Sparkling Smile: 3 Natural Methods To Whiten Your Teeth

Dentist Blog

A winning smile is something that many people want, but do you really have to resort to commercially-sold products with questionable ingredients? Thankfully, the following are 3 simple and natural ways to brighten up your smile.

1. Homemade Dental Whitening Toothpaste

The first thing you can try is using a bi-monthly dental paste made with just 1 strawberry and some baking soda. This works because baking soda and strawberries contain properties that help whiten your teeth.

Strawberries contain malic acid, which helps break down the biofilm that stains and bacteria create to stick to your teeth. Malic acid also helps stimulate your salivary glands, and saliva contains enzymes that kill stain-causing bacteria before they stain your teeth.

Baking soda is slightly abrasive, so it should help lift stains from your teeth. You should also know that the natural pH value in baking soda should rebalance your mouth's pH value. A neutral pH balance halts the reproduction of oral pathogens that lead to things like stains or cavities.

To make this paste, which should create enough for 1 use, just follow the steps below:

  1. Remove the crown from 1 strawberry, and mash it until it resembles a liquid.
  2. Mix ½ a teaspoon of baking soda.
  3. Repeat the steps to brush your teeth with this solution bi-monthly.

2. Try Your Own Whitening Mouthwash

The secret in this mouthwash is the pineapple. Pineapples contain bromelain, which is an active ingredient that alters bacterial biofilm production. The alteration makes the biofilm ineffective; therefore it prevents stains before they occur.

To make this mouthwash, follow the steps below:

  1. Juice half a cup of pineapple juice.
  2. Mix the pineapple juice with ¼ a cup of aloe vera and ¼ a cup of alkaline water (it has a high pH balance and it is sold in natural health food stores).
  3. Mix in 1 teaspoon of Witch Hazel.
  4. Blend 2 teaspoons of baking soda.
  5. (Optional) You can also add 10 drops of your favorite essential oil, such as cinnamon or peppermint oil, to enhance the smell of your mouthwash.

Use this mouthwash as you normally would, and keep it in a cool, dark place. The mouthwash should last you about 2 weeks.

3. A Whitening Banana Peel and Strip

The secret to the effectiveness of this whitening technique is the banana peel itself. Banana peels contain ingredients like potassium and magnesium, which can help remineralize your teeth. A strong enamel can help fend off stain-causing bacteria. The peel also contains salicylic acid, which helps lift some stains off of your teeth.

To use this method, follow the steps below:

  1. Cut two pieces of plastic wrap small enough to cover your top and bottom teeth.
  2. Rub your teeth with the inside of a banana peel.
  3. Cover the banana peel residue with the pieces of plastic to let your teeth absorb the ingredients.
  4. Let that sit for about 2 minutes; then remove, rinse, and brush off the residue.

Remember that these whitening techniques are only meant to deal with surface stains. You need to talk to a professional dentist, like those at Dr. Chen & Associates, about stains that won't come off. These kinds of stains might have penetrated your enamel, and you will need specialized tools to re-whiten your teeth.

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22 July 2015

Coping With Dental Emergencies

My son was outside playing with some friends when he accidentally fell down and hit his mouth on the sidewalk. The fall knocked out his front tooth, so I immediately placed the tooth in a small jar and added some milk. I rushed my son to the dental clinic and the dentist immediately took us into the examination room. The dentist placed the tooth back into the socket and saved it. My name is Beverly Tillman and thanks to the quick work of the dentist, my son didn't lose his tooth. Since this was a scary time for me and my son, I wanted to write this blog as a source of information for other parents who are facing a dental emergency. First of all, don't panic and get to your dentist as soon as possible. I hope this blog will help to answer your questions about dental emergencies.