6 Quick and Easy Home Remedies to Whiten Your Teeth

Having stained or yellowish teeth can have a large impact on your self-esteem. Everyone wants to have white teeth, but the foods that you eat and the habits that you have can cause staining. Drinking tea and coffee can lead to staining. Smoking cigarettes is another habit that can have a major effect on the whiteness of your teeth.

If you have tried teeth whitening toothpastes, whitening strips, or other store-bought products that are intended to whiten your teeth, you may have been disappointed with the results. Luckily, you do not need to spend a fortune on expensive teeth whitening products. Instead, try some of these quick and easy home remedies to begin whitening your teeth and remove stains.

You will find five different common household ingredients that you can use to whiten your teeth, followed by a homemade tooth whitening paste that you can easily make using affordable items. Give a couple of these remedies a try, if you would like to get rid of staining and yellowish teeth.

Hydrogen Peroxide

This first home remedy for white teeth is a simple solution, similar to whitening toothpastes, but without the high cost. To make your own hydrogen peroxide teeth whitener, you should mix ½ a teaspoon of hydrogen peroxide with a ½ teaspoon of baking soda, and a ½ teaspoon of warm water. Thoroughly mix the three ingredients until you get a paste. Rub the mixture on your teeth and then brush your teeth, using a small amount of your regular toothpaste.

Orange Peels

Using orange peels is a simple remedy that many people have used. To try this method, peel an orange and save the orange peels. Rub the inside of the peel, the white part of the peel, along your teeth. Rub for several minutes and then brush your teeth as you normally would, using your regular toothpaste.

Baking Soda

Baking soda is a common ingredient in commercial toothpastes, so it would make sense that a tooth whitening home remedy would include this common household item. This is similar to the first remedy, but without the hydrogen peroxide. Try using baking soda to whiten your teeth, mix a ½ a teaspoon of baking soda with a ½ teaspoon of warm water. Continue mixing until the baking soda is completely dissolved. Apply the paste to your toothbrush and brush your teeth for several minutes. Afterwards, brush your teeth again, using your regular toothpaste.

Apple Cider Vinegar

Apple cider vinegar is a common ingredient in a wide variety of home remedies. It can be used for everything from preventing the common cold to easing skin irritation. Another use is to whiten your teeth. If you want to try using apple cider vinegar to whiten your teeth, all you need to do is dip your toothbrush in some apple cider vinegar. Brush your teeth for a minute or two, once per week.

Apple cider vinegar contains a lot of acids, which could damage your teeth if you use it too much. If you have severe stains, mix a small amount of baking soda with the apple cider vinegar. Brush your teeth for two or three minutes and make sure that you rinse your mouth out afterwards.

Strawberry

This ingredient may seem strange at first, but strawberries could actually whiten your teeth. Take one strawberry and mash it. Mix the strawberry with a ½ teaspoon of baking soda. Use your toothbrush to apply the mixture to your teeth, but do not thoroughly brush it into your teeth. Allow the mixture to sit for three to five minutes. Afterwards, brush your teeth using your regular toothpaste.

Homemade Teeth Whitening Paste

If you have tried the remedies provided above, and not enjoyed any success, then you may want to try making homemade teeth whitening paste. The following recipe will allow you to make your own teeth whitening paste, without having to spend a fortune.

This home remedy may be more effective than some of the other remedies that were listed. Here are the ingredients that you will need:

• Baking soda (aluminum-free)
• Hydrogen peroxide
• Peppermint essential oil

The baking soda will help to whiten your teeth and freshen your breath, while the hydrogen peroxide will also whiten your teeth and can also help to fight bacteria that could lead to tooth decay or increased amounts of stains. The peppermint oil also fights bacteria, while providing a little bit of flavor to this remedy.

To prepare this whitening remedy, mix one teaspoon of the baking soda with one teaspoon of the hydrogen peroxide. When you have a paste, add several drops of the peppermint essential oil. Mix thoroughly and then dip your toothbrush in the mixture. Brush your teeth for about two minutes and then brush using your regular toothpaste.

At first, you may want to use this remedy several days in a row. Once your teeth begin to whiten, you can cut back to using this remedy once per week. This will help prevent your teeth from becoming stained again. Use it several days per week, at first, and then switch to once per week.

Use a Whitening Remedy Each Day

Try using one of these home remedies on a daily basis. Within several weeks, you should notice a major difference. Your teeth should become whiter and you should notice a decrease in the amount of staining along your teeth.

As a side note, you may want to purchase food-grade hydrogen peroxide, instead of purchasing the hydrogen peroxide that you commonly find in the drugstore. The drugstore hydrogen peroxide will contain heavy metals which should not be ingested. Even if you are careful to not ingest any of the remedies that include hydrogen peroxide, it is inevitable that you will get some of the substance in your system. You may want to visit your local health food store or whole foods store to find food-grade hydrogen peroxide and avoid the common hydrogen peroxide; though, the choice is yours to make.