This is your guide to 15 DIY teeth whitening1 methods.
A smile a day keeps all your worries away. But do you ever hesitate to smile bright with all your teeth out? Now, why is that? Why would anyone not want to smile bright?
There is only one explanation for this, and that is because of having “yellow teeth.” No one would ever want the world to see their yellowing teeth2. However, discoloration of teeth is a common condition.
But do you know what causes it? Let us first find that out.
What Causes Discoloration of Teeth?
There are various reasons why our teeth slowly become yellow. And the very first reason is aging; as we age, the outermost layer of our teeth; enamel starts to wear off, leading to losing the bright white sparkle.
Sometimes tooth color can be genetic too. This means if the yellowish color runs in the family, you’re likely to get it too.
Other factors such as smoking, certain foods, and drinks can also cause discoloration. But can we do something about it? Yes, we surely can. There are many DIY tooth whitening home remedies3 available that you can try.
Before going on to the DIY teeth whitening methods, check this article on 7 Habits You Never Knew Were Bad For Your Dental Health.
What Can Be Done: 15 DIY Teeth Whitening Methods
As already mentioned, many DIY whitening methods can help you cure the discoloration of your teeth. DIY methods are the best because visiting dental care clinics are not healthy in the long run.
The color of your teeth reflects your oral health4, and it is vital to keep it healthy. Thereby, we have curated a list of the 15 best DIY teeth whitening methods to get your brighter smiles back.
These methods are effective, less expensive, and have no side effects. Most importantly, you can try these methods easily at home.
So, now, do not worry about taking pictures with your teeth out because you will have a picture-perfect smile after trying these methods. Let us take a look at the list then.
1. Apply Hydrogen Peroxide and Baking Soda Paste
Mixing hydrogen peroxide and baking soda to make a paste has been one of the oldest home-based remedies to whiten teeth. And there have been studies showing positive results for this mixture.
The dentist suggests mixing 3% hydrogen peroxide5 with a few teaspoons of baking soda until it makes a paste and using it as an alternative to your regular toothpaste.
However, this paste shouldn’t be your go-to toothpaste because both the ingredients are mordant. Brushing your teeth with this paste for about three days and then again after about six months is usually recommended.
2. Use Apple Cider Vinegar
Apple cider vinegar is another commonly used DIY teeth-whitening remedy. It contains mild acids that help remove stains from our teeth.
For this, you will need 1/2 teaspoon of apple cider vinegar and a cup of water. Mix both the ingredients nicely, and then gargle with this mixture once a day before brushing your teeth.
It is best advised to do this 2-3 times a week, every morning for outstanding results.
3. Oil Pulling
Oil Pulling is an age-old Indian DIY teeth whitening remedy to remove toxins from the body and improve oral health.
For most oil pulling practices, coconut oil is a common choice. This is because of its pleasant taste and ability to reduce inflammation.
To practice oil pulling, you have to put one tablespoon of your preferred oil in your mouth and push and pull the oil throughout. You may continue the process for 15 to 20 minutes.
This technique has not yet been scientifically proven to work; however, people have claimed to have developed whiter teeth after practicing. Moreover, it is a safe practice.
4. Strawberry Paste
Studies show that strawberries contain an element known as malic acid, which works best for dissolving coffee, red wine, and tea stains on teeth.
To make the paste, mash 3-4 strawberries and add a teaspoon of baking powder to it. Rub this paste using a toothbrush on your teeth for about 5 minutes.
Try this method once or twice a week because excessive use of the paste may cause your teeth to erode because of the acid in the paste.
5. Activated Charcoal
The activated charcoal powder absorbs impurities present inside our mouth and improves discoloration.
This is one of the simplest DIY teeth whitening methods. All you have to do is wet your toothbrush and dip it in the activated charcoal powder.
And then brush your teeth with it gently for 2-3 minutes. After this, you must rinse your mouth thoroughly.
It is recommended to use this remedy only once or twice a week. Charcoal was previously used because of its detoxifying benefits.
6. Salt and Lemon
Salt and lemon is a great combination used for DIY teeth whitening remedy. The method has been in use for ages now and has given great results.
