Who wants a smile that reveals stained or yellow teeth? The one thing you must feel free to show off is your smile, so you better do something about it if you’re in trouble!
Coffee, tea, tobacco, colas, red wine and certain antibiotics can stain the teeth (in particular the antibiotics tetracycline and doxycycline are known to discolor teeth when given to children before the age of 8, when their teeth are still developing).
A way to prevent your teeth from getting stained is to brush them immediately after drinking one of the above or smoking.
Before you decide to go the dentist to whiten already stained teeth, you may want to try some of the natural remedies listed below.
1. Baking soda & lemon juice
Baking soda will help brighten your smile! You may have noticed that many toothpastes designated for whitening your teeth contain baking soda. This is an easy remedy that really works! Mix baking soda and lemon juice into a paste. Brush the paste onto your teeth with a toothbrush, wait a minute, then brush thoroughly to remove. The baking soda, or sodium bicarbonate, will help remove surface stains from your tooth enamel while the citric acid in the lemon juice has a bleaching effect.
Important note: This whitening method can be abrasive, which means it may damage your tooth's enamel if you aren't careful. Apply on your teeth no more than once a week, and don't let the mixture sit on your teeth for more than one minute at a time.
2. Baking soda, salt & water
If you have sensitive teeth and gums, you may just add a small amount of baking soda to your regular toothpaste or it can be mixed with salt and a little bit of water to form a paste and do its stain-removing trick. Again don’t leave it for too long and don’t repeat it too often.
3. Lemon Juice & salt
You can get similar results swapping the baking soda with a paste made with lemon juice and salt. Again be sure to rinse well after applying that.
4. Vinegar & water
Mix some water and vinegar (I prefer apple cider vinegar), keeping the quantity of vinegar lower. Stir for 2 to 3 seconds until both of them mix well. Rinse your mouth with the solution for positive results!
5. Strawberries
Strawberries can be very helpful in whitening your teeth. The vitamin C they contain will help whisk away plaque build-up, while the malic acid, a natural astringent in the berries, will help to remove surface stains on teeth.
Just crush strawberries into a pulp and apply that to your teeth with a toothbrush. Let it sit for five minutes and then rinse your mouth well with water.
6. Sesame oil
It seems to work for some people and it’s definitely safe! Take a tablespoon or two of sesame oil in your mouth. Gargle it thoroughly in the entire mouth for 15-20 minutes. Make sure you cover every part of your mouth as you 'swish and swirl' the oil.
Keep gargling throughout the process(you may need to rest in between), but make sure you don't let the oil go down your throat.
Once you are done, spit it out, and if you have done it right, you will notice that the oil has become whitish in color.
Wash your mouth thoroughly with warm water.
The best time to do it is early in the morning, after brushing, when you're still on an empty stomach. This method (when done first thing in the morning)
will also help to remove toxins from your body!
7. Olive oil
Rub some virgin olive oil on your teeth after brushing. Repeat regularly.
8. Clove oil
Clove oil is very beneficial for your oral health and it has been used in dentistry for over a century. It’s a great pain killer (even for babies when growing teeth) and it is also used for teeth whitening. Rub a small quantity on your teeth after brushing.
Important note: Clove oil can be toxic in large amounts, so be cautious of the amount you are using at a time.
9. Chewing crunchy raw fruit and vegetable
Foods that are high in cellulose--a strong starchlike compound found in celery, carrots, and apples--act as natural abrasives, cleansing teeth and removing surface stains naturally. In addition to that, greens such as spinach, broccoli, and lettuce contain mineral compounds that form a film over the teeth, so pigments from other foods can't stain.
10. Banana peel
This method may take a couple days to see any results.
Take a banana peel cut a small piece of it and rub the white inside part on your teeth. Leave it on for no more than 15 minutes, twice a day. The minerals inside the peel such as potassium and bromine will naturally whiten your teeth!
11. Bay leaves & orange peel powder
A mixture of dried bay leaves and orange peel is one of the best remedies for teeth discoloration! Grind dried bay leaves and orange peel (it’s best to use organic oranges) until powdered. Apply the powder to your toothbrush and brush your teeth with it.
12. Cheese and yogurt
Eating cheese after a meal may help prevent cavities and may promote enamel remineralization. It's the casein, a milk protein, that's in cheese (and milk and yogurt) along with calcium and phosphate that are at work here, making enamel stronger.
Enamel is the outermost layer of a tooth, and it protects the layer called dentin. While enamel can become stained, it's the dentin that determines the color of your tooth. Eating things or using products that replenish calcium and phosphate is important to keeping enamel strong and healthy. While there are at-home remedies for removing stains from enamel, only your dentist can help with dentin discoloration. Keep enamel strong and keep your smile bright!
Dairy products made of goat milk are easier to digest.
Resources:
http://health.howstuffworks.com
http://www.intelligentdental.com
http://www.guardian.co.uk
http://www.visitgreece.gr
http://www.dooyoo.co.uk
http://missolive.hubpages.com
http://greencleaning.about.com
Here are a few more natural cold relief remedies that I came across. I hope they will help those of you in need!
Hemp seeds are one of the only plant-based complete proteins. They contain all eight essential amino acids, those that your body cannot make and must be ingested. The protein provided by shelled hemp seeds is proportional to both egg whites and soy beans with higher levels of arginine and histidine. It is easily digested and is often used to treat malnourishment.
Hemp seeds are also a great source of polyunsaturated fat as well as essential fatty acids. Omega 3 and Omega 6 and contain a high level of antioxidant tocopherols. In addition, they contain adequate levels of vitamins B1 and B2 and are a good source of phosphorous, potassium, magnesium, calcium, iron, sodium, manganese, zinc and copper.
As a part of a daily diet, hemp seeds are also associated withlowering colesterol levels and reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes.
You may add them in your salads, just like flaxseeds, but I would suggest you to try hemp milk, which you may drink plain, add it in smoothies or mix it with some oats and nuts just like I did this morning!!
So here is the recipe:
1/2 cup shelled hemp seeds, soaked overnight in 1/2 cup mineral water
1 1/2 cups mIneral water
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup
1 teaspoon coconut oil
1/4 teaspoon vanilla or cinnamon (optional)
Put the hemp seeds with their water in a blender and add the rest of your ingredients as well. Blend really well and strain using a very fine sieve, or a nut milk bag (or just a piece of voile or cheesecloth).
This morning I had it with some oat flakes, walnuts, goji berries and cranberries and added some cinnamon on top... it was delicious!!!
Resources:
http://www.livestrong.com/article/217904-hemp-seeds-health-benefits-or-hype/#ixzz2MeCVnL2A
Photo1:
http://www.bellebijouxaustralia.com
