Teeth Whitening- Home vs Store Bought Remedies

Posted by Brushee Brand Publisher on June 14, 2016

Life is tough on the color of our teeth. Almost everything we eat and drink can cause staining, yellowing, and discoloration. Not to mention that everyday actions like smoking and drinking are also huge culprits. So how can we effectively combat discoloration without breaking our budgets? Here are a few ways to remedy stained teeth at home:

Home Remedies (Other Than A Toothbrush with Toothpaste)

1. Orange Peel
To get the benefits from orange peel, rub fresh orange peel on your teeth every night before you go to sleep. The calcium and vitamin C will fight against the microorganisms that cause stains, and eventually aid in whiter teeth.

2. Margosa
Margosa plants are chalked full of antiseptic properties, so they help avoid bad breath and cavities, as well as whiten teeth. To use margosa, there a few different ways. You could use the twigs as a tooth brush, chew on the branches, or mix margosa oil with your regular toothpaste.

3.Strawberry and Baking Soda Scrub
Strawberries are high in vitamin C, and have an enzyme called malic acid that is said to remove surface stains. Baking soda is mildly abrasive and is known to help whiten teeth, so pairing the two together is a great idea. Mash 1-3 strawberries in a bowl and add 1/2 a teaspoon of baking soda. Apply the mixture onto your teeth and let it sit for a few minutes and then rinse.

4.Coconut Oil (Oil Pulling)
Oil pulling (rinsing your mouth with coconut oil) has been used around the world for years to whiten teeth. It isn't the most pleasant thing, but the taste isn't too bad and it seems to work when it's used regularly. It doesn't bleach your teeth like baking soda does, but the lauric acid in the coconut oil rids the teeth of bacteria that makes them appear yellow. Before brushing your teeth in the morning, scoop out a teaspoon of coconut oil and swish it around in your mouth (it will soften as you do this) for 10 minutes. Then spit it out, rinse your mouth, and brush your teeth as normal.

5.Tumeric, Salt, and Lime Juice
Tumeric is sometimes used as a whitening agent, and when its roasted and crushed it can be mixed into a homemade tooth whitening paste. This paste includes the roasted tumeric, a dash of sea salt, and enough lime juice to make a paste. Apply the paste to your teeth and let it sit for a few minutes before rinsing it off.

6. Apple Cider Vinegar and Olive Oil
This is another remedy that works well but needs to be used sparingly, as the vinegar can attack tooth enamel. In a bowl, mix 1 tablespoon of olive oil with 1 teaspoon of apple cider vinegar. Soak your toothbrush in the mixture and then brush your teeth with it- with or without toothpaste. It might taste a bit weird with your favorite minty toothpaste, though. If you don't already rinse your mouth after brushing, it's a good idea to start doing so if you're going to be using this remedy.


Home Remedies VS. Store Remedies

Store bought remedies producer quicker and more drastic results- that's a given, but they also tend to be more expensive than home remedies. For example, whitening strips can cost upwards of $50 a box, whereas a home remedy, after buying the ingredients, usually costs less than $15.

Okay, but which is best overall? Well that's a tough question.

Whitening strips can cause damage to tooth enamel and make teeth sensitive (not to mention they can seriously hurt your wallet), but like we mentioned before their effects are quick and dramatic.

Home remedies often have baking soda which if used too often cause destroy enamel also, but these remedies are cheaper and more natural. It all comes down to personal preference in the end.

If you want fast results, store bought whitening products are probably the way to go, but if you want budget friendly and aren't concerned with time, go with home remedies.


The Key To Successful Home Treatments

The key to a successful home remedy is patience. For a lot of us, being patient is a skill that still needs to be worked on and that's okay, but just remember: nothing that is natural will work overnight. Most of the above remedies take weeks to make a difference big enough to be noticeable by people around you.