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Are techniques to naturally whiten teeth effective?
Today I am listing the top 7 ways to naturally whiten teeth and they really work. The best part is you don’t have to worry about them damaging your teeth or your health!
Why You Should Naturally Whiten Teeth
Although there are many options to whiten teeth, all of the kits you can purchase over the counter are loaded with harmful chemicals. The chemical tooth whiteners typically contain coal tars, aspartame, aluminum, floride and benzene. The over the counter bleaches also have a very high acidity and are very abrasive which can cause damage to teeth, tooth pain and/or sensitivity, and damage the enamel. Not only are these chemicals harmful to your teeth and gums, the toxic chemicals often leak from the trays or strips and are swallowed or absorbed. As a result of the dangerous side effects and hazards with over the counter whitening, many are now opting to choose methods to naturally whiten teeth.
The great news is that all of these ways to naturally whiten teeth include using all eatable foods! So you don’t have to worry about ingesting harmful chemicals.
I have used all of these methods to naturally whiten teeth at one time or another and have found that since most of these are included in my diet or what I use for oral hygiene, my teeth have remained pretty white and I haven’t had to spend extra trying to whiten them. These ways to naturally whiten teeth can be used daily or weekly to keep your teeth nice and white.
7 Ways to Naturally Whiten Teeth
1.Apples: Apples have natural astringents that can help whiten teeth. Apples also contain malic acid which helps dissolve stains. To use it just slice an apple and rub the pieces on your teeth for a couple of minutes.
2. Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV): ACV can remove stains on the surface of teeth. To use it, use a soft brush and brush teeth with it. Rinse afterwards. ACV has been shown to be a very effective way of naturally whitening teeth, however, it may take a couple of weeks of consistent use to see results.
3. Strawberries: Strawberries also contain malic acid and can help remove stains and discolorations on teeth. You can crush the strawberries and brush teeth with them or add a pinch of baking soda and mix with strawberries. The mixture can be left on the teeth for up to 5 minutes.
4. Baking Soda: Baking soda is widely known for its uses for household cleaning and whitening. Baking soda is among the easiest and most efficient ways to naturally whiten teeth. Baking soda is slightly abrasive and helps remove stains on teeth. Simply just brush teeth with baking soda mixed with a little water to create a paste. Or you can use a mixture of baking soda and coconut oil. This is also a great homemade toothpaste. I use baking soda and coconut oil to brush my teeth every day.
5. Lemon or Orange Peels: Lemon and orange peels acid content can eliminate stains on the surface of teeth. However, this method of naturally whitening teeth should not be used daily as the acid content may eventually wear down the enamel. Lemon juice can also be combined with baking soda to naturally whiten teeth.
6. Oil Pulling: Oil pulling is an Ayurvedic technique which has been used to benefit oral health, prevent and treat cavities, reduce plaque, improve gums and even whiten teeth. Oil pulling is when you swish a spoonful of quality oil in your mouth for up to 15 minutes. Then rinse your mouth. Sesame oil or coconut oil can be used, just to name a few.
7. Drink with a Straw: This last method of naturally whitening teeth is more of preventative measure. Drinking through a straw can help you avoid many stains as teeth with have less contact with damaging drinks or substances. This can be very useful especially if you drink tea and/or coffee which can increases surface stains on teeth. You can find many options for glass and stainless steel straws online.
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This is some really good information about teeth whitening. It is good to know that it would be smart to use lemon peels to help you remove stains on the surface of the teeth. My sister’s wedding is coming up soon, and I want whiter teeth for her wedding.
Hey Lori,
These are some great natural remedies that you have shared here for whitening teeth. While baking soda is commonly used by many, I was surprised to know that Lemon or Orange peels could also help keep teeth stains at bay. Really insightful. Thanks for sharing this great post!
Interesting! Thanks for sharing 🙂
I used Lemon & baking soda before, But now its time try out others as well. Thanks for the informative post.
Glad you found it helpful!
