Whiten Teeth With Natural Methods - wikiHow

My homepage is iGoogle, and one of the items I have set up to show is 'How To of the Day' - todays' was a neat article on natural toothpastes/whiteners. Since it had a link to publish to my blog, I thought I'd do it. Enjoy!

How to Whiten Teeth With Natural Methods

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

Nobody likes yellowing teeth, yet nobody likes the expensive dentist bills that arrive with a brilliant new smile. However, money isn't everything; these methods are not only breaking the bank, they can damage your teeth, so stay natural and keep healthy.

Steps

The Charcoal Rub

1. Take a piece of Charcoal (a carbonaceous material obtained by heating wood) and rub against the yellowing tooth or teeth.
   
2. Rub gently for about 30 secs to 1 minute. Watch out not to brush your gums.
   
3. Wash off with water then brush with toothpaste as normal.
   
4. Do this every morning and evening
   

The Strawberry Method

1. Gather some strawberries and mash them up into a paste.
   
2. Apply the paste to your teeth using a soft, clean toothbrush or finger
   
3. Leave the paste on for 2-5 minutes
   
4. Wash it all off thoroughly, including the seeds.
   
5. Brush teeth with a fluoride toothpaste.
   

The Orange Peel Method

1. Peel an orange
   
2. Rub the inside (that's the paler bit with pith on it) of the orange peel all over your teeth
   
3. Brush teeth with a fluoride toothpaste
   

Hydrogen Peroxide

1. Purchase some hydrogen peroxide (chances are you may already have some in the house)
   
2. Pour a small amount onto a q-tip
   
3. Rub it all over your teeth, trying not to touch gums
   
4. Rinse mouth with clean water
   
5. Brush with fluoride toothpaste
   

Home-Made Toothpaste

1. Mix baking soda with hydrogen peroxide
   
2. Brush your teeth as normal with this paste once a week/fortnight
   
3. Rinse out well with clean water
   
4. Follow up with a good brand of mouthwash (Listerine, Sensodyne, etc)
   

Tips

• Stay away from tobacco products (cigarettes, etc)
  
• Rinse your mouth after drinking discoloring drinks such as coffee and after eating discoloring foods such as tomato sauce
  

Warnings

• Using these methods too often will damage the enamel on your teeth, and once your enamel is damaged it is almost irreversible. Try to use these methods once a week at the absolute most, less if you can.
  
• If these methods cause you bad pain, stop using them at once, although the hydrogen peroxide should sting a bit, that's normal.
  
• Try not to brush your teeth until at least ten minutes after meals, as it can be damaging to the enamel if you brush too soon.
  

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