5 Effective Ways to Whiten Teeth At Home


28/2011 Freshing up

Tooth whitening is achieved by bleaching the teeth to a lighter shade, or through abrasion to diminish or eliminate surface stains. There are a great number of products you can buy that employ these techniques, but most of them are expensive. By using products you probably already have around the house you can save a lot of money, not to mention the home treatments are often just as effective, and sometimes even more so. Here is a list of common household elements that are also effective at whitening teeth.

Baking Soda
One of the primary ingredients in both at-home and in-office tooth whitening products, baking soda can be used straight out of the box – just mix with a bit of water to create a paste – then brush your teeth with it for several minutes. Or, if you’d rather, you can sprinkle a bit over your usual toothpaste to boost its whitening power. Baking soda is safe and gentle enough to use on a daily basis and extremely effective, as well.

Lemon Juice
Most forms of citrus have natural bleaching action, so they are effective at whitening teeth. You can create a paste of diluted lemon juice (80/20 lemon/water) and salt and apply it to your teeth allowing it to remain for about a minute, and no more than three minutes total, since citrus is of course, very acidic and can damage the enamel if left for too long. Lemon juice is also useful when simply diluted in water in the ratio mentioned above, and used as a gargle/rinse. Make sure to follow up with a plain water rinse to wash away the citrus.

Orange Peel
The essential oil found in orange peel is another effective tooth whitening element, and it’s good at lightning more stubborn stains. To use, simply rub the inside of the peel over your teeth, or, if you’re feeling more industrious, you can whir orange peel and dried bay leaf in the food processor to create a mixture which can be combined with water to form a paste and applied to teeth. Rinse when finished.

Strawberries
The malic acid in strawberries is excellent for whitening teeth. Simply crush a strawberry and apply to your teeth, or, make a paste from baking soda, water, and crushed strawberry which is even more effective, but sadly, non-edible!

Hydrogen Peroxide
Another common ingredient in tooth whitening products, because it works so well. Use it as a rinse (50/50 water/peroxide) after you’ve brushed your teeth, or, mix it full-strength with baking soda to form a paste and apply it to your teeth as you would toothpaste. Make sure to rinse and swish with plain, clear water when you’re finished with either of these treatments.

All of the techniques mentioned here with the exception of lemon juice can be used on a daily basis. Try them all and determine which one is your favorite so that you can make it a part of your routine. You’ll soon be surprised at how much whiter your teeth are looking.

This article is by Patricia Lewiston a freelance writer for Weddingcakes.org.uk – a great resource for all things related to wedding cakes, and other interesting bits such as timeless wedding traditions.

Published in Health & Medicine, Lifestyle