The baking soda works on the enamel of the teeth to lift away the staining while the citric acid in the lemon juice provides a natural bleaching action. You can make a baking soda paste by adding some water to it, and use on your toothbrush, or you can blend the baking soda with your toothpaste. Step1 Mix baking soda and the juice from a fresh squeezed lime, you want to use enough lime juice to bring the baking soda to the consistency of a paste. You can use baking soda, instead of salt, to make it more effective. Different theories exist on the benefits of adding lemon juice or strawberries to baking soda for teeth whitening. All you have to do is take a little of baking soda and make a paste by mixing it with some water and a dash of salt.
Interesting! I haven’t tried using a lemon yet.
Nice remedies i cant wait to try it out
I personally recommend six monthly visits to a dental hygienist for a really good clean. In between visits there is some natural help. Here are a few suggestions:
A glass of water after eating to rinse away food debris.
Chewing raisins increases saliva, a bit like chewing gum.
Milk, yoghurt and cheese contain properties which promote strong tooth enamel. A lot of staining is down to enamel loss.
And finally of course, brushing and flossing.
Is ACV safe to use on teeth every day? Thanks for this list! I’ve been doing some experimenting with whitening naturally and so far the bast thing I’ve found is simply to floss daily. But I’d like to take it up a notch.
I haven’t tried using it daily, I use it one to two times per week. Although I do drink it daily. I’m not sure if I would brush with it daily due to the acid content.
What are your thoughts on activated charcoal?
That is another great way to naturally whiten teeth! Thanks for mentioning it. The only thing to be careful of is if someone has a porcelain veneer or implant I have heard it can harm the coloring.
Great tips Lori. Apple cider vinegar is also linked to weight loss so maybe after brushing your teeth you could swallow a teaspoon of it 🙂
Thanks Tara. Apple cider vinegar is great, I always add a teaspoon to a glass of water 1 to 2 times a day.
Thanks for the tips, Lori. I didn’t know you could use orange peels as well. Now I need to research Oil Pulling. That’s a new one to me!
Activated Charcoal!
Just wanted to give you a heads up on a couple typos :)…
TO use it, use a soft brush and crush teeth with it. Rise afterwards.
Think you meant “brush” and “rinse.” 😉
I think you may have meant RINSE not rise.
i want to chang my ficj teeth
These remedies work great! My favorite is the baking soda.
Thank you for the good list, there was a number of which I did not know before.
Hi There!
May I ask about the baking soda? We have a box of that, which I brought after I found out that it is effective when it comes to teeth whitening. May I know if it is MORE effective when it comes with a coconut? because what I mostly do is to just put some of the powder on the top of the toothpaste, but I see no any changes so far.
I’m not sure whether it’s more effective used together or when applied separately. Oil pulling has been said to also naturally whiten teeth and coconut oil can be used.
I have heard recently that baking soda can cause gums to get “spongy” after a while. Has anyone had this experience?
Hi Tina, I have never heard of that before. I have been using baking soda and coconut oil for toothpaste for a few years and my gums and teeth are actually much healthy.
Try mixing baking soda, hydrogen peroxide and salt into your palm to make a paste. Rub it onto your gums. The salt draws the gums tighter to the tooth. Shared by my old dentist who was full of common sense.
I haven’t heard that, but have heard that it will wear the enamel and should be mixed with water for brushing to reduce abrasive factor.
Thanks for this. Years ago we used whitening toothpastes and have stopped because of all the toxic crap, but I have to confess that every now and again I look at my teeth and ick. I’ll have to give one of these a try.
So glad you found this helpful. Let us know if you give one of them a try! I usually stick with the baking soda for the most part and also use it in my homemade toothpaste.
Drinking through a straw causes the same wrinkles around the mouth as smoking. Just sayin’.
hey have you ever tried food grade hydrogen peroxide for teeth whitening too? I do baking soda like you suggested, but I just thought maybe H2O2 would work..any suggestions?
Hi Caroline! That’s a good idea. I haven’t tried using food grade H2O2, but I saw that a few people posted online that it worked for them.
H2O2 shouldn’t be used orally if you have amalgam fillings as it reacts and releases the mercury vapors!! I also have heard that the inside of a banana peel works to whiten (also GREAT for itchy insect bites) and activated charcoal…apply from capsule with a designated brush, leave on for a few minutes then rinse. It is said to stain sink, clothing, brush, but whitens teeth really well…just wear a black top!