natural products. Many concerns that people have when using manufactured teeth whitening products are that most of them use bleach to whiten their teeth. For that reason, many people prefer natural teeth whitening products.
However, if you are looking forward to whitening your teeth, look no further because TADSmile is the right product. This article focuses on both natural ways of whitening your teeth and manufactured products as well.
Causes of Yellow Teeth
The saddest thing for many people is to look into the mirror and see their teeth losing their vibrant white color. There may be a few things that may be causing your teeth to be yellow. Certain foods may stain your teeth's enamel.
The enamel is the outermost layer of your teeth, which gives it the white sparkle. Another factor may be plaque buildup on your teeth. Eventually, over time, that will cause your teeth to stain and become yellow.
Consuming water with a lot of minerals can also bring that yellow tinge to your teeth if you consume it a lot over a long time. If your teeth have stained, well, your worries are over because all kinds of teeth discoloration can be dealt with by using cleaning and teeth whitening products.
How to Whiten Your Teeth
1. Oil Pulling
Oil pulling involves swishing around oil in your mouth. It helps in removing bacteria that can become plaque and cause your teeth to be yellow. It is a traditional folk remedy commonly used in India to remove toxins from people’s bodies and improve oral hygiene.
Indians mostly used sesame or sunflower oil for this traditional remedy, but you can use any oil like coconut oil. It not only has a pleasant smell but also offers numerous health benefits to its users. Coconut oil also has high levels of lauric acid, best known for its anti-inflammatory agents and for killing bacteria.
Studies have proven that practicing oil pulling helps in reducing bacteria and fights gingivitis and plaques. One study has discovered that daily use of sesame oil for oil pulling helps fight streptococcus mutans, a bacteria in the mouth that causes gingivitis and plaques. For oil pulling, have one tablespoon of your oil of choice in your mouth.
You then have to pull and push the oil in your mouth through your teeth. Do this continuously for 15-20 minutes. After some time, spit the oil into the toilet or a dust bin and be sure to flush the toilet immediately to avoid clogging.
Oil pulling is a good method for teeth whitening and oral hygiene because it does not expose your enamel to any harsh products like acid. That means that it is a safe method to incorporate into your daily oral hygiene routine.
2. Use Baking Soda
We have all heard about the numerous benefits that baking soda offers. It is commonly used as an ingredient to many kinds of toothpaste. However, you can use it raw to help whiten your teeth.
It is usually a mild abrasive that can help scrub away stains that may be present on your teeth' surface. Besides, baking soda helps create an alkaline environment all-around your mouth and keeps bacteria from growing in your mouth.
To use baking soda, you need:
- A tablespoonful of baking soda.
- Some lemon juice.
- Two tablespoons of water
Mix the baking soda, lemon juice, and water and apply the mixture to your toothbrush. Brush all corners of your mouth thoroughly for 5-10 minutes. Do this continuously for three to four weeks for the best results.
Baking soda has been seen as effective because most kinds of toothpaste that have baking soda as an ingredient have been the most effective in removing yellow stains from teeth. The higher the baking soda in the toothpaste, the better the whitening effects.
Five studies that have been done have proven that the kinds of toothpaste that contain baking soda are more effective in the removal of plaque from teeth than the kinds of toothpaste that lack baking soda. Baking soda can be found at grocery stores or supermarkets around you.
3. Using Hydrogen Peroxide
Hydrogen peroxide is widely known for its common use as a wound disinfectant. Many people have used it for years in this way. It helps in killing germs, even in your mouth, and it is also a natural bleach.
Most of the teeth whitening products sold contain hydrogen peroxide, although it is usually in higher concentrations than you might use at home. Several studies have shown that hydrogen peroxide is sometimes used as an ingredient in kinds of toothpaste as well.
One specific research found that toothpaste with baking soda and 1 percent of hydrogen peroxide showed better results when it came to teeth whitening. That is not similar to the toothpaste that did not have any percentage of hydrogen peroxide. A different research showed that using toothpaste with baking soda and hydrogen peroxide twice every day resulted in 62 percent of whiter teeth within six weeks of using them.
In as much as hydrogen peroxide brings out whiter teeth, there are safety concerns around using it. Diluted hydrogen peroxide appears to be safe for use, but using concentrated hydrogen peroxide or using it too much may cause gum irritation, damage, and teeth sensitivity. One way in which you can use hydrogen peroxide is as a mouthwash before brushing your teeth.
To avoid the said side effects, make sure that you use a 1.5 or 3 percent solution. You can use it by mixing it with an amount of baking soda to form a mixture like a toothpaste.
