When it comes to your teeth, you want them to look their best without the use of harsh chemicals or spending a small fortune. So, what are your options? You've likely heard of countless remedies over the years, but which ones work and which ones don't?

That's what we're discussing today. Here, you will learn natural ways to whiten teeth that are both safe and effective. But before we share our tips to help whiten your teeth, let's spend a few moments covering some fundamentals that are essential for healthier, whiter teeth, and why teeth stain in the first place.

Maintaining a Beautiful Smile

Before you focus on whitening your teeth, you need to make sure that you have good oral hygiene and health. Both brushing and flossing are important to prevent gum disease (see also 'whitening vs cleaning' post).

Not brushing for a few days can cause the onset of gum disease. Brushing ensures that plaque is removed — which is the main cause of tooth decay and gum disease — while also preventing any plaque from forming.

 

Floss Regularly

Dental floss is an effective and easy-to-use tool that can be one of the best defenses against periodontal disease. Periodontal disease is caused by the accumulation of dental plaque and bacteria.

Your daily oral hygiene procedures should include thorough brushing, each brushing for two minutes, at least twice a day. You should also incorporate dental floss into your daily life. Dental floss can effectively clean the areas that the toothbrush cannot reach.

Throughout the day, the small gaps and narrow spaces between your teeth continually absorb food residues, sugar, and acids from beverages and food. Dental floss helps clean up these hard-to-reach spaces.

It takes only a few minutes to floss your teeth. In doing so, flossing will help you maintain optimal oral health throughout your life. Dental floss is one of the most effective tools you can use to keep your gums clean and healthy, so start flossing your teeth regularly.

Brush Your Teeth Daily

Brushing your teeth helps prevent tooth decay, which can lead to cavities, which are holes formed in your teeth, which can cause tooth loss. What's more, following a regular brushing and flossing schedule will increase your chances of having whiter teeth. 

What Causes Teeth to Stain?

Teeth will turn yellow due to internal (intrinsic) or external (extrinsic) discoloration.

Intrinsic discoloration develops inside the teeth. This discoloration is usually caused by an illness during childhood, heredity, infection, trauma, aging, or drugs. In order to remove this internal discoloration, professional treatment is usually required.

Extrinsic discoloration affects the outside of the tooth. Surface stains are caused by eating certain foods and beverages (such as foods containing dyes or drinks like tea, coffee, or red wine).

Tobacco smoke can also cause this type of tooth discoloration. Due to the accumulation of dental plaque, poor oral hygiene can make teeth look darker and yellower. Since it only affects the outside of the teeth, many whitening products can treat this form of external discoloration with stain removal.

Teeth Whitening Myths

Now that you understand some of the basics behind tooth discoloration and how to keep your mouth in healthy condition, let's shift our focus to natural teeth whitening fact vs fiction. As wonderful as the internet is, it's also the perfect breeding ground for false information.

As such, you may have subconsciously picked up (incorrect) "tricks" to whiten your smile while browsing online. Let's briefly cover a few of the most notorious myths so you can avoid potentially harming your smile.

Eating Acid Fruits Helps Whiten Teeth

While it's true that using fruit peels may help remove stains, there's no scientific evidence to support eating certain fruits (and vegetables) will whiten your smile. If anything, acidic foods may break down your tooth enamel.

You Can't Whiten Sensitive Teeth

Unfortunately, many people avoid trying to whiten their smile because they've heard that you can't safely whiten sensitive teeth. This simply isn't the case. With that said, it's important to choose the proper method if you have sensitive teeth.

Many of the popular treatments contain harsh chemicals that may very well cause discomfort to those with tooth sensitivity. But if you choose a natural teeth whitening option like the ones we're about to share, you can indeed enjoy a brighter, whiter smile.

Tooth Whitening Products Aren't Safe

There is a mix of fact and fiction here. Once again, it depends on the product you use. Here at Dr. Brite, we believe the safest and healthiest way to whiten your teeth is to use natural solutions. Over time, the chemicals and additives found in many over-the-counter products may damage your teeth (also, read about dangers of Propylene Glycol).

Therefore, using natural ingredients ensures the safest way to help whiten your smile. At this point, you're probably wondering which naturally safe methods are best to brighten your smile. Read on to find out.

Natural Teeth Whitening Remedies

The best part about these natural methods is that you can whiten your teeth at home and on your own time. What's more, you can save yourself from paying for expensive professional treatments at the dentist.

Brush with Baking Soda and Hydrogen Peroxide

Baking soda has natural properties to whiten teeth, which is why it is such a popular ingredient in many kinds of toothpaste. It is a mild abrasive that scrubs away stains on the surface of teeth.

