There are countless beauty related tips and DIY tricks floating around on the world wide web, all promising to offer a solution to whatever beauty problem you can think of. At Amazingy, we’re trying to get to the bottom of one of those beauty secrets every month. Our mission is to try to find a good anwser to the question: Will this really help? Some home remedies are a great replacement to overpriced beauty products, while others can do much more harm than good. We’re here to tell you which is which!

Rumor has it that “whitening” toothpaste might do your teeth more harm than good. The cleaning particles included are said to be too aggressive, not only brushing stains away from your teeth, but also eating away at the enamel that is there to protect them…

Many recommend trying home remedies instead of (semi) professional bleaching. These homemade solutions can be detrimental, however, and can include baking soda, lemon juice, or strawberry puree. These agents don’t necessarily bleach your teeth but, instead, scrub them (either by the rubbing motion or the fruit acids), thereby removing the natural protective layer of the tooth. In the worst-case scenario, they can even expose the tooth’s dentin, which has a naturally yellowish color, leaving your teeth not only yellow, but also damaged.

The old housewife tip ‘baking soda for whiter teeth’ is technically correct, seeing as it removes yellow plaque from the teeth. But it does so by harsh abrasion. Which is exactly how toothpastes with cleaning/whitening particles work. Honestly, baking powder, salt, wood ashes – which all taste rather disgusting, are not necessarily a better alternative to your generic tooth paste.

To noticeably whiten your teeth, the only “safe” option is to have it done by a dentist, which can be costly. Others opt for less expensive drugstore products. In either case, hydrogen peroxide is used. That’s the same stuff you might use to bleach your hair before dying it a different color. It’s an aggressive, unsafe chemical, to say the least.

Keep it natural

The only natural method that has a tooth-whitening effect without damaging the enamel or dentin, is oil pulling. The Ayurvedic oil treatment can take some getting used to. The idea is to swish a tablespoon of oil around in your mouth for at least 15 minutes on a daily basis before brushing your teeth. The most suitable oil do to this with is coconut oil, not only because of its antimicrobial properties, ability to kill bacteria, viruses and fungi, but also because it is said to whiten teeth.

Other options could be olive oil or sunflower oil. How does it work? The oil, particularly oil with naturally antibacterial properties, binds to the biofilm or plaque on the teeth and subsequently reduces the amount of bacteria in the mouth. Make sure to brush your teeth afterwards in order to remove all remaining bacteria.

Causes for yellow teeth are, of course, the usual suspects: coffee, tea, red wine, and tobacco. What helps to prevent staining, is rinsing your mouth and teeth after drinking coffee or tea with water. Warning! Do not brush your teeth directly after having these beverages, but wait around 20-30 minutes. The reason: eating or drinking acidic things or anything containing sugar has been found to soften the enamel on your teeth. If you start brushing straight away, you’ll end up damaging your teeth.

Some of us naturally have more yellowish teeth. A little trick is to cheat the optics with vibrant lipstick: all reddish shades make the teeth appear whiter.

Source:

http://www.zaehnebleichen.biz/zaehne-natuerlich-aufhellen/

*English translation by Csilla Liptai