We all want a whiter and brighter smile, but we don’t always want to part with large sums of money to achieve this. Instead of heading down the professional teeth whitening route, some patients will look for natural solutions to dental discolouration.

There’s no shortage of natural remedies available online that promise to make your teeth whiter than ever before, but not all of these remedies are effective, and some can even cause damage to your teeth.

In this guide, we’re looking at some of the most popular natural teeth whitening methods and asking questions about how effective and safe they are. We’ll also look at how these methods compare to dentist-led teeth whitening.

Does natural teeth whitening work?

Most people dream of having a dazzling white smile, but not everyone is born with a naturally white smile. And even those who do have a naturally white smile might struggle to keep it that way. It's not just down to brushing your teeth every day – although this is recommended to keep your smile healthy.

It is a well-known fact that all foods and drinks that enter our mouth and come in contact with our teeth will impact the colour of the teeth and overall oral health.

While substances like wine, coffee and certain fruits can leave behind a dark stain, other substances may be milder, and they may be responsible for causing yellowing of teeth. Nevertheless, both take you further away from your mission of getting a dazzling set of pearly whites.

What is the solution for dental discolouration?

When asked this question, many people would generally give answers such as going to the dentist, getting a professional teeth whitening process conducted, and so on.

But some people will swear by their natural teeth whitening methods, either because they don’t want to pay dentist prices, or they want to achieve whiter teeth without resorting to chemicals.

Having one's teeth whitened the natural way is pretty convenient because you can try out these solutions from the comfort of your own home. Moreover, you can engage in them as many times as you want because many side effects do not accompany them.

However, there are questions about whether these methods are safe to try and if they might cause damage to your teeth.

Is natural teeth whitening effective?

Many of these teeth whitening methods are much less invasive than professional teeth whitening. Moreover, these are also a lot cheaper than professional teeth whitening services. On the downside, these solutions are unlikely to produce stunning results the first time. These methods will only be effective for removing surface stains, not for removing deep-set stains.

Repeated applications are required to achieve the maximum effect. Because of the benefits of these natural teeth whitening solutions or techniques, people do not mind that they need to carry out these processes several times before seeing satisfactory results.

If you are self-conscious about your smile, you might be curious about what options are available to you other than professional teeth whitening.

Thankfully, natural teeth whitening solutions can save the day. They can be practised with good oral hygiene to get brighter and whiter teeth, which automatically make your smile more appealing.

Dealing with stains and yellowing of teeth is an ongoing or continuous battle, but if you conduct these natural teeth-whitening processes from time to time, you will be good to go.

Can baking soda whiten your teeth?

One of the most natural teeth-whitening solutions is to use a pinch of sodium bicarbonate or baking soda while brushing one's teeth with regular teeth-whitening toothpaste.

If you want a more concentrated solution, you can mix a pinch of baking soda with very little water until it forms a smooth paste. Then, use a toothbrush to apply this paste directly onto your toothbrush and brush your teeth with it.

Keep in mind that this solution can be employed once a week only as baking soda is very abrasive and can damage your teeth' enamel when used too often. To find out more about this approach, read our article: Does Brushing Your Teeth With baking soda Whiten Your Teeth?

A safer way to include baking soda in your oral health routine would be to use a toothpaste that includes this key ingredient. This will be less abrasive but will still offer the surface-stain removing properties that you are looking for.

Remember that baking soda will not penetrate the tooth or remove any of the deep-set stains that are causing your tooth discolouration, it will only remove the surface stains, and even this can take a long time.

Can lemon whiten the teeth?

Another often-used natural teeth whitening trick is to use lemon juice on your teeth. Lemon has natural bleaching properties that might make them appear whiter. However, it is also highly acidic and will attack the enamel on your teeth.

The acid in lemon juice can weaken the enamel by depleting it of the highly essential calcium, thus causing tooth sensitivity. As such, we wouldn’t recommend this solution for whiter teeth.

Can strawberries whiten the teeth?

Another common natural method for whitening your teeth is using a paste of strawberry pulp. This is highly abrasive and could damage your teeth due to the acidity and the sugar content.

We wouldn’t recommend using a strawberry paste to whiten your teeth as this could lead to erosion of your tooth enamel. While you might experience short-term results from this method, what you are actually doing is removing the enamel from your teeth. Once this is gone, you won’t get it back.

