5th March 2024
8 at-home teeth whitening solutions
A bright white smile is a staple beauty standard these days, but many factors can cause teeth to stain, such as consuming pigmented foods and drinks that discolour the enamel. This leaves many people unhappy with the way their smile looks.
It’s no wonder that lots of people look for quick techniques to whiten their teeth at home so that they can brighten their smiles as easily as possible – but which at-home teeth whitening techniques actually work and are safe to use?
Here are some of the most popular methods for whitening teeth at home, including tips for preventing further discolouration and an explanation of the safest and most effective option, offering the best way to whiten your teeth from the comfort of your home.
1) Baking soda
One of the most popular home remedies for teeth whitening is baking soda. Also known as sodium bicarbonate, this is a mild abrasive that can help scrub surface stains away, and it is an alkaline compound that can reduce bad bacteria in the mouth. However it can damage the enamel which may cause the teeth to become more sensitive than they should be to hot or cold temperatures, and it can also make brushing your teeth by itself painful. Damage to the enamel can also make the teeth more likely to attract cavities.
You can make your own baking soda toothpaste simply by mixing a couple of teaspoons of the powder with water and brushing your teeth with it, just like you would brush with regular toothpaste – but remember to rinse your mouth afterwards.
2) Fruits and vegetables
Including lots of fruits and vegetables in your diet is not only good for your overall health, but specifically your dental health, too. Chewing crunchy raw produce like apples and celery can help to rub away plaque and dissolve stains by increasing saliva.
Additionally, it’s believed that rubbing mineral-rich fruit peels on teeth – like banana, orange, or lemon peels – can help to break down stains and strengthen enamel. However, there is strong evidence against using other kinds of fruits for teeth whitening. As reported by the British Society for Periodontology and Implant Dentistry, citrus fruits like lemons and oranges contain acids that attack the enamel and can irreversibly erode teeth.
3) Vaseline
According to many people, Vaseline and toothpaste can help to keep your teeth clean and white. This involves brushing your teeth thoroughly and then applying a thin layer of Vaseline (or any brand of petroleum jelly) on the exposed surfaces of your teeth.
This protective layer is believed to shield your teeth from stains caused by drinking coffee, tea, or wine or from consuming pigmented foods. If you wear makeup, it can also prevent lipstick from getting on your teeth and causing temporary stains.
4) Sugar-free gum
Chewing gum can help to reduce stain-causing food debris and bacteria from building up by increasing saliva production in the mouth – but it’s crucial to only chew non-acidic sugarless gum, like xylitol chewing gum, or it could have the opposite effect.
Xylitol is a natural sugar-free sweetener that can inhibit bacterial growth in the mouth and promote enamel remineralisation. While it doesn’t actively whiten teeth, it helps to prevent discolouration and tooth decay with a smoother, cleaner surface.
5) Electric toothbrush
Have you thought about how changing your toothbrush to clean your teeth could make your teeth whiter? Switching from a manual to an electric toothbrush can result in much cleaner and, therefore, much whiter teeth due to improved bacteria removal.
Electric toothbrushes rotate and vibrate, so they can clean teeth far more thoroughly to prevent plaque from building up and discolouring teeth, helping to reduce surface staining. This can be especially effective when paired with a whitening toothpaste.
6) Whitening toothpaste
One of the easiest ways to whiten your teeth at home is by swapping your standard toothpaste for whitening toothpaste. While this is specifically designed to make teeth whiter, it usually doesn’t contain active bleaching agents but mild abrasives.
Whitening toothpastes typically contain abrasives like zirconium silicate, calcium carbonate, sodium metaphosphate, or calcium pyrophosphate, which break down surface stains. Some may contain activated charcoal or even baking soda.
7) Whitening strips
Interest in teeth whitening strips has grown in recent years, with kits containing flexible plastic strips coated with whitening gel sold online and in some pharmacies. These disposable strips are supposed to whiten teeth quickly at home.
However, due to health and safety regulations in the UK, they often do not include enough whitening agents to bleach the teeth. Even if they do, the imperfect fit can cause uneven results and irritate the gums and mouth.
8) Whitening trays
You might think that professional teeth whitening at a dental clinic involves in-chair laser whitening only. However, dentists also provide at-home teeth whitening kits for patients to safely whiten their teeth at home with special regulated products.
Unlike online or over-the-counter whitening trays, which come with the same risks and poor results as whitening strips, custom-fitted whitening trays from a dentist will match your teeth perfectly and ensure a consistent and effective result within a few weeks.
What’s the best way to whiten your teeth at home?
Unfortunately, many ‘natural’ at-home remedies for whitening teeth are not scientifically proven to work, and even those that are – such as whitening toothpastes and electric toothbrushes – can only do so much if teeth are badly discoloured.
The best way to whiten teeth quickly with significant results is to visit a private dentist for a professional teeth whitening kit. These contain a stronger yet safe concentration of whitening agents to lift discolouration by several shades.
How this works is that you’ll first visit the dentist to have impressions taken of your teeth, which are used to create your custom mouthguard trays. These are then provided with a concentrated whitening gel, depending on how much lighter you want to go.
When you go to a regulated dentist, you can be confident that the product is safe to use as directed and should see excellent results within a couple of weeks. The best part is you can keep your kit to whiten your teeth again whenever they need a top-up.
Boutique and Enlighten teeth whitening
Here at Dental Solutions, we offer two types of at-home teeth whitening treatments to our patients in Warrington and beyond.
Boutique teeth whitening uses a premium high-strength formula that breaks down surface stains and penetrates the tooth to whiten more layers. The pH-neutral gel reduces sensitivity, hydrates teeth, and avoids saliva washout.
It’s easy to fit whitening your teeth at home into your daily lifestyle, as you have the choice of wearing your trays for 1 hour a day with Boutique By Day or whitening your teeth while you sleep with Boutique By Night.
Enlighten teeth whitening takes a few weeks to reach a long-lasting final result, but it’s the only whitening treatment that guarantees the ability to achieve the lightest shade on the market (Vita B1) by penetrating the enamel without damaging it.
This system combines two weeks of wearing whitening trays with carbamide peroxide gel each night with an in-clinic whitening procedure at the end. It typically takes around 40 minutes to lighten your teeth to their bright new shade.
Everyone’s teeth are unique, so you should book a consultation for advice on which whitening method would be best for you and which results would be possible.
To discuss our at-home teeth whitening options and fees or to book your initial consultation, please call our practice on 01925 756 565 or fill out our contact form.
