If you would like whiter teeth but do not want to commit to a commercial product at this time, you may be able to improve the whiteness of your teeth by adding a few new habits to your oral health regimen, such as the following:
Water Rinse after Coffee, Tea, and Dark Foods
If you enjoy foods and drinks with dark pigments, such as coffee, tea, and raspberries, you can help prevent the substances from staining your teeth by simply rinsing your mouth with water after indulging. Your tooth enamel is porous and absorbs pigments form the items you place in your mouth. Over time, these substances can build up and cause your teeth to look yellow.
Upon ingesting a deeply colored food or drink, your teeth absorb more pigments the longer the substances are allowed to remain in your mouth. When you rinse with water immediately after you eat or drink a dark substance, the pigments are diluted and rinsed away.
Chew Gum that Whitens
Whitening gum has special whitening ingredients, such as malic acid and baking soda, that help remove stains that may have recently developed. Malic acid, which is naturally present in strawberries and vinegar, works by dissolving dark pigments to make it easier to remove them through regular brushing. Baking soda, like titanium dioxide and other abrasive whiteners, helps gently scrub stains away.
For best results, the gum should be chewed immediately following meals and snacks. In addition, it should be chewed after drinking dark liquids, such as coffee.
Rinse with a Peroxide Solution after Brushing
After you brush your teeth, rinse your mouth with a peroxide solution. Hydrogen peroxide is a natural bleaching agent and can progressively whiten your teeth by bleaching away discoloration. As an added benefit, peroxide helps kill germs in your mouth that promote bad breath and tooth decay.
To make your own peroxide solution, mix 3-percent hydrogen peroxide with an equal amount of water. However, if you prefer to purchase a commercially prepared mouth rinse, look for hydrogen peroxide among the ingredients of store-bought rinses. Many mouthwashes that contain peroxide will be in an opaque or dark-colored container to prevent the exposure of the mouthwash to large amounts of light, as light can cause hydrogen peroxide to degrade into oxygen and water more quickly.
To learn about your teeth whitening options, schedule an appointment with a dentist in your local area.
