Do you want to get your teeth whitened but you are wary about the effect the bleaching would have on your teeth? Not to worry. When there is a will, there is a way. Why not try home remedies for teeth whitening that can be as good as any professional teeth whitening process. Before you learn about what whitens your teeth, find out what causes your teeth to get discolored/ stained:

1. Acid content of foods – citrus fruits and all the foods that contain any amount of acid cause discoloration of the enamel over time. Hence, avoid eating such foods before sleeping. If you do ensure that you rinse your mouth or brush your teeth well afterwards.

2. Dark beverages – the basic rule that applies here is – anything that could cause staining to a white T-shirt can stain your teeth as well. Hence, tea, coffee, coca cola, wine, soya sauce and the like are a no-no for those who are conscious about their teeth color. This does not mean you totally avoid it; however, you would need to be extremely careful to have your mouth cleaned after you consume any such drinks.

3. Sweets and chocolates – the same applies to this group of foods. If you eat chocolates and sweets and do not rinse your mouth afterwards, your teeth would develop bacteria an acid inside the mouth which would eat into the enamel besides discoloring it.

4. Smoking – smoking would bring nicotine onto the teeth and have these stained brown initially, which would gradually turn into black. You would definitely need to regulate (meaning that you should not smoke more than 2-3 cigarettes per day) or altogether stop this harmful habit.

Fortunately, Mother Nature has a natural remedy for every problem. You do not need the help of any professional teeth whitening to have a one of the brightest smiles possible. All you have to do is take the natural way to maintain and promote the natural color of your teeth. This could be done by the following methods:

1. Mouth hygiene habits – you need to develop the habit of rinsing the mouth after consuming any food. This would ensure that you get rid of any possible bacteria causing particles that would stick to your teeth after mastication. You need not brush your teeth every time you eat something (though it would be great if you did); only rinsing with water for a few times would be great.

2. Eating right – avoid too much starchy foods as well as acid causing foods. Eat more saliva creating foods such as apples, sugar cane, guavas, cucumbers, celery, etc. The effect of this food would not only be on the teeth but also on your digestive system since these would give you the much-needed fiber that aids digestion.

3. Use common salt – the common salt is a great way to get your teeth whitened. Use this instead of your paste at least twice a week for the best effects. Be sure that you rinse your mouth often so you would swallow any salt.

4. Home made tooth whitening solution – you can make your own teeth whitening solution at home – take baking soda and hydrogen peroxide in 1:1 ratio and make a paste that has the same consistency as toothpaste. You will find the taste of the peroxide horrible – and hence, to mask it you could add some flavor such as mint (made paste) to the mixture. You would need to apply this mixture to your teeth for about 15-20 minutes and then rinse it off. Be careful not to ingest any of this paste as it is harmful; if you do, drink a lot of water to neutralize its effect.

Caution: always check with your dentist before using any type (including the home remedies) of teeth whitening, lest you would end up harming yourself more than helping.