Tips to make teeth white

[CoffeeCookie]

I use whitening toothpaste. Smoking also causes yellow teeth.

[Babalu]

Are the whitening strips safe to use? I have those and they taste icky and burn my gums. My teeth are kind of yellow from coffee and tea.

[olena99]

Toothpaste in your own home! All you need is baking soda, lemon juice, and salt. Just blend the three and mix it with your own toothpaste. Simply apply it to your teeth and rinse it afterward. You can also have some twist on it by adding strawberries. Strawberries have the characteristic of bleaching.

[Julie Rains]

I read about the strawberry and baking soda trick in Prevention magazine this week. It did warn though not to overdo the strawberry (and presumably lemon juice) thing b/c too much acid can erode tooth enamel.

[Babalu]

Originally Posted by Julie Rains

I read about the strawberry and baking soda trick in Prevention magazine this week. It did warn though not to overdo the strawberry (and presumably lemon juice) thing b/c too much acid can erode tooth enamel.

This is true, and you really have to watch the acid. I won't even chew vitamin C tablets because of the acid.

[lilac]

For a more frugal take on the whitening strips... I would recommend using Oral B Rembrandt strips they sell at Costco. A huge box costs the same as the small box of them at grocery/drugstores. My teeth were so white afterwards that even my dentist asked what I did differently. I have only used the one box (and even then gave a few of them to friends for them to try) and even after a year they have stayed imo pretty white.

[lillywilliam]

Brush your teeth twice a day dont smoke or have any drugs ... check your teeth with a doctor once in a month....

[amyschiff]

Originally Posted by lillywilliam

Brush your teeth twice a day dont smoke or have any drugs ... check your teeth with a doctor once in a month....

once a month is a nice idea, but in practice I think it would be hard to find the time and money for that many checkups

[KoolKarma]

Good tips for preventing stained/dingy teeth, but not sure they will help teeth already stained teeth. That's where whitening products treatments are recommended. Remember...as good as coffee and soft drinks (even diet) are...they stain our teeth!

[Babalu]

Here's a bit of useful tooth trivia: Cola drinks can actually corrode your teeth, so it's best to limit your consumption of them (they stain, too). Antibiotics can stain your teeth, and I think this what happened to me. My cousin, a dentist, said my tooth stains look like they're from antibiotics.