In addition, baking soda creates alkaline in your mouth, thereby preventing the growth of bacteria. Please keep in mind that this is not a remedy to whiten your teeth overnight. But over time, you should notice a difference in the appearance of your teeth.

Brushing with ordinary baking soda isn't a medically reviewed method to whiten teeth. However, a number of studies have shown that toothpastes containing baking soda have significant effects to keep your teeth white.

In fact, a study found that toothpaste containing baking soda was significantly more effective in removing yellow stains from teeth compared to a toothpaste without it. And the more baking soda there is, the greater the effect.

Hydrogen peroxide is also an active ingredient in many tooth whitening treatments, which makes many people wonder whether store-bought hydrogen peroxide can also be a good tooth whitening agent.

Although hydrogen peroxide may help whiten teeth in some cases, there are still some important safety issues to consider. If a person uses the solution incorrectly, hydrogen peroxide can damage the tooth enamel.

Products containing peroxides, such as hydrogen peroxide and carbamide peroxide, can be used as a bleaching agent to improve the color of teeth. Peroxide can partially penetrate the tooth layer and remove bacteria and debris that cause discoloration.

Therefore, mixing both baking soda and hydrogen peroxide can give you a natural paste with which to brush your teeth. Keep reading to learn how to make this special solution.

How to Make the Paste

To make this paste, add a teaspoon of hydrogen peroxide to enough baking soda to make a smooth, thick paste. Use a toothbrush to apply the paste directly on your teeth. Let the paste stay on your teeth for a few minutes, then rinse off with water. Just make sure that you don't swallow the paste.

Use Activated Charcoal Toothpaste

Activated charcoal, which is commonly found in water filters, is essentially a type of carbon that has been treated to make the surface of its particles porous. It's this porousness that helps absorb other particles and substances from your mouth. And when the charcoal is washed away, all these unwelcome substances wash away, as well.

As effective as charcoal-based toothpastes are in removing stains, it's worth noting that it's not the best treatment for fighting tooth decay. Therefore, you'll want to make sure that you choose charcoal toothpaste that contains natural ingredients that kill bacteria and fight decay.

Dr. Brite's Extreme Whitening Toothpaste line is the perfect product to make your teeth brighter while ensuring optimal dental health.

Dr. Brite Teeth Whitening Kits and Pens

Dr. Brite's proprietary formula is the ultimate in whitening home remedies. Both the kits and pens (see 'Best Whitening Pens') are effective in removing stubborn stains. In fact, Dr. Brite's formula removes stains caused by:

• Red wine
• Smoking
• Juices
• Coffee
• Tea

Not only that, but you can get a brighter smile in less than 30 minutes. Thanks to Dr. Brite's proven, natural, and effective ingredients, you can trust them to safely remove stains without damaging your tooth enamel.

Whitening teeth is now safer and easier than ever thanks to the ingredients in Dr. Brite's kits and pens. You can use single teeth whitening pens or complete kits that come with a pen, toothpaste, oral spray, and mouthwash.

Wrap Up

Whitening your teeth at home using natural methods allows you to avoid potentially damaging chemicals and expensive trips to the dentist. Just remember that you need to be patient when you whiten your teeth naturally.

But if you do need instant results, Dr. Brite's special formulas ensure a brighter smile in under 30 minutes and without the use of harsh chemicals.

FAQs

1. How can I whiten my teeth naturally?

It is certainly possible. The following six methods are simple and easy.
- You can experiment with oil pulling.
- To clean the brush, apply baking soda.
- It is recommended to use hydrogen peroxide.
- Fruits and vegetables are good for you.
- Keep teeth stain-free by preventing them from forming in the first place.
- Flossing and brushing should be performed daily.

2. Is baking soda a natural teeth whitener?

The whitening agents found in baking soda work well to remove stains from teeth and brighten them. For this reason, it is a common component of most toothpastes.

3. Does banana peel whiten teeth?

Sadly, there is no evidence that banana peels whiten teeth. Even though bananas contain minerals that can promote dental health, they won't enhance your smile. For tooth whitening, there are two basic methods: abrasion and bleaching.

4. Does charcoal really whiten teeth?

Surface stains on the teeth can be removed by activated charcoal-containing toothpaste. A moderately abrasive material, charcoal can absorb some surface stains. It does not appear to affect stains beneath the enamel or to have any natural bleaching effect on teeth.

5. Can lemon juice and salt whiten teeth?

It is a myth that lemon juice and baking soda can be used safely to whiten teeth. While toothpaste is abrasive, baking soda slowly erodes the enamel of your teeth. The acid content of lemon juice, too, is too high to be used directly on your teeth, either.