Today, Australians spend millions of dollars on teeth whitening, and a significant percentage of that money goes on at-home whitening products.
There are several products that you can use when seeking to whiten your teeth. However, many whitening products use chemicals to whiten your teeth, which doesn’t go well with many people.
If you’re looking to bleach your teeth and are keen to avoid chemicals, this post provides many options that are not only natural but also safe.
What Makes Teeth Look Yellow?
Many factors cause teeth to look dull and yellow. Intake of certain foods can discolour your enamel (the outermost layer of your teeth). On top of that, plaque accumulation on your teeth can prompt them to look dull and yellow.
The discolouration can be reversed with routine cleaning and whitening solutions. Occasionally, the teeth may also appear yellow because the hard enamel has been eaten away, leaving the dentin exposed. The dentin is the yellow bony tissue located beneath the enamel.
Proven Natural Remedies to Whiten Your Teeth:
Employ Oil Pulling
Oil pulling is a typical solution that bolsters oral hygiene and drives out toxins from the body. This remedy entails swishing oil in your mouth and getting rid of bacteria that can develop into plaque, which can discolour your teeth, prompting them to look yellow.
Sunflower and sesame oil are the most widely used oils for oil pulling. Also used is coconut oil, which is rich in lauric acid and recognized for its ability to ease inflammation and eradicate bacteria.
Studies reveal that regular oil pulling not only lessens bacteria in the mouth but also plaque and gingivitis.
The use of sesame oil in oil pulling decreases Streptococcus mutans bacteria, which is liable for gingivitis and plaque.
To perform oil pulling, place one tablespoon of coconut oil in your mouth and push the oil back and forth through your teeth. Oil pulling involves no risks and can be practised by anyone.
Brush with Baking Soda
Baking soda is well known for its natural whitening properties, making it an integral compound in commercial toothpaste.
It is a less-severe abrasive that can be deployed to help remove stains on the surface of teeth.
In addition, baking soda forms an alkaline environment in your mouth, which hinders bacteria from flourishing.
However, this is far from a remedy that will provide immediate results, but it doesn’t take that long before you can discover a difference in the appearance of your teeth.
Although there is no science-backed evidence showing that brushing with pure baking soda whitens teeth, multiple studies confirm that toothpaste featuring baking soda has a considerable whitening effect.
In fact, one study discovered that toothpaste featuring baking soda was considerably more successful at getting rid of yellow stains than standard toothpaste containing no baking soda. Toothpaste with a higher concentration of baking soda tends to be more effective yellow stains than those with reduced concentration.
Furthermore, other separate studies found that baking soda toothpaste successfully got rid of plaque from teeth compared to non-baking soda toothpaste.
To use this natural remedy, add two teaspoons of water to 1 teaspoon of soda and brush your teeth with the solution. You can repeat this several times a week.
Use Hydrogen Peroxide
Like baking soda, hydrogen peroxide is a natural teeth whitener that eradicates bacteria in your mouth.
Actually, hydrogen peroxide has been used for years to clean wounds due to its ability to destroy bacteria.
Most commercial bleaching products feature hydrogen peroxide in much higher concentrations than you can notice.
Sadly, no studies have looked into the effects of cleaning or brushing with plain hydrogen peroxide, but multiple studies have examined commercial hydrogen peroxide toothpaste.
Further, studies confirmed that brushing with a toothpaste containing baking soda and 1% hydrogen peroxide caused a significant effect on teeth whitening.
Another separate study also revealed that brushing with a commercial toothpaste featuring hydrogen peroxide and baking soda twice a day resulted in 62% whiter teeth in a span of 6 weeks.
However, hydrogen peroxide is not free from safety issues.
Although highly diluted concentrations seem safe, high concentrations or overuse can give rise to gum irritation and tooth sensitivity. There are also fears that extreme doses can result in cancer, but this is yet to be proven.
Hydrogen peroxide can be used as a mouthwash in readiness for brushing your teeth. However, ensure the concentration of the solution ranges from 1.5% to 3% to avoid side effects.
Hydrogen peroxide can also be used by blending it with baking soda to form toothpaste. Mix 1 teaspoon of baking soda with two spoons of hydrogen peroxide and softly brush your teeth with the solution.
If used excessively, hydrogen peroxide can wear away your tooth enamel; therefore, only use it a few times a week.
Regular Brushing and Flossing
Although some tooth blemishes result from aging, most are attributed to plaque buildup.
Brushing and flossing regularly can help your teeth maintain their white colour by lessening bacteria in your mouth and hindering plaque development.
Toothpaste mildly strikes out stains on your teeth through rubbing and flossing expels bacteria that cause plaque.
Furthermore, routine dental cleaning can help in keeping your teeth white and clean.
Eat Fruits and Vegetables
A diet densely packed in fruits and vegetables may be beneficial for your overall body and teeth.
Although they are not a replacement for brushing, crunchy, raw fruits and vegetables can aid in removing plaque in the course of chewing.
When it comes to tooth whitening, pineapples and strawberries have proven more effective than any other fruit.
The strawberries contain malic acid, which helps keep the teeth whiter by removing any discolouration on your teeth. However, its effectiveness is yet to be validated by science.
Pineapples contain an enzyme called bromelain, which is used in the production of toothpaste. Studies found that bromelain toothpaste is extremely effective in getting rid of tooth blemishes than standard toothpaste.
However, there is no solid evidence that consuming pineapples generates the same effect.
Natural Remedies for Whiter Teeth Conclusion
The discussed above are the commonly used natural remedies for whitening teeth. Most of them have been partially backed by science and studies to promote tooth whitening while keeping teeth clean. If you’re looking for ways to whiten your teeth without exposing yourself to chemicals, you can contact your Perth dentist or the remedies discussed above will work best for you.