Make your own DIY teeth whitening paste, naturally

As we age, teeth stains which have developed slowly over the years would become more noticeable. Some common foods can discolour teeth such as coffee, tea, dark sodas, and fruit juices, reports WebMD.

And dentists say, an easy way to tell if a food can stain your teeth is this – anything that can stain a white cotton T-shirt can stain teeth too.

But teeth staining isn’t just caused by food.

The antibiotic tetracycline causes grey teeth in children whose teeth are still developing and antibacterial mouthwashes that contain chlorhexidine or cetylpyridinium chloride can also stain teeth. Some antihistamines, antipsychotic drugs, and blood pressure medications cause tooth stains, as can iron and excess fluoride.

Teeth whitening can be expensive but that doesn’t mean you can’t wing it yourself! Try this DIY teeth whitening paste recipe by Everyday Roots which uses common ingredients from your pantry.

Baking Soda and Lemon Juice Teeth Whitening Paste

What you need:

1. Several teaspoons of baking soda
2. Enough lemon juice or water to form a paste
3. A toothbrush

Directions

Mix several teaspoons of baking soda with enough fresh lemon juice (or water) to make a paste. Wipe your teeth and any extra saliva off of them with a paper towel. Put a good amount of paste onto your toothbrush and apply. Leave the paste on for 1 minute, then rinse, so as to avoid the acid effecting enamel. If you are using just water you can leave it on for up to 3 minutes. Baking Soda is mildly abrasive and gently scrubs away surface stains to return teeth to a whiter shade.

Do you have other teeth whitening tricks?