Categories: Beauty

Whiten Your Teeth the Simple, Natural, Inexpensive Way!

The very cheapest and easiest way to whiten your teeth over time is to rinse your mouth twice daily with full-strength 3% hydrogen peroxide! Yes, that’s right–the clear, bubbly liquid in the brown plastic bottle that we immediately run for when we or our children have the misfortune of suffering cuts, scrapes, or scratches while trying to do other, more interesting things! Hydrogen peroxide can definitely be considered a “double-duty” addition to the family medicine cabinet!

Aside from its long-recognized value as a first aid antiseptic, hydrogen peroxide is a safe and effective mouthwash. (Check the fine print on the label. It will generally tell you that peroxide may be used full strength as a mouthwash and gargle. Unfortunately, though, the majority of us never reap the benefits of using it this way.) Yet that doesn’t change the fact that peroxide is a highly effective method for whitening teeth. With regular use, over time you’ll actually see your teeth becoming whiter and whiter, rather than darkening (as they usually do with time). The change will be gradual–rather than dramatic and instantaneous–but you will later look back and realize with amazement just how much of an improvement this almost-magical liquid has made to your appearance!

The best way to embark on your natural tooth-whitening regimen is to take a capful of peroxide, pour it into your mouth, and swish it around for about a minute or so; then spit it out and wait perhaps another minute before rinsing your mouth with water. This can be a bit tough to do at first, but hang in there! After the first few weeks, you’ll become used to it and it will be a breeze! If you absolutely can’t handle it straight at first, try mixing it half-and-half with water, and gradually build up to the “real thing.” (You might experience a bit of tooth sensitivity at first, but this usually doesn’t last.)

You can also pour a little peroxide over the toothpaste–or gel–on your toothbrush before brushing to get that extra bit of whitening power. (When you’re through, rinse your toothbrush with water and pour a little more peroxide over it to give it a thorough cleaning and disinfecting, let it work for a minute or two, and then rinse. This will help you get the most out of your toothbrush, letting you use it far longer than you normally would and therefore saving you money–an added benefit of making peroxide a part of your oral hygiene program.)

This technique may seem a bit eccentric, but in time your teeth will be so much whiter than they were before you started using peroxide that you’ll wonder why you didn’t hear about this quick, easy, natural, and very inexpensive method sooner! Even without professional dental cleanings, your teeth will look their best! (This is not, however, intended to discourage professional cleanings or put your dentist or hygienist out of work! Despite the fact that peroxide will dramatically whiten your teeth over time, and also prevent plaque buildup, it will not remove currently existing plaque which has already hardened. For that, you’ll need a professional cleaning/scaling.)

However, if you’re plagued by the unsightly problem of plaque buildup that’s become stained from drinking coffee or tea–or if your teeth have become stained or yellowed from either of these beverages, from other foods or drinks, or from smoking–and it will be some time before your next dental cleaning, you’ll certainly benefit, if during the interim, you use 3% peroxide as a mouthwash twice a day. If desired, you may use it even more often, which will speed up the whitening process that much more. The existing stains will gradually lighten as you continue your daily regimen, though the plaque itself will remain until professionally removed. If you don’t currently have this problem, it can be easily prevented and your teeth can continue to look their best between professional cleanings, by incorporating hydrogen peroxide into your daily tooth care regimen.