Lemon has a natural bleaching quality, and salt acts as an exfoliate, which is why both help removes yellow stain from the teeth.
For this method, mix lemon juice and a small amount of salt and use this mixture as a toothpaste.
You can practice this method twice a week.
7. Gargle With Neem
One of the easiest and best ways to go for DIY teeth whitening is to go natural. And there’s no better natural product to make use of than neem leaves.
Various studies have shown that neem does wonder when it comes to oral health benefits. Neem has anti-fungal, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory properties, which work best to maintain dental health.
And neem concoction has been proven to be one of the most successful DIY teeth whitening methods. For this, all you need to do is boil neem leaves in warm water till it reduces to 1/4th of the original volume.
Once done, strain the solution and bring it to adjustable temperature and gargle with it before or after brushing your teeth.
You can repeat this process daily or every alternate day. This will kill the bacterias inside your mouth and leave you with good breath and whiter teeth.
8. Banana Peel
Banana Peel is another age-old remedy used as DIY teeth whitening method. Banana peels are used because they are rich in minerals such as manganese, magnesium, and potassium.
All of the nutrients present in banana peels contribute to your whiter smile. These minerals present in the peel, when rubbed against the teeth, are absorbed into the enamel and results in whiter teeth.
It is a simple process, collect a few banana peels and cut them into comfortable sizes. After which, you may gently rub the inner side of the peel against your teeth.
Continue the rubbing until you feel a thin layer of banana mush covering the top and bottom of your teeth. Leave the mush for about 5 minutes.
You may use a toothbrush afterward or rinse your mouth using lukewarm water to get off all the mush.
This method is recommended to practice every alternate day.
9. Teeth Whitening Strips
So far, you have read natural home-based remedies as DIY teeth whitening methods. Now let us move on to a more professional approach that you can easily do at home.
If home-based remedies didn’t quite work for you, there are always teeth whitening strips.
Teeth-whitening strips are among the most popular, affordable, and reliable teeth whitening products we have today. And these strips work surprisingly fast too.
The home teeth whitening strips contain peroxide gel which removes any stain building up on your teeth. This is the best method for those looking for quick and long-lasting results.
When you apply the strips, the coated gel gets evenly spread, allowing it to penetrate through teeth resulting in pearly whites.
These strips are also recommended for people with sensitive gums. And the duration of how often you should wear these strip depends on the brand.
Final Thoughts
As you can very well see, there are so many DIY teeth whitening methods that you can easily practice at your homes. So from now on, you do not have to be self-conscious about your yellow stains.
Although we have listed just a few methods in this article, know that there are plenty of DIY teeth whitening methods, ranging from home-based to professional products.
Most of these remedies work faster than expected by gently removing the stains from your teeth. Moreover, all these remedies are very pocket-friendly and have no side effects.
However, people usually have doubts about using such DIY teeth whitening methods but know that when done in the right way, they cause no harm. So make sure to do your research well before trying any of the methods.
There are also various cosmetic treatments available for teeth whitening, but these treatments can be very expensive and also harmful in the long run. So don’t compromise with your smile, and make the right choice.
Let us know what you think about these methods. And if this post has helped you in any way. To give your feedback, you may connect with us via the comment section.
- Carey, Clifton M. “Tooth whitening: what we now know.” Journal of Evidence Based Dental Practice 14 (2014): 70-76. ↩︎
- Hattab, Faiez N., Muawia A. Qudeimat, and HALA S. AL‐RIMAWI. “Dental discoloration: an overview.” Journal of Esthetic and Restorative Dentistry 11.6 (1999): 291-310. ↩︎
- Abidia, Randa F., et al. “In vitro comparison of natural tooth-whitening remedies and professional tooth-whitening systems.” The Saudi Dental Journal 35.2 (2023): 165-171. ↩︎
- World Health Organization. Oral health surveys: basic methods. World Health Organization, 2013. ↩︎
- Neill, Steven, Radhika Desikan, and John Hancock. “Hydrogen peroxide signalling.” Current opinion in plant biology 5.5 (2002): 388-395. ↩︎
Last Updated on by Sathi
