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When you look at yourself in the mirror, do you ever think, “My smile doesn’t shine quite as brightly as it used to”? If so, you’re not alone! With everything we eat and drink on a daily basis, it’s no wonder that our teeth eventually begin to lose some of their original luster, becoming increasingly dull and discolored.

With summer just around the corner, you’re probably looking forward to spending more time outdoors with friends and family. You might be feeling less than confident showing your smile without constantly thinking about the stains that have built up on your teeth. People with attractive, healthy smiles project a self-confidence that is invaluable in a variety of situations, from social interactions to business affairs. We firmly believe that by enhancing your smile, you are enhancing every aspect of your life.

We’ve put together some of the best teeth whitening solutions for you if you’re considering at home teeth whitening.

1. Brush with Baking Soda

It’s probably no real that baking soda is one of the best teeth whitening solutions because its found in so many different types of toothpaste. Baking soda works for whitening because it is a mild abrasive that can help scrub away surface stains on teeth. On top of its whitening properties, baking soda helps to create an alkaline environment in your mouth, which prevents bacteria from growing.

Baking soda does whiten teeth, but it does do the job overnight. In order see significant at home teeth whitening, you’ll need to brush with baking soda on a regular basis and you’ll start to see results over time as long as you keep it as part of your oral health routine.

Of course, you can buy toothpaste with baking soda, but many people don’t realize that you can just use plain old baking soda to make a simple whitening paste. In order to do this, mix 1 teaspoon of baking soda with 2 teaspoons of water and brush your teeth with the paste. If you’re patient and stick with it, you’ll see results with this method.

diy tooth whitening

2. Brush with Turmeric Paste

The bright color of turmeric makes it an unlikely candidate for one of the best teeth whitening solutions, but this spice can whiten yellow teeth. This study actually found that turmeric can prevent plaque buildup, lower inflammation in your gums, and eliminate bacteria.

Unlike baking soda, turmeric is not abrasive so you can use it several times a week without worrying about it wearing down the enamel on your teeth. If you prefer, just when you start to notice stains or yellow teeth. In order to brush with turmeric paste, you’ll need to get a new toothbrush specifically for brushing with turmeric. All you need to do is dab your toothbrush in turmeric powder and brush as normal for 2 minutes.

Before you rinse, you’ll want to let the turmeric sit on your teeth for 3 minutes. Of course, if you don’t like the taste of turmeric this isn’t going to be one of the best teeth whitening solutions for you but it does whiten over time. Again, natural methods of teeth whitening typically don’t work immediately.

3. Use Activated Charcoal

People have been using activated charcoal for all sorts of remedies for centuries and one that has stuck is using it for at home teeth whitening. Activated charcoal is different from regular charcoal because it has been processed with heat and oxygen or chemicals to increase its capacity to absorb impurities. You may have heard of people having to drink activated charcoal after ingesting something toxic and that’s because it’s impressively effective at absorbing impurities.

Instead of wearing down buildup and stains like baking soda, activated charcoal whitens by absorbing plaque, stains, and bacteria. This method of DIY teeth whitening requires a new toothbrush as well because activated charcoal will turn it black. With activated charcoal, you can choose between brushing or rinsing. If you have sensitive teeth, you may want to stick to rinsing only.

To use the brushing method, dab your toothbrush in activated charcoal powder or open up 1 capsule and pour it onto your toothbrush. Brush your teeth as normal for 2 minutes and rinse thoroughly until there is no charcoal left in your mouth. If you prefer to rinse with activated charcoal, add the powder to a glass of water and rinse. You’ll want to rinse thoroughly after this DIY teeth whitening method as well.

You can use activated charcoal once per day for three days in a row when you notice that your teeth are starting to look more yellow than usual.

In Sum…

If you’re considering DIY teeth whitening because you feel like you don’t have time to go to a dentist, you should know that teeth whitening doesn’t take all day at The Silverstrom Group. We offer 2 of the best teeth whitening solutions, but our Zoom!® teeth whitening system is designed to easily fit it into your busy schedule. For many patients, the entire process takes about 45 minutes and you can kick back and relax while enjoying music on our headsets or watching a Netflix on-demand movie or Apple TV. In fact, you probably won’t even have time to finish your movie before it’s time to head out and show off your newly brightened smile!

Figuring out how to whiten your teeth at home or which methods are actually the best teeth whitening solutions can be time-consuming and full of uncertainty so if you don’t want to go at it alone, give us a call to schedule a teeth-whitening appointment!