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Natural Ways to Make Teeth Whiter

You can make your teeth brighter and whiter without having to resort to expensive chemical treatments. There are several all-natural methods to try for a healthy white smile. Natural teeth whiteners are safe and effective, and best off all, available at your local grocery store. They may not work as quickly as chemical treatments, but they will pay off with a bright, healthy smile.

  1. Baking Soda

    • Brush with baking soda for a clean white smile.

      Baking soda is a natural tooth whitener that can scrub your teeth clean. Simply sprinkle baking soda in a small dish and dip your wet tooth brush in the powder. Brush your teeth and rinse as usual. You can use baking soda instead of tooth paste or buy a toothpaste with baking soda as an ingredient. Baking soda is very abrasive, so use caution when brushing your gums.

      "It is believed that cleaning power rather than abrasivity is an important factor in the effectiveness of sodium bicarbonate as a stain remover and in preventing stain buildup, and that bicarbonate cleans through both physical and chemical action. The sodium bicarbonate helps lift stain from the surface of the tooth," writes Dr. Fiona M. Collins, MBA, MA, Treatment Options for Tooth Discoloration and Remineralization.

    Hydrogen Peroxide

    • Hydrogen peroxide can whiten teeth.

      Hydrogen peroxide has oxidizing properties that can act like a bleaching agent to give you a whiter smile. Rinse your mouth with hydrogen peroxide once a day for a bright smile. You can also mix it with baking soda to form a basic whitening tooth paste.

      "Traditional treatment and prevention options have included fluoride and chemotherapeutics to help prevent tooth structure loss, and abrasives and hydrogen peroxide to treat tooth discoloration and staining," writes Dr. Fiona M. Collins, MBA, MA, Treatment Options for Tooth Discoloration and Remineralization.

    Foods

    • Coffee is know to stain teeth.

      Eat your way to whiter teeth by choosing lots of fresh crunchy fruits and vegetables which naturally scrub teeth as you chew. Also, avoid beverages known to stain teeth, such as coffee, tea, wine and cola drinks. You can lessen the damage from these drinks by using a straw so the liquid bypasses the teeth, as well as rinsing your mouth with water or immediately brushing your teeth after drinking.

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