8 Natural Teeth Whitening Methods to Try

It was estimated that Americans spent around 8 billion dollars to whiten their teeth. Most of the time those teeth whitening products contain harsh and harmful chemicals that can cause major sensitivity and corrosion of the enamel on your teeth. Ouch! There are so many products to chose from when it comes to at home teeth whitening kits, but we think it’s time to take a more natural approach to getting those little guys to shine bright like a diamond!

1. Oil pulling

Oil pulling is a well-loved traditional tooth whitening technique originally done by native Americans. Grab your coconut oil and let’s get going. In order to do oil pulling to whiten your teeth, you swish coconut oil around in your mouth for 30 minutes every day. You can also utilize other oils like sunflower or sesame oil however most prefer coconut because of the mild more pleasant flavor. Oil pulling is also helpful because it removes bacteria and unwanted waste from the mouth. These bits of waste and debris cause plaque buildup making your teeth appear more yellow. Results do vary based on a few things like type of oil and the amount of build up that is already on your teeth.

2. Baking Soda

Implementing baking soda into your mouth routine, what are you waiting for? Baking soda has teeth whitening properties that will be sure to make your pearly whites sparkle and shine like Chip Skylark. Most toothpastes contain small amounts of baking soda, but if you’re trying to take it up a notch, start brush with more baking soda and hydrogen peroxide. You can create a paste with hydrogen peroxide and baking soda. Apply it and brush your teeth like you would with toothpaste but in as a replacement. The baking soda is abrasive and able to essentially exfoliate the stains off the surface of the tooth.

baking soda with lemon and glass of water

3. Hydrogen Peroxide

As we’ve discussed before, bleaching can be a little too harsh on your teeth and cause sensitivity. Hydrogen peroxide is a natural whitening agent that can help get your teeth to the perfect shade of white. Although studies haven’t shown that pulling stains from your teeth with hydrogen peroxide as an effective way to whiten your teeth, other teeth whitening products containing hydrogen peroxide do. Natural tooth pastes containing hydrogen peroxide have been shown to more effectively whiten teeth than competitors who don’t use hydrogen peroxide.

4. Limit teeth stains

Being proactive with your teeth is essential to keeping them white. Limit teeth staining by reducing the amount of coffee and dark wines. You can also drink coffee and wine through a straw to reduce staining as well. You can also get stains from soda and darker colored foods with natural dyes like berries. A great way to reduce staining is to brush and floss after consumption. This will limit the effects that it could have on the teeth. Smoking and chewing tabaco also have a major cause for discoloring the teeth.

5. Fruits

Looking to whiten your teeth can be a bit overwhelming with all the options that are available to you. Research has shown that some of the foods we consume on a regular basis help whiten out teeth naturally. Go ahead and get your but to the store and get our DIY on. Like oil pulling, rubbing fruit peels on your teeth can be a great natural whitener for your teeth. You can take either a banana, orange, or lemon peel and gently rub it along the surface of your teeth for about 2 minutes everyday. Thouroughly rinse your mouth after. Because these peels contain citric acid, the acid helps break down those stubborn stains that live on your teeth. If you already have issues with teeth sensitivity chances are the enamel is already worn off your teeth. Don’t try this whitening hack if that’s the case!

6. Brushing and Flossing

Never ever underestimate the power of a simple oral health routine. Brushing twice a day and closing at least once a day are imperative to good oral health. While some discoloration of the teeth comes naturally with wear and tear over time, a good majority of this discoloration comes from plaque buildup. Brushing, flossing and supplementing in an anti-bacterial mouth wash greatly prevent this build up on the teeth. Also be sure to see your dentist regularly to keep up with your gum health.

7. Apple Cider Vinegar

Although there aren’t solid studies to show that apple cider vinegar whitens teeth, many have utilized this diy at home hack to het that smile from a 2 to a 10. Warning! You have to be super careful when Apple Cider Vinegar because how potent it is. This natural antibiotic can be great to scrub on your teeth and gums to kill bacteria  with its genetic makeup of potassium, magnesium and acetic acid. Because of the natural acidity, apple cider vinegar is able to break down the plaque and stubborn substances that can seem to linger a little too long in your mouth. You can find multiple ways to utilize ACV for your teeth, but be sure to do further research on the appropriate methods to ensure you don’t corrode your teeth.

8. Activated Charcoal

Activated charcoal is known to pull impurities from pretty much anything that it can. Beauty and health care brands have started utilizing activated charcoals natural pulling properties to pull impurities inside the body and out. You can see it everywhere from face masks, capsules and even ice cream. Activated charcoal is able to absorb the toxins from the surface of the teeth. You can test this out yourself with activated charcoal powder or even buying a natural toothpaste with activated charcoal in it.

The bottom line is that there are a plethora of ways to whiten your teeth without those harmful ingredients that come in the store bought whitening kits. Most of these remedies work because over time the stains begin to lift off of the surface of the teeth. Bleaching may be more effective when it comes to actually whitening the teeth however it compromises the longevity of the animal on your teeth. Be sure to check with a dentist if you being to experience pain or discomfort.