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We all want to achieve that bright smile that we see in movies and magazines. Unfortunately, the pearly whites that we see in the media are results of expensive dental treatments and years of oral care. For ordinary people who do not have enough money, achieving the whitest teeth possible through teeth whitening at home will result from hard work, commitment, and discipline.
Fortunately, achieving the bright smile that you have been dreaming of need not be expensive. As a matter of fact, there are different things that you can do in order to whiten your teeth and brighten your smile right in the comfort of your home. The key lies in finding the right natural remedies and dental tools that you can use in order to minimize and eradicate tooth stains. You will also need to get rid of certain lifestyle routines that cause your teeth to get stained and instead take up different habits that will help you ensure your teeth and mouth are clean every day. With these key practices in place, you will achieve amazing results from your efforts to do teeth whitening at home.
Key Lifestyle Changes for Teeth Whitening at Home
First off, you should make sure that you brush your teeth properly and regularly. There will be times when you would be tempted to skip your dental routine, but it is imperative that you resist this temptation and go ahead with brushing, flossing, and proper rinsing. Brush your teeth gently to avoid discoloration and tooth decay. Do not forget to remove food particles that are stuck between your teeth by using waxed floss. Finally, rinse your mouth using one full glass of water to ensure that all sugars and acids are removed.
Next, make sure that you avoid leaving your mouth feeling dry and dehydrated. To ensure proper dental health and for your efforts for teeth whitening at home to take full effect, you need to have an ample amount of saliva inside your mouth every time. Saliva is your mouth’s natural defense. It limits the growth of bad bacteria and reduces the level of acid inside your mouth. So whenever you feel that your mouth is starting to feel dry, chew gum to avoid dehydration and to ensure ample saliva supply.
If you are a smoker, then yellow and stained teeth should come as no surprise for you. The tar and nicotine that you get from smoking cigarettes will do nothing in helping you achieve whiter teeth. Smoking will stain your teeth and, in the worst case scenario, will weaken your immune system and cause tooth loss. If you want to start your way towards achieving whiter teeth, then you should quit smoking altogether.
There are also different foods and drinks that cause teeth stain. Coffee and carbonated soda, for example, cause yellow teeth and cavities. If you are thinking of starting to try teeth whitening at home, then you should limit your intake of these beverages. If you cannot avoid drinking them, then you should at least make sure that you rinse your mouth with water immediately afterwards.
Eating the right food will help you to whiten your teeth
If you are aiming to whiten your teeth at home, you have to make sure that you practice a certain level of restraint when it comes to choosing the foods that you will place inside your mouth. Here are some foods that you should eat in order to enjoy better results and whiter teeth. Overhaul your diet and get as much of these foods on your plate.
An apple a day keeps the doctor away and it also helps in whitening your teeth as well! The mere act of biting and chewing an apple is enough to give your teeth the scrubbing that it needs in order to become whiter and cleaner. Apples also contain a high level of malic acid, which stimulates saliva production and helps remove teeth stain.
In the process of trying out teeth whitening at home, most people often think that they should completely do away with sweets, including sweet fruits. This is not necessarily true because raisins, despite being sweet, can actually help you whiten your teeth. Eating raisins promotes production of saliva and also causes your mouth to produce an enzyme that neutralizes acids and limits the spread of bacteria.
Strawberries are rich in antioxidants that promote clearer skin and cleaner teeth! This kind of food is rich in ellagitannins which is a kind of antioxidant that limits the production of bacteria that cause stains. It also contains a high level of vitamin C, which helps in promoting healthier gums and in limiting the occurrence of periodontal diseases.
Natural Ways for Teeth Whitening at Home
Teeth whitening need not be an expensive process involving high-end procedures and never-ending dentist visits. Believe it or not, there are different natural remedies that you can use in order to whiten your teeth and make your mouth healthier at the same time. The materials that you will find are already most likely present in your very own kitchen! If not, you can simply make a quick visit to your local grocery store. Here are some natural tricks that you may use to achieve a brighter smile in the comfort of your own home.
One of the simplest yet most effective natural ingredients that you can use in order to whiten your teeth at home is coconut oil. Simply apply a layer of coconut oil on all the surfaces of your teeth right after brushing them. You can also choose to swish one spoonful of coconut oil inside your mouth for around ten minutes. Once done, simply rinse your mouth with water. This method of teeth whitening at home is simple and safe, and finding coconut oil for this purpose can be pretty simple too.
For smokers who want to have whiter teeth and brighter smiles, apple cider vinegar can also help. Put an ample amount of apple cider vinegar on your toothbrush and gently scrub the surface of your teeth. After rinsing with water, you may brush your teeth using your regular toothpaste. You will need to consistently do this routine for at least a month in order to see results from this method of teeth whitening at home. Worry not because your efforts will surely pay off. Those who have tried this method before claim that using apple cider vinegar provides results similar to those of professional teeth cleaning.
Some people swear by the power of lemon and orange peels for teeth whitening. Homemakers have been using peels for home cleaning for ages, but it turns out that these can help clean and whiten teeth, too! Start with peeling your lemon or your orange. Make sure that you keep the white part intact because it has the chemicals that you need for teeth whitening. Next, you should gently rub the white part of the lemon or orange peel against your teeth for around five minutes. Let the juice sit for another ten minutes before brushing your teeth using your regular toothpaste.
Finally, if you think that the toothpaste that you are using is not doing its job of whitening your teeth, then you should substitute it with a carefully prepared sea salt mixture. Simply mix half a tablespoon of sea salt with an ounce of water. Place the head of your toothbrush into this mixture for five minutes; afterwards, you may use it to brush your teeth. Rinse with water after brushing. The sea salt mixture will help create an alkaline environment inside your mouth and kill germs and bacteria that cause stains and discoloration.