A friend asked me about teeth whitening tips. Here was my answer:
The fastest way is probably to hunt around for a
dentist who does laser whitening treatments. I'm not sure how much they
cost, but they are usually on the expensive side. You'll have to sit
in a chair with your mouth wide open for about an hour as well.
You
can also try
teeth whitening pens. I like them better than the trays because you have more control over how much and
where the chemicals go.
You can also try oil pulling with coconut
oil. You basically swish coconut oil around your mouth for about 20
minutes at a time. Then spit it out. You may need to do this a lot to
see results. (multiple times per day) Don't use any other oil. some
people recommend other oils, but some of them are really not good for
this purpose - nor for overall oral health.
it would be of great
benefit to avoid coffee, cigarettes and all sodas. Eat more fibrous
vegetables like celery and carrots as well.
You can also chew
xylitol gum. This is beneficial for oral health as well. The gum must
be sweetened with 100% xylitol (no other sugars) There should be a
minimum of .71 grams per xylitol in each piece of gum. 6-10 pieces per
day.
use a pH balanced mouthwash and toothpaste like Closys or
Therabreath to help neutralize acidity of the mouth.
Giving up coffee will make a big dent in the problem as well. coffee stains
and the acid of coffee directly attacks tooth enamel - it is about as
bad as all the acidic soda and energy drinks. Tea has a higher pH
but stay away from black tea. (high tannin levels can stain as well)
Green tea or white tea is better. You can also have some staining
from green tea, but it won't be anything like coffee, colas or black
teas. Blueberries are also known to do a lot of staining.
Stay
away from the gimmicks that people talk about like lemon juice or
rubbing strawberries on the teeth. They can damage your enamel and
ultimately leave the teeth more stained and in a worse way. Lemon
juice is particularly bad, don't ever do that. It can cause a whole
bunch of problems.
Well, I hope that helps. If you have any
questions, let me know.
Also, I am NOT a dentist, just so you know.