Everyone wants a whiter smile. After you’ve had your teeth professionally whitened by a dentist, you need to keep up to maintain your whitened teeth. Below are some of the best natural remedies for keeping your teeth and smile bright and white.
The Best Foods to Eat for Whiter Teeth
It may seem hard to believe but certain foods, particularly fruits, contain enzymes and other ingredients that gently remove stains on teeth. Other foods are simply crunchy enough to loosen debris that built up on your teeth. The best foods to eat for teeth whitening are:
- Strawberries
- Pineapple
- Cauliflower
- Apples
- Carrot
- Celery
- Turmeric
- Cheese—which also has calcium to help strengthen teeth
- Burned toast—which receives its whitening benefits from the abrasive charcoal. You can actually brush your teeth with charcoal occasionally as it loosens debris and absorbs teeth-staining tannins.
- Lemon—which can also be combined with baking soda to create a solution for a DIY weekly whitening treatment
DIY Teeth Whitening Remedies
Always check with your dentist to see what she recommends for keeping your natural teeth, dental implants or professionally whitened teeth bright. With her approval, the following are a few natural remedies for keeping your smile white:
Oil Pulling
The seemingly new fad of oil pulling is actually a traditional Indian DIY remedy for whiter teeth. Rinsing your mouth with a tablespoon coconut or argan oil for 10-15 minutes is a natural way to ‘pull’ stains from your teeth. After you rinse with oil, swish a bit of water around to remove the excess oil and debris. It is also recommended to drink a cup or two of water after the rinsing.
Apple Cider Vinegar
Although too much vinegar can soften teeth, the acetic acid in apple cider vinegar kills germs and removes stains on teeth. This makes it great for the occasional tooth whitening treatment. There are two ways to use apple cider vinegar to whiten teeth:
- Pour a bit of the vinegar on a cloth and then rub the cloth along your teeth. Brush with regular gentle toothpaste after this process.
or
- Dilute the apple cider vinegar with a bit of water and use the solution as a mouthwash. Afterwards, rinse with just water to rinse the excess vinegar off your teeth.
Hydrogen Peroxide
Hydrogen peroxide is an affordable and easy to use remedy for naturally whitening your teeth. Food-grade hydrogen can be easily purchased and used as a mouthwash. If you use regular hydrogen peroxide, mix the solution with equal parts water before it using as a rinse.
Flossing
Nearly every dentist recommends flossing to promote good oral hygiene. Flossing, however, also keeps your teeth white as it prevents the buildup between your teeth from spreading and staining your teeth.
Though natural remedies help to keep your teeth white, some tough stains can only be removed with dental whitening techniques..