To do this, you need:
- Two teaspoons of hydrogen peroxide
- One teaspoon of baking soda
Once you have thoroughly mixed your ingredients to form a uniform and consistent paste, apply it to your toothbrush and gently brush your teeth. The mixture is to be used in limitations as excessive use can cause erosion to your enamel.
4. Eating Vegetables and Fruits
Eating fruits and vegetables have been known to give your body numerous benefits. Well, it also helps your teeth remain healthy and strong. While we cannot substitute brushing our teeth, eating raw and crunchy vegetables and fruits can help maintain your teeth better.
It also helps in rubbing plaque away as you chew them. Pineapples and strawberries are two types of fruits that have been seen to help improve and whiten your teeth. Strawberries can be mixed with baking soda to form a natural remedy for whitening your teeth.
From those who have used this mixture and seen results, the malic acid present in the strawberries will help remove discoloration on the teeth while the baking soda will buff stains away. The strawberry is mixed with baking soda because, in as much as the strawberry will assist in exfoliating your teeth and make them whiter, it is unlikely for it to penetrate through the stains on the teeth.
That is why baking soda is used as it can penetrate the stains and make them go away. The use of this mixture should be limited to a few times a week as it could cause damage. To use this method, you need to smash one fresh strawberry and mix it well with baking soda.
Once the mixture has attained your desired consistency, apply it on your toothbrush, and gently brush your teeth for 5-10 minutes.
Pineapples contain an enzyme called bromelain, which is effective in removing teeth stain. That conclusion was made after research found that toothpaste containing that enzyme was more effective in removing teeth stains.
5. Preventing Teeth Stains Before They Show
Teeth become naturally yellow as we age. However, there are some things that we can do to keep your teeth from staining. As they say, “prevention is better than cure.”
It is good to practice some things that keep your teeth from staining and yellowing that will save you the struggle of whitening and removing teeth stains.
There are some ways to avoid stains on your teeth which are:
Limit, the intake of staining beverages and foods
Dark berries, red wine, soda, and coffee, are some of the well-known foods and beverages that cause stains and yellowing of teeth. While you cannot avoid these things completely, it is good that you limit how much you consume them or how many contacts they have with your teeth.
For instance, in the event you are having one of those drinks, make an effort to drink it out of a straw. Doing that will reduce the contact it has with your teeth, and you still get to enjoy your drink and white teeth.
You can also try to brush immediately you have any of those foods or drinks.
Limit sugar intake
Sugar has been known as one of the most damaging factors for our teeth for a very long time. Not only does it cause cavities and teeth decay, but it also causes them to yellow and stain. Sugar, or any diet with high sugar levels, supports the growth of bacteria called Streptococcus mutans, a primary bacteria that bring about gingivitis and plaques.
Once you eat something with high sugar levels, always be sure to brush your teeth to avoid yellowing and staining them.
Have a lot of calcium foods in your diet
Some of the discolorations that occur on your teeth come about due to erosion of the enamel, which leaves the dentin underneath exposed. The dentin is yellow, and it appears as though your teeth are stains. To avoid and prevent the enamel from being eroded, it is important to have high intakes of calcium known for strengthening the enamel.
If the enamel stays intact and healthy, you are guaranteed a pearly white dental formula. Some of the foods you can eat to boost your calcium levels include cheese, milk, and broccoli. They will add calcium in your system and keep you protected from enamel erosion.
6. Always Brush And Floss
While brushing our teeth is merely a daily routine we are used to, it comes with many benefits for our oral hygiene. Not only does it give you a fresh feeling and breath, but it also helps in removing some of the food remains that can damage our teeth. Brushing and flossing will reduce the bacteria found in your mouth and also prevent plaque buildups.
Brushing rubs off the stains from the surface of our teeth while flossing helps remove bacteria in between the teeth that may cause plaque. You should make it a norm to brush and floss twice a day to maintain a white and healthy smile.
Other Methods
In addition to those methods of whitening your teeth, there are some other methods you can try, although they have not been scientifically proven as effective.
Using activated charcoal
Using powdered charcoal to brush is said to pull toxins that may have built up in the mouth, and it also removes stains from your teeth.
Kaolin clay
Clay can be used to brush teeth, and it is said to help in the removal of stains and whitening teeth.
Fruit peels
Rubbing peels from lemons, oranges, or bananas on your teeth has been said to help in stain removal and whitening.
Apple cider vinegar
You can use vinegar as a mouthwash before brushing your teeth. However, do not use it excessively as it may damage your enamel. Use it a controlled number of times or when extremely necessary.
There is a wide range of methods that you can use to whiten your teeth, including those natural ways. You can also consider visiting your dentist to enquire about how to whiten your teeth. They can also offer you teeth whitening services.
Always make sure to check with your dentist and ask for more guidance and advice on how to whiten your teeth.
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