It may be tempting to use tooth whitening strips or trays, but research is starting to show that the active ingredients can penetrate both the tooth enamel and dentin layers. It is thought that the whitening ingredients, hydrogen peroxide and carbamide peroxide, break down the collagen in the dentin which affects tooth health. The body can replenish the collagen in the dentin, but it can take weeks or months. Here are some ways you can keep your teeth white naturally.
Naturally Whitening Toothpaste
There are natural ingredients that bind to stains, allowing them to be removed when rinsing after brushing. Activated charcoal is probably the most well known for doing this. It has been used for teeth brushing since the ancient Roman times. There are both pastes and powders that contain activated charcoal, an essential oil, and very little else. The potential downside of charcoal is that it is abrasive, so some recommend not using it every day.
Other healthy natural toothpaste ingredients include silica, hydroxyapatite, calcium carbonate, and perlite. These ingredients provide mild abrasion to remove stains and give you naturally white teeth. Harmful ingredients to avoid in your toothpaste include flouride, SLS, parabens, pthalates, mineral oil, synthetic perfumes or dyes, and artificial, color, flavors, or preservatives.
Minimize Acidic Drinks
Drinks that are acidic can stain and damage teeth. This includes wine, coffee, tea, cola, and energy drinks. Some ways to minimize their impact on your teeth is to drink them over shorter periods of time versus sipping on them all day. When you are done drinking them, rinse your mouth with water to remove the remaining acids. Lastly, don’t brush your teeth with any acids in your mouth, so wait 30-45 minutes before brushing.
Oil Pulling
Oil pulling is the ancient Auyervedic practice of swishing an oil, usually coconut oil, in the mouth for 10 – 20 minutes. The oil attracts fat soluble toxins and deters bad bacteria and plaque. Other benefits of oil pulling include boosting the immune system, reducing inflammation, and whitening your teeth naturally. To start, swish about a tablespoon of coconut oil in your mouth. As you do this, the enzymes in your mouth break down the oil and fully activates it. After swishing for 10 – 20 minutes, spit the liquid from your mouth into the trash so that you don’t clog your drains. If you’d like, you can use a mix of sesame oil and coconut oil, as this is what was often used in ancient times. You can also try adding a little turmeric and/or food grade essential oil to reap additional benefits. Follow oil pulling by brushing your teeth as normal. It is generally recommended that this be done 3 times a week.
Brush Properly
Turns out that actual brushing of the teeth is a fairly modern phenomenon. The rise in popularity of teeth brushing occurred in the 1940s, around the same time dietary carbohydrates, sugar and processed foods became widely available. Before that, it was common to chew on bark or sticks. The key to keeping your teeth white naturally and healthy is to replace your soft bristle toothbrush often and to brush gently in a circular motion. This is because the nylon bristles in most toothbrushes become harder as they age and a back and forth see-saw motion can actually damage the teeth and gums. Think of brushing your teeth more as massaging your teeth. It’s best to wait 40 to 50 minutes after you eat to brush or you risk pulling off bits of enamel off due to the acids in the food/drink you consumed.
Stay Hydrated
Your teeth can become dehydrated like any other part of the body. Some doctors feel that this is the leading cause of tooth discoloration. Breathing through your nose and sleeping with you mouth shut can go a long ways to keeping your teeth hydrated. Your teeth are alive and their composition is dependent on the quality of foods you consume and how well hydrated you are.
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