Please visit your Dental Surgeon for regular oral checkups and
professional cleaning.
Teeth whitening is one of most requested procedures in a
Dental Surgeon’s office. At-clinic whitening treatments are the most effective
and safe way for removing stains.
If you take some steps in your everyday routine, you can
easily reduce the amount of staining and maintain your oral health at home.
Some of my readers
have asked me a cheaper, at-home version for the whitening process. So today’s
article is going to be how to get (almost) pearly white teeth at-home.
By the way, if you don’t know it already, I am a certified
Dental Surgeon by profession and this is the easiest way I could find to help
you all with at-home oral care.
Well, first of all let’s review the facts which cause teeth
staining in the very first place.
CAUSES OF TEETH STAINING:
Try to remember this rule: “Anything that can stain a white
T-shirt, can stain your teeth.”
Got it? Now have a look at the following culprits for teeth
staining.
1 . Soy sauce.
2 . Any colas.
3 . Red fruit juices.
4 . Alcohol specially red wine.
5 . Tobacco, Tobacco leaf, Cigarettes.
6 . Curry with turmeric and chili powder.
7 . Water containing high level of Fluoride.
8 . Excessive Coffee or Tea, specially the black ones.
9 . Other factors: Age, Trauma, Underlying diseases.
10 . Medicines such as Tetracycline and derivative compounds of Tetracycline.
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| Alcohol, Curry, Black coffee |
So now that you know which factors can cause staining, you
can now proceed on how to remove the stain.
HOW TO MAINTAIN CLEAN TEETH
Brushing and flossing
Rinse away stains & plaques by flossing followed by
brushing your teeth at least twice daily.
If you are unable to brush your teeth
after taking specific food or beverages which may stain your teeth, try rinsing
your mouth with water or a dental rinse. It will reduce the chance of stain and
maintain your oral health.
Maintaining a proper diet
Plan a proper diet containing fruit and vegetables. Some foods
can remove the stain and plaque by simply increasing the saliva flow. Fruits or
vegetables which increase saliva flow help by washing away food debris from
your teeth. Sugarless gum is also helpful because it causes a tooth-cleansing action and triggers saliva.
Yes, sounds weird, right?
No, not at all. All this
saliva neutralizes the acid that causes tooth decay and helps maintaining a healthy
oral environment.
So which food helps to increase saliva?
1 . Orange, Celery,
Apples, Pears, Carrots, Sugarcane, Guava
2 . Strawberry also helps in whitening teeth with its malic
acid.
3 . Yogurt, Milk, Cheese- The lactic acid present here
decreases gum disease and maintains the development and preservation of teeth.
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| Say CHEESE for a bright smile! |
At-home ways for teeth whitening
1 . Whitening strips
Pros:
Easy to use, at-home procedure.
Cons:
Works only on the front six teeth.
2 . Whitening toothpaste
Pros:
Can be found anywhere, easy to use.
Cons:
These remove stains by chemically polishing the enamel
surface, so it cannot be used everyday or else your enamel will be weakened and
your teeth will be sensitive.
3 . Baking soda
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| Baking soda as teeth whitener |
Pros:
Cheapest and safest way to use at home.
Cons:
None found.
How to use:
Mix a little amount with your toothpaste and
brush your teeth!
Use once every 10-15 days.
4 . Hydrogen Peroxide
Pros:
It is an anti-bacterial agent, which means it can kill
the bacteria in your mouth and prevent infection.
Cons:
It should be used very carefully. It should be mixed
like the following ratio before use,
50:50= water:
hydrogen peroxide
How to use:
“Mix equal parts hydrogen peroxide with water (about one tablespoon each) and swish around teeth for 60 seconds. After a minute, spit it out, leaving the bubbling and whitening action of the peroxide to sit on teeth for another minute or two, then rinse mouth with water.”
5 . Lemon
Pros:
Cheap, Easy to use.
Cons:
You cannot use it everyday due to its acidic nature.
How to use:
Just cut a lemon in half and after brushing your
teeth; rub it on your teeth surface for 10 minutes. Rinse out afterwards.
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| Pearly whites! |
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| Healthier You, Beautiful You! |
