Developing yellow teeth is natural as one ages. However, most people associate a lack of white teeth or the presence of yellow teeth with bad oral hygiene. This isn’t always the case. There are some people who practice good oral hygiene but unfortunately still have yellow teeth. What causes that and are there ways for whitening yellow teeth naturally?
This occurrence usually results in a number of self-esteem issues and that happens to be the major reason why many people are always looking for a way to whiten their teeth.
Fortunately, there are cheap and natural means to restore the colour of your teeth to white. This involves the use of ingredients that you are likely to already have in your kitchen.
Some individuals resort to several ways to get their teeth whitened but end up with no good results. This is because, as humans grow, the enamel layer (white layer) of the teeth begins to wear down and expose the pale yellow dentin making the teeth look yellowish.
The colour of dentin may range from grey to black depending on some factors like genetics and intrinsic stains caused by medications, etc. If this is the cause of your yellow teeth, then, unfortunately, normal teeth whitening or bleaching products may not be effective since teeth whitening products are made to remove the stains that discolour the enamel of the teeth.
Below are processes that can help restore the natural whiteness of your teeth by removing tough stains on the teeth that normal brushing cannot remove. We can therefore consider these as natural ways to turn yellowish teeth to white naturally.
How to make a natural teeth whitening paste
You can make your own teeth whitening paste with baking soda and lemon juice. To make this kind of whitening paste;
- Pour a small amount of baking soda on a small plate
- Cut a lemon and squeeze the juice unto the baking powder
- Mix the two (powder and liquid) to form a very fine paste
In the absence of fresh lemon juice, you can use fresh water.
How to use your natural teeth whitening paste
You now have your magical teeth whitening paste. Before you apply it onto your teeth, wipe your mouth first to get rid of extra saliva from your teeth. You can then use your toothbrush to apply your teeth whitening fine natural paste on your teeth. Let the paste sit on your teeth for about a minute before rinsing it off.
NB: Do not leave the paste on your teeth for longer than a minute because it can be detrimental to the enamel or outermost part of your teeth. If you are using water for the preparation, you need to leave the water and baking soda paste for three minutes before rinsing it off.
Using Banana peels for whitening yellowish teeth
Even though the use of banana peels for teeth whitening has not been proven scientifically, some people still believe that it can help you turn your yellow teeth into white. The only thing that has been proven to be true about the use of bananas in relation to the teeth is its contribution to the health of your teeth.
Banana contains essential ions that are healthy for your teeth but as to whether that will lead to whitening of your teeth, there isn’t enough evidence to recommend it.
If you run out of options and want to give it a try then, follow the process described below;
Banana peels can also be used in whitening yellow coloured teeth.
- Peel your bananas
- Use the white side of your banana peel and rub it against your teeth for a few minutes
- Go ahead and brush your teeth like you usually do
Using ripe strawberries for whitening your teeth
Ripe strawberries contain citric acid and malic acid which play a role in the whitening of your teeth. Citric acid is known to weaken the hardness on the surface of your teeth and help remove some debris.
- Mash up a ripe strawberry
- Dip your toothbrush in it and brush carefully over your teeth
Ensure not to expose the teeth to these products for a very long time as the acid in these can wear down the translucent enamel and expose the opaque dentin (yellowish) which may cause no effect or may worsen the condition.
WRITTEN AND EDITED RESPECTIVELY BY:
Dr. Ehoneah Obed is a registered pharmacist and a member of the Pharmaceutical Society of Ghana. He has a Doctor of Pharmacy degree from Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology and has experience working in a Tertiary hospital as well as various community pharmacies. He is also a software engineer interested in healthcare technologies.
His love for helping others motivates him to create content on an array of topics mostly relating to the health of people and also software engineering content.
He is knowledgeable in digital marketing, content marketing, and a host of other skills that make him versatile enough to uplift any team he joins.
MPSGH, MRPharmS, MPhil.
Isaiah Amoo is a practicing community pharmacist in good standing with the Pharmacy Council of Ghana who has meaningful experience in academia and industrial pharmacy. He is a member of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society, England, UK and currently pursuing his overseas pharmacy assessment programme (MSc) at Aston University, UK. He had his MPhil degree in Pharmaceutical Chemistry at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology. He has about 5 years’ experience as a community Pharmacist and has also taught in academic institutions like KNUST, Kumasi Technical University, Royal Ann College of Health, and G-Health Consult. He likes to spend time reading medical research articles and loves sharing his knowledge with others.
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