Can apple cider vinegar help?

Another natural method that some people swear by is apple cider vinegar. This method is also not recommended as the PH level of the vinegar will soften the enamel of your teeth and cause it to wash away.

Is coconut oil good for teeth whitening?

Oil pulling involves swishing oil in your mouth to get rid of bacteria and improve your dental health.

It's not clear how exactly the oil-pulling process works, but it is said to "pull" bacteria from your mouth and moisturise your gum, increasing saliva production and reducing bacteria.

The key to coconut oil pulling is to do it for a very long time. But swishing any substance in your mouth for a long time will lead to a reduction in bacteria and buildup.

Supporters of this methods claim that the benefits of oil pulling with coconut oil include:

• Kills harmful bacteria in the mouth: The mouth is the breeding zone for bacteria, leading to bad breath and tooth decay. Pulling with coconut oil can reduce the bacteria found in the saliva and promote good breath.

• Reduces bad breath: Bad breath can be embarrassing, and it is due to poor oral hygiene. Coconut oil pulling is a natural alternative for bad breath.

• Prevents Cavities: Coconut oil pulling can decrease the number of harmful bacteria in the mouth and prevent cavities.

• Reduces inflammation and improves gum health: Coconut oil pulling can reduce inflammations; this can help your oral health.

• Help whiten teeth: Many people claim that coconut oil does wonders in whitening teeth; although there's no scientific evidence to confirm this.

Despite supporters of this method claiming it can improve your oral hygiene, there is no evidence that it can actually achieve any of this. There is also the risk you could accidentally inhale the coconut oil, and this can lead to a potentially deadly condition known as lipoid pneumonia. You should never replace brushing and flossing with oil pulling, as it is not effective for cleaning your teeth or whitening them.

Can turmeric whiten teeth?

Turmeric is a popular natural teeth whitener, and it is believed to stand out for its oral healthcare benefits. However, there is little evidence that turmeric is effective for oral health care or for whitening the teeth.

Supporters of this method say you can add turmeric to your oral care regime in three ways:

• Firstly, you need to brush your teeth with turmeric powder the same way you do with toothpaste. Allow the powder to remain in your teeth and gum for about 4 minutes, rinse and then brush your teeth again with toothpaste.

• Secondly, you can mix the turmeric with coconut oil for the best results. Mix about ¼ teaspoon of turmeric powder with 1/8 teaspoon of coconut oil. Use your toothbrush to apply the mixture and let it sit for 5 minutes, then rinse and brush with toothpaste.

• You can also buy whitening toothpastes containing turmeric and curcumin. The toothpaste may not have high levels of turmeric, but it can save you time.

What is more likely is that the turmeric will turn your teeth more yellow, and when you remove this from your teeth they will look whiter in comparison. There is no evidence to suggest that this method is effective.

What is a better natural solution for whiter teeth?

As seen above, very few of the natural methods for whitening teeth are effective and many of them are unsafe. Rather than focusing on these natural methods for whitening your teeth, one simple way to achieve a brighter smile is to focus on good oral hygiene. If you want your teeth to stay white, then proper brushing and flossing the teeth daily is essential.

You should also follow other basic dental hygiene practices like rinsing your mouth thoroughly after each meal and avoiding direct consumption of soft drinks, coffee, red wine and other drinks that can cause stains. If you must drink these, then use a straw instead.

If you keep these practices in mind and apply them every day, then yellow and stained teeth will soon be a thing of the past because you will always have a bright white smile at all times due to your excellent oral health. If you need any medical advice on whitening products and ways to prevent tooth decay, book an appointment with our team today.

Is it bad to whiten your teeth too much?

Wanting to have white teeth is not bad, but using whitening products frequently can erode tooth enamel, leaving you with a higher risk of tooth decay. Once your tooth enamel is gone, there is no way to restore it.

Over-whitening your teeth can also leave them feeling very sensitive, which will make it difficult to enjoy hot and cold items. You might also end up with white patches on your teeth, or your teeth could take on a translucent quality.

If you decide to opt for professional teeth whitening, you will have the added support of your dentist who will make sure you are doing the treatment safely.