Everyone loves a set of pearly white teeth. However, the fact that almost all forget is that our teeth change their color as we age. So, unlike what’s shown in TV ads, as we grow older our teeth start changing into a more yellowish or darker appearance.
The yellowing of teeth is a normal occurrence, but if you are self-conscious of the same, you can invest your time in certain home remedies. This includes using a paste of baking soda and hydrogen peroxide, apple cider vinegar, coconut oil pulling, and even with fruit peels. When followed properly, they can help reduce yellowing of the teeth, although these are only applicable to a certain extent.
Why do teeth become yellow?
Like mentioned above, one of the factors behind yellow teeth is due to progressing age. This is because as we grow old our teeth and gums become weaker resulting in the change. Our teeth start gradually losing color due to the wearing out of the outer enamel, responsible for the white color and hence the dentin shows out much clearer, bringing out the yellowish appearance.
But apart from that, various other factors may also contribute to the typical appearance. These include:
- Certain foods or drinks
- Sugar and simple carbohydrate-filled diets
- Genetics
- Side effects of certain medications
- Smoking or chewing tobacco
- Chronic dry mouth condition
- Excessive fluoride intake
- Poor and improper dental hygiene and oral care
Fortunately, the latter ones (apart from the genetics) are treatable with the right methods and when started at the right time.
So, if you have been having trouble with maintaining the pearly white color of your teeth lately, here are a few easy home remedies to help you out.
Top 5 Easy Home Remedies for Whiter Teeth
- Baking Soda and Hydrogen Peroxide
Two super powerful ingredients, mixing baking soda and hydrogen peroxide in the right quantities can leave you with amazing results. For this you will need to mix 1 tablespoon of the baking soda to 2 tablespoons of hydrogen peroxide and stir the mixture to make a paste.
After that apply the concoction to your teeth and let it sit for some time before washing it off. The paste needs to be thoroughly and properly washed off as keeping the mixture for too long might leave a bad impact on the gums. This procedure needs to be done at least twice a week for the best results.
- Apple Cider Vinegar
The next hot thing that can come handy in getting back your previous teeth color includes using apple cider vinegar. A commonly found kitchen ingredient, mixing it with water and using them as a mouthwash has been proved to act as a whitening agent for internal as well as external stains.
While this may seem too good to be true, it sure does come with a catch. Apart from holding intense capabilities of cleaning teeth, too much of the vinegar could lead to faster erosion of the outer enamel of the teeth. Therefore, to prevent such instances a fair use of the mixture should be done with a proper rinsing and brushing afterwards.
- Coconut Oil Pulling
According to a 2015 study, it was found that swishing 100 percent organic coconut oil helped reduce the formation of plaque and hence formation of yellow teeth. Given their high antioxidant and antimicrobial properties, the oil aids eradicate further infestation and breeding of bad bacteria, thus keeping your teeth squeaky clean and away from plaque formation.
For this you will have to take 1 or 2 teaspoons of the coconut oil and swish within your mouth. Make sure not to swallow the oil or let it slide all the way towards your throat, as the oil would have been contaminated by then. Once done spit out the remnants into the toilet or wash basin and rinse your mouth. To get rid of the bitter taste in your tongue you can drink a glass of water after thorough rinsing and finally complete the procedure with brushing.
- Fruit Peels
Now if you are looking for the easiest and fastest way of getting white teeth, fruit peels, mostly citrus ones, are a great option. Thanks to their higher concentrations of d-limonene, also known as citric acid, rubbing lemon or orange peels has been found to be a great aid. The acidic components fight against any harmful bacteria that might be causing the increased plaque formation and keep them away from your mouth.
You can start with gently rubbing the peel on your teeth for 2-3 minutes. Banana peels are also a good option if you aren’t a fan of the after-tangy taste in case of citrus fruits. Afterward rinse your mouth and then brush to get any of the remnants efficiently cleared out.
- Baking Soda and Lemon Juice
Another teeth whitening procedure including baking soda, creating a paste of these two ingredients and then brushing your teeth with the same has been proved to be quite beneficial. For this you will require 1 tablespoon of baking soda and follow it up with lemon juice from a freshly squeezed lemon. Get rid of the seeds and then stir to make a paste.
Next take the paste and using a brush apply it on your whole dental structure. Let it sit for a minute before rinsing it out and brushing.
NOTE- Baking soda, apple cider vinegar, and hydrogen peroxide can be deteriorating for your teeth and gums when not handled properly. Thus, sticking to the mentioned time duration is highly advised.
Why do I have yellow teeth even after regular brushing?
Although regular brushing is the sure cut way to sparkly clean teeth, your diet, lifestyle habits, genetics, and even the way you brush act a major role in deciding the final result.
For instance, if you fizz your brush for 30 seconds only within your mouth, without even getting into the nooks and crannies, you can’t expect good oral hygiene. As we consume food and even drinks, our teeth (thanks to all that chewing) get prone to having colors and stains stick to them which are needed to be properly taken care of.
Simply brushing once a day or not following the proper motions would amount to nothing, and leave you with the aftermath of yellow teeth. Below we have described the correct way of brushing teeth, as described by the American Dental Association, so make sure to give it a thorough read.
- Always brush with a soft-bristled brush as hard ones have more probabilities of rapidly wearing out the outer enamel and even cause bleeding in gums.
- Start by placing the toothbrush in a 45-degree angle to the gums. Lifting it too hard or too low may result in the frequent collision with the gums, which can be both painful and uncomfortable.
- Next gently move the brush back and forth while brushing all the outer, inner surfaces including all the crevices.
- Follow the third step for both the up and above teeth set to get a complete clean up experience. Floss your teeth next to get rid of any food particles that may have stuck deep inside causing microbial infestation and breeding.
- Finally rinse your mouth with a good quality antiseptic mouthwash and drink a glass of warm water after 10-15 minutes.
Taking care of white teeth isn’t anything like rocket science. However, for severe cases of yellow teeth, it’s best to visit a dentist. If you don’t have one yet, you can search for a term like “implants boynton beach fl” on the internet to find one. You just need to cover up the basics well and voila you have got your ivories back in no time.
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