Whiten Your Teeth Naturally

There are few things that can make you feel better than seeing someone smile at you or sharing your own beautiful smile with someone else. A smile is an instant mood booster, but we often times don't feel confident about flashing our pearlies because they may not be as white as we'd like them to be. With the move towards "green" products and organic, chemical free living, natural tooth whitening is regaining it's popularity. While these remedies may take longer than laser whitening procedures, or chemical, over the counter whitening strips, the health benefits and inexpensiveness make the minimal extra wait worth the while.

Here are a few examples of tried and true natural tooth whitening tricks that won't harm your body or your pocketbook:

1. Remember to always brush and floss your teeth twice a day. Prevention of stains is the best way to keep your teeth healthy and white.

2. After drinking dark teas, coffee, sodas and red wine, rinse your mouth out with water. If you can, try drinking these liquids with a straw to prevent contact with your front teeth.

3. Eat plenty of crunchy fruits and vegetables like apples and carrots. The fibers and crunch factor in these fruits and veggies help scrub away stains and tartar.

4. Rub the inside of an orange peel across your teeth for a few minutes once a day. Follow up by brushing gently with your regular toothpaste and brush.

5. Strawberries are widely used to remove stains from teeth. Either mash a strawberry and use your toothbrush to spread the paste over your teeth, or use a raw strawberry slice and rub over teeth. Catherine Zeta-Jones swears by this trick!

6. Most of our grandmothers and great-grandmothers will tell us that they kept their teeth gleamingly white by using a simple paste made from baking soda and water. Brush this paste onto your teeth with your toothbrush or a strip of cheesecloth in a gentle circular motion. Since baking soda is abrasive, you don't want to brush too aggressively or too often because it could wear away your enamel. This is an effective whitening treatment but should be used in moderation.

7. Apple Cider Vinegar and White Vinegar are also popular in European countries for tooth whitening. Simply swish a solution of equal parts vinegar and water twice a day, or you can dip your toothbrush in the mixture and brush as usual.

8. Hydrogen Peroxide is an excellent antiseptic that can both kill bacteria in your mouth as well as help whiten your smile. Dilute the peroxide with water, and like with the vinegar, you can either swish it around your mouth for a few minutes or dip your toothbrush in it and brush. Avoid swallowing hydrogen peroxide, because while it can be used orally, it should not be ingested.

9. A rinse of lemon juice and salt is also commonly used for natural tooth whitening. Although this method is effective and very cleansing in general, it is suggested that you brush your teeth with paste and brush afterwards to get rid of the acidity left in your mouth by the lemon which can eat away at your enamel. If you have any mouth sores, this may not be a good way to go as lemon juice and salt could irritate your mouth and be quite painful.

10. If you prefer to find a natural remedy that you don't have to mix at home, try going to your local health food store or look on-line for natural tooth whitening products. Natural ingredients that you want to look for in these products that will effectively whiten your teeth include, bamboo powder, calcium carbonate and sodium chloride.

Natural tooth whitening is not only far more inexpensive than chemical whitening strips and procedures, but you can rest assured that they are better for your body as well. With whiter teeth, money in the bank and a healthy body, you'll have plenty of reasons to smile and show off your pearly whites!