A bright smile can be the key to your confidence. Unfortunately, keeping your teeth white can be a challenge even if you brush, floss, and rinse regularly. The good news is that there are extra steps that you can take to get rid of yellow teeth and staining so that your teeth will look healthy and attractive. This being the case, let’s take a look at the seven most effective ways to whiten your teeth:
1. Whitening products
The fastest and easiest way to whiten your teeth is to use teeth whitening products. These whitening strips or gel products can usually be bought at a variety of locations and at a reasonable price. You can even find them online if that would be more convenient for you.
2. Strawberries
Strawberries are great for temporary teeth whitening thanks to their citric acid content, which can help remove plaque. However, strawberries can’t remove deep staining and exposing your teeth to excessive citric acid can be problematic for your enamel. Using strawberries or a strawberry/baking soda mixture to brush your teeth can be a quick fix for yellowed teeth, but it is not something you’ll want to use regularly.
3. Baking soda
Speaking of baking soda, it is another tried and true method for whitening teeth. Typically, the baking soda is mixed with something else, such as toothpaste, water, or hydrogen peroxide. This allows the baking soda to do its job—removing plaque and stains with its abrasive properties. However, keep in mind that this solution is a long-term project, not a quick fix. It can take several weeks to see results when using baking soda as a whitening agent.
4. Hydrogen peroxide
Like baking soda, hydrogen peroxide is typically mixed with something else when used as a teeth whitening agent. That said, it can also be used by itself if you want. The most important thing to remember about hydrogen peroxide is that you should use lower concentrations for shorter amounts of time. This is because higher concentrations can damage your enamel.
5. Yogurt
Surprisingly, yogurt can be a big help when it comes to whitening your smile. This is because yogurt contains lactic acid that can help break down surface-level stains on your teeth. On top of this, yogurt, like many dairy products, can also cause your mouth to produce more saliva, which can also aid in breaking down staining.
6. Apple cider vinegar
Apple cider vinegar can be a powerful whitening agent for your teeth, but you have to use it carefully or it could break down your enamel. Firstly, you need to make sure the apple cider vinegar is properly diluted with water. You then need to limit your rinsing to only about one minute. After that, you should wait another 30 minutes before brushing.
7. Oil pulling
Oil pulling is an unorthodox method of teeth whitening; even though it may be somewhat troublesome, many people claim that it is an effective teeth whitener. To do an oil pulling, put a tablespoon of oil, such as sunflower, coconut, olive, or sesame oil, into your mouth and hold it for 20 to 30 minutes, swishing it around and specifically pushing it between the gaps in your teeth. The oil causes your mouth to produce excess saliva and also works to kill bacteria in your mouth.
These methods can help you to get whiter teeth faster but keeping them looking good is all about forming healthy habits. By taking care of your teeth and keeping them healthy, your smile will look better and last longer.
