5 Natural Ways To Keep Your Teeth Pearly White

A bright white smile makes us look younger, fresher and healthier — some evidence even shows that it makes us appear more successful! Forget expensive whitening treatments and fiddly bleaching strips — switch on your full beam smile with these home-remedy tips!

Soda White!
For a touch of late-night beautifying, try brushing baking soda over your teeth right before bed. Leave on for 5 minutes or so then rinse thoroughly. This is an ideal twilight treatment as normally you’d need to wait sometime before you could eat or drink afterward. Use this whitening wonder only once a week — any more and you may risk stripping your delicate tooth enamel.

Get Oil Pulling
Ok so this may sound a little odd (and perhaps a tad violent) but oil pulling may be your answer to a mega-watt – and way healthier – smile. This ancient technique is simple and very gentle — you swish your mouth with high-quality oil such as pure extra virgin coconut oil — upon waking and before you brush your teeth. It is designed to ‘pull’ or magnetise bacteria and toxins from your teeth and gums which can cause discolouration (as well as a long list of illnesses and diseases…) Just two weeks of daily oil pulling can amp up your smile, strengthen your immune system, purify your skin and clear your sinuses! Pow!

Apple Cider Vinegar
This health tonic is a dab hand at removing stains on your teeth, especially those footprints left behind by coffee and nicotine. Many swear by apple cider vinegar’s professional whitening effects, but you need to be consistent and use it to brush every day. After brushing with ACV, use your regular (preferably non-flouride) toothpaste for a quick clean then rinse thoroughly to remove the acid residue that can strip enamel.

Charcoal Rub
Pure pieces of charcoal are thought to help illuminate your smile! Simply rub gently for up to a minute, avoiding the sensitive gum area. Wash off with water and brush your teeth as normal. Try this a couple of times a week for best results.

And…Strawberries!
This craze was recently sparked by Hollywood royalty who credited her sparkling white smile to smearing her teeth with strawberries! Apparently mashing up a few of these juicy berries and gently rubbing the mixture against your teeth can give you professional results almost instantly. Not much evidence exists with this one, but many people swear by it. Do ensure that you rinse well afterwards.

A final note… If you smoke – quit. Like now… The yellowing effects on your teeth are frankly the least of your worries. Always brush your teeth after meals, drink plenty of water and floss daily.