a woman smiling with white teeth

Learn how to properly and safely make your teeth white using various methods

Having sparkling white teeth is a desirable quality, and it can make you more attractive. There are many different ways to effectively whiten your teeth.

Household Natural Whitening Solutions

Strawberry Pulp

Apply the pulp of crushed strawberries (which contains malic acid) to your teeth and leave it there for 5 minutes. Brush and floss afterward.

Baking Soda

Baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) is an abrasive teeth whitener, which means it scrubs stains off your teeth.

Here are some whitening recipes that use baking soda:

  • 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon hydrogen peroxide, and a pea-sized amount of toothpaste.
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon lemon/lime juice (citric acid), and a pea-sized amount of toothpaste.
  • Baking soda by itself.

Gently brush your teeth with any of these solutions, using a soft-bristled toothbrush and circular motions. Avoid vigorous back-and-forth motions, as these can cause a receding gum line. Only brush your teeth with baking soda once or twice a week, since it is an abrasive whitener and can damage the enamel if you do it too often.

Apples, Celery, and Carrots

Apples, celery, and carrots help whiten teeth by acting as natural stain removers: they increase saliva production (the mouth’s self-cleaning agent) and scrub the teeth clean. They also help keep your breath fresh by killing the bacteria that produce halitosis. The juice of apples, especially green apples, contains malic acid.

Activated Charcoal

activated charcoal

Open and empty one capsule of activated charcoal. Wet your toothbrush, dab it into the charcoal, and then gently brush it onto your teeth. You can either brush for a minute or so or just let it sit on your teeth. Keep the charcoal on your teeth for 3 to 5 minutes so it can absorb the stains. Afterward, rinse out your mouth and brush your teeth with regular toothpaste to remove the charcoal. Do this every day for 3 to 4 weeks. Nature’s Way Activated Charcoal will work great for this.

Banana Peels

Banana peels contain high amounts of potassium, magnesium, and manganese, which help remove stains when applied to the teeth. Simply rub the inside of the banana peel on your teeth, wait 3 to 5 minutes, and then brush your teeth as normal. You need to do this daily for 2 to 3 weeks before you see results.

Orange Peels

The white part of an orange peel contains a compound called d-limonene, which acts as a solvent to remove stains. Rub the white part of an orange peel on your teeth, wait 3 to 5 minutes, and then brush your teeth as normal. You need to do this daily for 2 to 3 weeks before you see results.

Teeth Whitening Toothpaste

Several toothpastes are advertised as whitening your teeth. Buy a whitening toothpaste that carries the American Dental Association (ADA) Seal of Approval. ADA-approved whitening toothpastes contain abrasive particles (such as baking soda) to polish teeth, along with chemicals that bind to stains and remove them. Studies have shown that these toothpastes are no harder on your enamel than other toothpastes.

Whitening Trays

Whitening trays are similar to mouth guards that you form fit to your teeth. You place a whitening solution (usually carbamide peroxide gel) in the trays and place them in your mouth for a period of time determined by the strength of the gel.

For carbamide peroxide gel:

  • 10% to 16% gel can be worn for 2 to 4 hours twice per day.
  • 20% to 22% gel can be worn 30 minutes to 1 hour twice per day.
  • 30% to 35% gel should be worn for 15 minutes once per day.
  • For hydrogen peroxide gel, use the trays for 30 minutes to 1 hour, twice per day.

Peroxide whitening gel has a shelf life of 1 to 2 years. Light deteriorates peroxide, so keep it in a dark place or a dark container. Avoid wearing a strong carbamide peroxide gel overnight.

Whitening Strips

Whitening strips are strips of plastic coated with chemicals that whiten your teeth. The strips are placed on your teeth and folded around them. Use them according to the manufacturer’s directions. Avoid whitening strips that contain chlorine dioxide. This is the same chemical used to sterilize swimming pools, and it can damage the enamel on your teeth. Crest 3D White Whitestrips do not contain chlorine dioxide.

Whitening Pens

You use whitening pens by brushing the pen’s tip across the surfaces of your teeth. Once applied, the compounds are released and whiten your teeth throughout the day. Don’t eat, rinse, or drink for at least 20 minutes after applying it, so the serum has time to work. Make sure your teeth are dry before application to make it easier. Finishing Touch Smile Whitening Pens are among the more popular whitening pens.

Whiten your Teeth at the Dentist’s Office

If you are wary of whitening your teeth yourself, you can have them professionally whitened at a dentist’s office. Once your teeth are nice and white, you can use some of these other teeth-whitening methods every other week to keep them from yellowing again.

Causes of Tooth Discoloration

Several conditions and foods can lead to tooth discoloration. Here are a few of them:

  • Tetracyclines - an antibiotic commonly used for acne, rosacea, cholera, pneumonia, and Lyme disease.
  • Enamel hypoplasia - a defect of the teeth in which the enamel is hard but thin and deficient in amount.
  • Fluorosis - discoloration of the teeth caused by excessive exposure to low concentrations of fluoride.
  • Age - the teeth become more yellow or opaque and generally have a darker hue, usually after 50.

Foods that Stain Yellow Teeth

Avoid these foods or limit the intake of them to keep your teeth white:

  • Black Tea
  • Coffee
  • Tobacco (tar)
  • Mate
  • Curry
  • Wine and cola drinks
  • Other foods with strong content of pigments
  • Chlorhexidine (a bactericidal and bacteriostatic chemical used as an antiseptic in mouthwashes and toothpastes to treat gingivitis and halitosis). Chlorhexidine does not stain the teeth directly; it destroys the bacteria in plaque, allowing other staining agents to discolor the buildup if the plaque is not removed.