Many Americans may now expect to live with their natural teeth for the rest of their lives without the need for dentures because of significant developments in dental care. Our teeth are more prone to get stained or discolored the longer we retain them, however. It makes sense that more and more individuals wish to regain the pearly whiteness of their young smile.
You may lighten the tint of your teeth with over-the-counter whitening solutions or professional teeth whitening. Nevertheless, many would-be teeth whitening users are discouraged by their price and chemical makeup. Some people like less expensive DIY teeth-whitening techniques using organic substances.
Here are some of the most popular natural teeth-whitening techniques, from oil pulling to swishing apple cider vinegar around.
What Is Natural Teeth Whitening?
The chemical bleaching solutions used by in-office, at-home, and over-the-counter whitening treatments are not used in natural teeth-whitening techniques. Instead, those who utilize natural teeth whitening techniques choose to either use the acids found in fruits or cleaning agents like baking soda or charcoal to polish teeth.
Whether you pick the most expensive in-office method or the natural approach, you should begin your teeth-whitening process with a cleaning and in-depth evaluation from your dentist. Unpleasant side effects from whitening might occur in several circumstances, including periodontal disease or broken teeth. You should also discuss any past dental treatment you may have had done, such as bridges, crowns, or veneers, with your dentist since these restorations cannot be lightened in the same way that natural teeth can.
Do Natural Teeth Whitening Methods Work?
Knowing what your pearly white enamel is and how it affects tooth structure can help you decide whether natural teeth whitening is the correct choice for you.
Matthew Messina, D.D.S., an American Dental Association representative and associate professor of dentistry at Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio, claims that tooth enamel is a crystal. It resembles chain link fence when seen closely. Those get permanently stained with time.
The live pulp within the tooth and the darker-colored dentin underneath that layer of enamel matrix are shielded by that layer, which is often referred to as “chain-link fence.” In other cases, less than half a millimeter, according to Messina, the enamel coating is quite thin.
According to Messina, enamel is rather priceless. No matter what we do to it—wearing it down or dissolving it—it never grows back. As Messina points out, there are other other factors that might contribute to tooth discolouration. For example, gum disease prevents teeth whitening from working.
