A Teenager's Guide to Braces

Many people suffer from discolored teeth. Yellow teeth can affect your confidence as you laugh, smile or interact in social settings. Still, there are many different ways to whiten your teeth. Professional in-office treatments are available. In addition, over-the-counter whitening kits can be purchased at most area drugstores. Nevertheless, there are also natural ways to whiten the teeth. Here are a few of them:

Charcoal

You can use activated charcoal as a whitening toothpaste. To use the black powder, simply dip the moist bristles of your brush into it and brush your teeth in the normal manner. After rinsing your mouth thoroughly, you can use your regular toothpaste.

Although the teeth appear black as you are brushing with activated charcoal, the substance absorbs impurities from the mouth and helps remove surface stains from the tooth enamel to help whiten the teeth.

Turmeric

Turmeric is the yellow Indian spice that is included in many popular dishes, such as curry. Although the spice is quite staining to clothing, skin and even bathroom countertops, it can be used to brighten teeth.

To use turmeric as a teeth whitener,  apply the powder directly to the wet bristles of your brush. Brush as you typically would, and be sure not to neglect the tongue. You may notice that the soft tissues of your mouth take on a slightly yellow appearance for a short period after applying turmeric. However, the tooth enamel will look brighter.

Turmeric contains a compound called curcumin, which is anti-inflammatory and antibacterial. Thus, brushing with the spice also helps soothe the gums and prevent the build up of plaque, which also can cause the teeth to the yellowed.

Olive Oil

Olive oil can be used during a practiced called oil pulling. Oil pulling involves the placing of about a tablespoon of oil in the mouth and moving it about in the same manner that you would swish with a traditional mouthwash. As the oil touches the various surfaces inside the mouth, it traps oral bacteria that can cause the formation of yellowing plaque. The oil also helps to dissolve oil-based stains that may discolor tooth enamel.

You can continue to swish with the oil until you feel to the need to release it into a garbage receptacle. More and more bacteria is trapped in the oil as you swish. Thus, it is advisable to keep the oil in the mouth as long as possible.

If your teeth are deeply stained, they may not respond quickly to natural whitening products. Contact a dental office like Niantic Dental Associates P C in your area to schedule an appointment to learn the most effective whitening methods for your teeth.