How to Naturally Whiten Your Teeth Without Spending 100's of Dollars

Sarah Essex

Ever wish your teeth could be just a little bit whiter? Not crazy, glow-in-the-dark white, but a nice shade of clean, bright white - but without all the harsh chemicals? We hear ya!

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Whitened teeth often come with messy trays, stinging solutions and awful formulas you’re really not supposed to swallow (but it’s going in your mouth!!), and the thought of using them has you feeling like you might just settle for a nice shade of pale yellow. Not to mention the cost! Professional teeth whitening can run you a small fortune!

We suggest you do what you can at home, in a safe, inexpensive and gentle manner. Here are three DIY teeth whiteners to get you on your way to pearly whites.

Strawberries

The malic acid in strawberries acts as an all-natural stain lifter for your teeth. We recommend doing this once a week, as overdoing it can wear away your enamel.

Materials:

  • Fresh Strawberries

Tools:

  • Fork, or muddler

  • Toothbrush

Instructions:

1. Mash up strawberries into a paste.

2. Apply the paste to your teeth and let it sit for a few minutes, giving the malic acid time to work.

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3. Brush teeth with strawberries.

4. Rinse.

Baking Soda and Hydrogen Peroxide

It seems there’s nothing this power couple can’t accomplish. Add bright, white teeth to the list!

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Materials:

  • Baking Soda

  • Hydrogen Peroxide

Tools:

  • Toothbrush

Instructions:

1. Mix equal parts of baking soda and hydrogen peroxide.

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2. Brush your teeth with the solution, you can add more peroxide if the paste becomes too thick.

3. Rinse well.

Related on Yahoo Makers: DIY Teeth Whitening vs. Professional Treatments

Coconut Oil Pulling

Coconut oil pulling has been around for ages, but has come back on trend in the last few years. It may sound strange, but once you get used to having a big spoonful of oil swimming around in your mouth, you’ll notice your oral health improve dramatically.

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Materials:

  • Coconut oil

Tools:

  • Toothbrush

  • Spoon

Instructions:

1. Take a spoonful of coconut oil and place it in your mouth. Swish the oil forcefully around your mouth for at least 5 minutes (ideally up to 20 ). If you do this while you are showering, getting dressed, etc. the time goes by quickly.

2. Spit out the oil into the garbage (don’t spit in sink, it may clog your pipes.)

3. Rinse with warm water.

4. Brush teeth.

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