Does Natural Teeth Whitening Really Work?
Can you confidently smile and be camera-ready all the time? Or do you do your best to hold your grin and keep it to yourself instead? Either way, the teeth are the first to be noticed when you smile – how they look and how white they are.
Well, others don’t care much about how their teeth look like while others are trying all sorts of possibilities to make their teeth as stainless as possible. Whichever group you find yourself with, it is a basic fact that you take good care of your teeth because remember, you’ll never get them back when they are all gone!
For those who dream of having stainless white teeth, take note of the following discussions below:
Tips to Naturally Whiten Your Teeth
- Use baking soda to scrub away stains;
- Use 3% peroxide to rinse instead of water;
- Lemons are also natural teeth whiteners;
- Wear red lipstick. It makes your teeth look whiter!
- Crush strawberries and use them as toothpaste. They are natural teeth whiteners;
- Eat fruits and vegetables. Munching on them remove stains;
The tips mentioned above are the natural remedies to whiten your teeth. They are affordable and easy-to-make or do at home. But the more important question is, “does it really work?” Science seems to not completely agree with these methods.
What Science Has to Say
Research has found out that the natural methods of teeth whitening mentioned above are only effective to some extent. Long-term and frequent use of these remedies can already have a negative effect on your teeth. Here are some precautions that researchers want to emphasize:
- Frequent use of baking soda only can deteriorate the enamel of your teeth. Enamel is the hard covering of the teeth that protects them. Therefore, dentists still recommend toothpaste with baking soda as one of the ingredients to ensure that you use just the right mix of it. Pure baking soda with water may just be too strong.
- The use of 3% peroxide to rinse is effective. Do this twice a day. Just take note of the right proportion for this may cause some sensitivity when used.
- Lemons are indeed natural teeth whiteners but long-term use can damage the teeth due to its high-level content of citric acid. It also erodes the enamel and leaves microscopic holes that cause deeper stains.
- Wearing red lipstick can make your teeth look white but it does not actually solve the problem.
- Strawberries, like lemons, contain high levels of acid. Malic acid in strawberries can cause damage to the enamel too due to prolonged and frequent use.
- Munching on apples and celery can help remove plaque and stains but it does not mean you don’t need to brush your teeth anymore with toothpaste!
Unfortunately, there is no easy fix when it comes to maintaining a good and healthy condition of the body. The most natural way of preventing teeth stains is drinking a lot of water in a day. Minimize taking in coffee and other colored drinks because these do stain your teeth. Lastly, balanced meals daily; proper brushing of teeth and use of dental floss regularly are the main key to keep your teeth stain-free. And don’t forget to see your dentist every six months!
