DIY: Whiten your Teeth with Strawberries

The method is suggested by Adina Carrel, DMA, a dentist in private practice at Manhattan Dental Arts in New York. It is a simple inexpensive home whitening method. The strawberry is combined with baking soda and a mixture creates a chemical called malic acid which acts as an astringent to remove tooth surface discoloration.

Together they become a natural tooth cleanser, cleans away stains from coffee, tea, sodas, and red wine. Dr. Carrel says this treatment won’t replace the whitening treatment used in dentist’s office, but it gives a quick and cheap way to whiten your teeth.

The recipe for this whitening method is as follows:

Ingredients:

1 ripe strawberry

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Directions:

Crush the strawberry to a pulp, then mix with the baking powder until blended. Use a soft toothbrush to spread the mixture onto your teeth. Leave on for 5 minutes, then brush thoroughly with toothpaste to remove the berry–baking soda mix. Rinse. (A little floss will help get rid of any strawberry seeds.) Carrel says you can apply once a week.

However don’t use this on a daily basis, the acid amount may damage the enamel on your teeth with prolonged use. So use it sparingly.

There is also another method you can use white distilled vinegar by brushing once or twice a week with white distilled vinegar. It whitens your teeth and eliminates bad breath. You can a little paste along with this if you can’t handle the taste of vinegar.