There comes a moment in all of our lives when you have to go see a dentist near you. Why is that, you may ask? Well, it’s simply because we don’t spend as much time taking care of our oral hygiene as we should. We tend only to go to our dentist when things get bad. What usually happens is that we find blood while brushing our teeth or feel pain and discomfort.
The good thing is that we can prevent all of that by simply improving our oral hygiene. Brushing your teeth after every meal isn’t very difficult, but we tend to forget or give in to laziness.
All of that is good, but even people who take dental hygiene seriously eventually may have to go to their dentists. The problem here is more esthetic than anything else – people’s teeth have lost their glorious whiteness! Well, worry not because this article will give you some teeth whitening basics!
Why do our teeth get yellow?
There is much more to the story than the average response that your mom will give you – “you didn’t brush your teeth when I told you to!”Your teeth can lose their whiteness at any point in your life. Genetics have a lot to do with yellowing; however, there are steps you can take to prevent yellowing and keep your teeth healthy.
Teeth are made of several different tissues, but enamel, the hard, outer layer of teeth, is what yellows over time. Enamel is responsible for the color of your teeth. Some foods and drinks can temporarily stain the enamel. Over time, if nothing is done to protect your enamel, it will degrade, causing your teeth to turn yellow. That can cause greater problems later and severely damage your tooth.
Home whitening is any effective strategy that you can use. Here are several ways to whiten your teeth at home:
- Lemon Juice + Baking Soda
Baking soda alone is fantastic news for your teeth. You can simply rub your teeth with baking soda, keep it like that for a few minutes, and then wash away. Baking soda is very alkaline, which will take care of bacteria in your mouth and freshen your breath. Many toothpastes contain baking soda, and homemade toothpaste can be made from baking soda.
For full whitening treatment, create a paste by mixing three (or more) spoons of baking soda with a cup of lemon juice. Use the mixture as a normal paste and leave it on your teeth for 1 – 2 minutes and then rinse.
- Salt + Baking Soda + Strawberries
We are using strawberries here because they are rich with Vitamin C, which tackles the very reason your teeth are turning yellow. All that you need for this mixture is 2 strawberries, a pinch of salt and ½ spoon of baking soda. Simply mash the strawberries and add the remaining ingredients onto them. Again, mash into a paste and leave on teeth for 1-2 minutes.
The best time to try these out is right before bed time, when you won’t be eating anymore. Waiting until before bed gives the treatment plenty of time to work before you eat or drink other substances which may be harmful or interfere with the effects of the baking soda or Vitamin C.
Over the counter whitening strips are also available from a variety of brands.
You can try home remedies but your best option is to go to your dentist and ask him for advice. He might offer you UV whitening or clinical whitening strips. Some of these methods have risks to them, but the risks are temporary. All in all, home whitening is what you should try first. The key is to be patient! It won’t happen overnight. Taking a picture before you start and again at a predetermined date can help track results and see which treatments work best.