How to Safely and Effectively Whiten Your Teeth at Home

The appearance of teeth contributes a great deal to our image. Everyone wants a nice set of white sparkling teeth. This is the reason why many people whose teeth are discolored strive hard to brighten their smiles. However, one must understand the type and cause of staining they have before going through any process of making their smiles more luminous and whiter. The types of tooth discoloration include the following.

Intrinsic Staining

This type of staining is when the dentine (inner surface) of the tooth gets a yellow tint or darkens. This discoloration is caused by too much exposure to fluoride, tetracycline antibiotics during childhood, physical trauma to a permanent tooth causing internal bleeding which discolors the tooth, or having dentinogenesis imperfecta which is a rare condition. This causes discolorations that are gray, amber or purple.

Extrinsic Staining

This is when the staining of the tooth is on the outer surface (the enamel). This kind of staining is mainly caused by foods.

Acidic foods- these include tomatoes and citrus fruits like lemons. These foods are colorful, super nutritious but they erode the enamel therefore exposing the dentine.

Coffee and tea- This is quite a bummer for caffeine lovers. Coffee and tea contain tannins that alter the pH balance in the mouth. This means that any extra acidic food snacked on will fasten the damaging of teeth. Tea is however a little different: green tea gives teeth a grey tint and black tea gives them a yellow tint.

Sugary foods and drinks – Those cookies, candy and sodas that we all love, will drill some holes into your poor whites. I know this sounds a little melodramatic but it is true. After eating sugars, they latch on to your teeth and when bacteria feed off these sugars, they produce acids that cause tooth decay.

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Wine- Red wine takes away the white in your smile by adding a grey tint. These kind of stains are harder to remove than the yellow stains. Tannins that are also in beverages such as coffee and tea are responsible for this. However, red wine does not entirely spell gloom and doom, it prevents tooth decay to some extent. White wine on the other hand darken the stains further. The acidity of this drink allows other beverages to move in deeper into the tooth structure.

Tobacco- Smoking cigarettes exposes your teeth to nicotine which also causes an intrinsic stain. 

Age-Related Stains

These are caused by a combination of extrinsic and intrinsic factors. In the natural, teeth will yellow over time. The dentine gets exposed because the enamel becomes thinner with age.

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Effects of Tooth Discoloration

A luminous, white set of teeth can boost your self-confidence while having teeth that are discolored can create a huge dent in your self-esteem. Discolored or mis-aligned teeth make people avoid smiling at all cost because they feel embarrassed about their smiles and the opinion of other people concerning their oral imperfections just makes them have a very low self-image of themselves. These people also avoid being around others and therefore do not learn how to be friendly and social. Poor social skills such as lack of eye contact when interacting is also another effect of having discolored teeth; these people therefore miss a lot of non-verbal cues because they often look away.

How to Remove Tooth Discolorations

People with tooth discolorations no longer have to conceal their smiles anymore when taking photos. Here are some natural home remedies that you could use to give you a nice set of pearly whites.

Baking Soda and Hydrogen Peroxide

Make a paste using a small amount of baking soda and a small amount of hydrogen peroxide. Then gently brush it on your teeth. You could also use water or fresh lemon juice in place of hydrogen peroxide. Hydrogen peroxide which is an anti-bacterial agent in this case keeps the mouth and gum germs free.  Do not do every day. You can do it once a week though. This is because baking soda has particles that are quite abrasive and your enamel could get scrubbed off. Ensure the paste is runny to avoid this.

Lemon or Orange Peels

These are food products that are very nutritious and very rich antioxidants. Rub the peels on your teeth and then rinse your mouth. However, use of lemon and orange peels could lead to the wearing off of the enamel. So to be on the safe side, after using these food products, rinse your mouth with warm water. You could also mix equal amounts of water and hydrogen peroxide and swish around you mouth. Also, make sure to use organic produce. 

Coconut Oil Pulling

Coconut oil pulling has antimicrobial properties that will do your teeth and gums some good. It is a natural teeth whitener. Swish a small amount of coconut oil between your teeth for 10 to 20 minutes.  You could also add a small amount on your toothbrush and gently brush it on your teeth.

Turmeric Powder

Wet your toothbrush with water and then put a small amount of turmeric powder on it. Brush your teeth as usual, let it remain on your teeth for 3-5 minutes then rinse thoroughly.

Brush your teeth a second time but now with regular toothpaste. If you notice any yellow turmeric tint on your teeth, rinse it away again with water and you will get a brighter smile.

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Strawberries

Strawberries are a yummy natural teeth whitener and trust me it will do your teeth wonders. This red berries are rich in malic acid, which whitens your teeth. You will need four to five strawberries. Mash them, dip your toothbrush in this super delicious mixture and then gently brush your teeth.  After that rinse your mouth with warm water. You could also mash the strawberries with baking soda to make a DIY whitening paste.

Apple Cider Vinegar

Apple cider vinegar is a great cleansing agent. It helps maintain the mouth pH balance and therefore giving you a sparkling smile.  It leaves your teeth stain free and also cleanses the mouth thoroughly.

Use water to dilute the apple cider vinegar and gargle first thing when you wake up. Then brush as usual. Do this regularly, if possible daily and you will see your teeth get that sparkle.