It’s not a secret that many people have stained teeth. Whether it is due to coffee, tea, smoking or aging, there are many factors that can lead to teeth discoloration. But whitening your teeth by a professional can be quite sumptuous, and sometimes it’s not even possible to whiten the teeth because there is no strong enamel which is essential for this procedure.

So, in order to help you, Nordics have compiled a list of the 4 ways how you can naturally whiten your teeth:

  • Decrease your sugar intake

Sugar per se is not directly bad for the teeth. However, the sugar in the oral cavity is consumed by the bacteria of the normal flora, and lactic acid is formed in the process. The lactic acid damages the surface of the teeth, the enamel is attacked and loses minerals. Furthermore, the lactic acid leads to a lowering of the pH value in the oral cavity and thus damages your mouth flora – this normally defends the oral cavity from pathogenic bacteria. If it is damaged, caries and other pathogenic bacteria have an easy go. The less sugar you consume, the less lactic acid is produced, and the less chance of caries and the healthier the oral cavity.

It makes sense to not completely exclude but limit the consumption of sugary foods and thus not constantly expose your teeth to sugar or lactic acid. Furthermore, it would be good to wait about half an hour after consuming sugar and then brush your teeth with a soft toothbrush to rid the oral cavity of the lactic acid and the remaining sugar as far as possible.

  • Fruits that brighten your teeth  

Do you know that tingling feeling on your tongue and lips when you eat pineapple? This is triggered by the enzyme bromelian contained in the fruit. It breaks down proteins – and that even noticeably. Pineapple not only supports digestion and has an anti-inflammatory effect, but it also helps you to have whiter teeth. Plaque, which is deposited on your teeth and causes discoloration, consists of proteins. Pineapple enzymes help break down these plaque proteins. In this way, the fruit counteracts unsightly stains.

With strawberries, however, you can even really damage the teeth from the outside. You have to imagine that teeth are made of hydroxyapatite. This is the hardest tissue we have in the body. And if you apply acids to it, calcium and phosphate can dissolve out of this coating. This makes the surface rougher, and the tooth is no longer as stable. So the claim, that strawberries naturally whiten your teeth is something you should better keep your hands off, there is no proof that this method really works. 

  • Floss like a boss

Daily flossing is essential for healthy and white teeth. Although brushing is important for good oral hygiene, brushing alone cannot protect you from gum problems and tooth loss.

About 40 % of the tooth surface lies between the teeth. For larger gaps, there are interdental brushes. Together with a mouthwash (for example our soothing mint mouthwash, which dissolves plaque bacteria), the procedure takes about a minute – but is guaranteed to save an hour-long visit to the dentist. If you consistently floss your teeth, you will soon see a positive effect on the coloring of your teeth, and also have an overall better oral hygiene. 

  • Activated charcoal & baking soda 

Baking soda, also known as sodium bicarbonate, consists of a chemical compound that makes it a very mild abrasive. Its abrasive properties can remove stains from your teeth and make them appear whiter. However, if you want to remove deeper, older stains, baking soda is not as effective. With constant use, you can even damage the enamel.

Active charcoal is also often recommended for teeth whitening. In the short term, it removes impurities from the teeth, because the grains of the charcoal acts as an abrasive paper that scrubs discoloration from your teeth. After repeated use, this can actually make your teeth brighter.

However, compared to conventional toothpaste, activated charcoal has a much higher abrasiveness, similar to baking soda. Since the powder abrades the enamel and roughens the teeth in the long term, its use is not yet considered recommendable. The teeth become susceptible to caries. The roughening of the tooth surface also makes it easier for plaque and color pigments to adhere. If you want to use activated charcoal safely, we recommend using toothpaste with the ingredient in it (for example our organic whitening charcoal toothpaste). 

Summary 

In order to naturally whiten your teeth, you can do the following: 

  • Decrease your sugar consumption and adjust your diet 
  • Eat more fruits 
  • Include flossing in your daily oral hygiene routine
  • Use toothpaste with activated charcoal in it