The top 4 DIY methods that provide Best Teeth Whitening at home

Humans have always attributed special status to personal hygiene and grooming routines.

The many astounding beauty treatments practiced by ancient civilizations are legendary. The Romans, for example, prized white teeth and often used artificial teeth made of bone, ivory and paste.

A few hundred years have passed since. But not much has changed.

We are still obsessed by the way we look and our white unblemished teeth are like the icing on a cake. Thankfully, we no longer have to rely on such crude methods anymore.

Technology allows us to have whiter teeth at our convenience from the comfort of our homes.

Yes, we are talking about Home Teeth Whitening products which command a significant share of the cosmetics market. There are lots of products to choose from and most of the times, the buyer is confused about what works and what doesn't.

What really, is the best way to whiten your teeth at home?

• Is it teeth whitening strips?
• Is an LED activated teeth whitening kit a better choice?
• Does a teeth whitening pen even work?

All of these above mentioned products are sold over the counter or on the internet.

But there are tons of other products that can be used for whitening your teeth at home.

And a lot of these products can be sourced from your kitchen.

'DIY' (Do It Yourself) teeth whitening is as diverse as professional whitening and if used correctly, can provide decent results too.

Here’s our pick of the top 4 ingredients that provide the best teeth whitening at home

Peroxide + Baking Soda: This is the simplest and most commonly used method to whiten teeth at home. It is pretty simple really. Mix some Hydrogen Peroxide (3% for Oral Use) and baking soda into a fine paste and apply a little of this paste on top of your toothpaste while brushing. However, keep your tongue and your gums away from the mixture. It is not a pretty feeling at all if you apply it on your gums. The sensitivity can be severe and the burning can be unbearable at times. Some users recommend using a desensitizing toothpaste along with the mixture to combat the burning.

Fruit Peels: Fruits and fruit peels have a unique and remarkable effect on the teeth. Strawberry is an excellent teeth whitener. So is the peel of orange, lime and banana. All that one needs to do is rub the inside of the peel on the teeth and it has a scraping effect that eliminates minor stains on the teeth. It isn't very effective if you have stubborn coffee stains or dark yellow stains caused due to antibiotic usage. But for minute superficial stains as well as general tooth discoloration, it is a cost effective way of whitening teeth at home.

Oil Pulling: The ancient Indian Ayurveda method of using oil to detox your body and more importantly, enhance dental health is now gaining popularity in the US and UK. All that one needs is a little vegetable oil (sesame, olive, sunflower). Take three to four tablespoons of the oil and gargle/swish it around your mouth continually for 15 to 20 minutes. This reduces the amount of stains on your teeth considerably. However, it has to be used for almost 5 to 6 months before you start seeing results.

Activated Charcoal: Activated Charcoal is considered to be amongst the best detoxifying agents of all times. But most people are oblivious about its effectiveness in maintaining dental health. It is a good teeth whitener. It changes the pH of the mouth, eliminates bad bacteria, prevents cavities and deodorizes the mouth. It also eliminates stains. While you cannot expect the same results as a professional whitening gel, it does a decent job at adding the sparkle to your set of pearly whites. Or is it yellows?

DIY home teeth whitening is for real. But it isn't easy and requires a fair amount of expertise too. Also, it is important to be realistic about the results. You cannot expect results like a professional whitening session at a dentist.

If you want a hassle free method that offers faster results, then we recommend that you try one of the many natural teeth whitening products. There are a huge variety of products to choose from and they provide excellent results as well.