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Teeth Whitening Home Remedies

Jul 13, 2005

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There are said to be many "home remedies" for teeth whitening. In this article we explain each teeth whitening home remedy and its effect on teeth. Some may help, but most home remedies will damage your enamel if not properly done.

Whitening Teeth with Lemon Juice

Procedure: Brushing teeth with lemon juice

Lemon juice is an acid and can harm your teeth. You may end up with a LOT of cavities and irreparably damaged tooth enamel. The reason that lemon juice "works" is that it causes the teeth to lose calcium (which gives teeth some of their off-white color). Calcium is a major component of healthy teeth, and once it is lost, your teeth become very susceptible to decay. DO NOT use lemon juice for whitening.

Whitening Teeth with Wood Ash

Procedure: Brushing teeth using wood ash (i.e. from your fireplace)

The reason wood ash whitens your teeth is because it contains potassium hydroxide (aka lye). However, only hard wood ash contains significant concentrations of potassium hydroxide. Soft wood ash does not. Before lye was available commercially, soap was made by leeching the potassium hydroxide from hard wood ash and then combining it with tallow (rendered animal fat). You may want to exercise caution when using hard wood ash too often as a tooth whitening agent. The harshness of the potassium hydroxide could significantly damage your teeth over time.

Whitening Teeth with Strawberries

Procedure: Brushing teeth using mashed strawberries

It is not advisable to brush your teeth with strawberries. The sugar and acid in the strawberry will harm your teeth more than it will help if you don't immediately brush your teeth with regular toothpaste. If you choose to brush with strawberries, be sure to brush your teeth immediately afterwards with fluoride toothpaste, and also to floss.

Whitening Teeth with Baking Soda

Procedure: Using Baking Soda with toothpaste while brushing

Baking Soda won't bleach your teeth, but it will help get plaque off and make them shine. Be warned that Baking Soda is an abrasive and if you use it too much, the enamel on your teeth can get damaged.

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Comments

1. - Jeanne - 12/26/2006

Wow! Thanks for the information about the lemon juice. I recall that my grandmother had recommended it -- good thing I checked before I tried it!

2. - steven - 08/29/2007

is hydrogen peroxide something i could use?

3. - Joshua - 09/21/2007

ok these things have side effects so what really do work?

4. - lilian - 11/27/2007

If you eat an acid fuit such as strawberry or any other healthy but acidic food such as yogurt, I would advise that you wait at least 20min to brush your teeth since the acid softens the enamel and you would be brushing some enamel away if you brush immediately. After 20 min the saliva would have "buffered" the acid on the teeth and would be Ok to brush and floss.
Also in-office bleaching products that are chemically activated only (not light activated) would lighthen most people teeth also, but usually the light activated ones would make your teeth 2 shades lighter. If you are a realistic patient, balancing the health risks of UV light exposure and swallowing peroxide at night with the home-bleaching products, a chemically activated bleaching gel is a good option. The dentist suction is in your mouth all the time (so you do not swallow the gel). the disadvantages are that your teeth will be sensitive, as will all bleaching products, some people cannot tolerate this. On the other hand can cause burns to the gums, therefore the dentist will protect your gumms with a hard resin material, but leakages may accur. If this happens, you will feel it immediatelly and if the gel is removed on the act, only a very superficial burn will appear (like a white spot on the gums) which will be OK in about a week time. This is not very significant compared with the continuous gum irritation caused by the home-bleaching products.
Cheers

5. - lupita - 01/17/2008

hey..

WELL I JUST WANNA TO SAY THANKS FOR THE INFO..

BUT I NEED SOMEONE TO TELL ME IF THS REALLY WORK..

6. - Bruce - 01/26/2008

What exactly is "a shade" or "2 shades"??

7. - lola - 04/16/2008

There's no remedies for strawberries! Well, strawberries works well too! Anyways, mash it up and brush your teeth with it! BUT MAKE SURE YOU BRUSH YOUR TEETH AFTERWARDS!

8. - Silvina - 04/25/2008

The hydrogen peroxide works and it's easy to do but it takes awhile to see any results. This home remedy needs to be done on a somewhat regular basis; but like the post says, if you do it too much then you can wear away your enamel.

I don't know much about the other remedies, but I have heard that the strawberry one works too.

9. - Brian - 01/03/2009

I heard that hydrogen peroxide does work, but it takes so long. I never tried it, but know people who have. I would just buy the whitening systems I see advertised.

10. - Dr White - 02/01/2009

The problem with hydrogen peroxide is that it has been found to cause tissue hyperplasias, which are precancerous tissue changes, if used for more than 5 days. By using good quality kits, or visiting the dentist, you can significantly minimise its contact with the tissue in your mouth.

11. - Gasen Redeye - 06/27/2009

Many natural home remedies for whitening teeth use various different types of fruit to achieve their effect. This is because the acids in the fruit help to dissolve stains on the surface of the enamel.

Read the full article here: http://teethwhitening.brighterplanet.org/ye-olde-fashioned-guide-to-home-remedies-for-whitening-teeth/

12. - bian - 07/02/2009

thanks for the info,can you suggets other natural safe and effective ?

13. - teeth whitening tips - 07/18/2009

Let me add a little home teeth cleaning tip. This is the simple table salt know as sodium chloride in the chemistry. Just rinse your toothbrush with fresh water and spread a thin layer of table salt on it. Then simply brush your teeth. You should apply more salt when you feel that earlier layer is dissolved in the mouth. This simple brushing will remove the yellow layer on your teeth and will make your teeth bright.
Caution is that the use of sodium chloride may harm your gums. So only use it once in a week. If you feel that bleeding gums, then dont use this without asking your dentist.
thanks
imran.

14. - Aaron - 07/25/2009

Thanks for the info because I have heard that all these things whitens your teeth however, I was not aware of the side effects. What do you recommend that I use to brighten my teeth and give me a more unique smile?

15. - jenne - 02/08/2010

what will help then

16. - medical ppo - 04/25/2010

I was wondering what products are the best for teeth whitening?

First, what is a good whitening toothpaste?

Second, what is a good product to use for teeth whitening that doesn't leave my teeth extremely sensitive? I have heard from multiple people that a lot of the whitening strips leave your teeth very sensitive. Anyone have any experience with a whitening product that does not leave you with extremely sensitive teeth after?


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