Smile! The Healthiest Ways to Whiten Your Teeth

Nothing complements your look more than a gorgeous, pearly-white smile—alright, maybe a vivacious red lipstick works too! But in recent years, smiles have gotten brighter, and a lot of it has to do with whitening products. Unfortunately, whitening treatments and products can be harsh, creating sensitivity, gum inflammation, and recession. Whatever is a Womanista to do? No matter how white you want your teeth, there are tons of super easy natural whitening remedies to complement your smile.

Fruit

Catherine Zeta Jones and Tyra Banks swear by strawberries to whiten your teeth. Sure it's a red berry, but it's not going to stain your chompers. We promise! With the vitamin C clearing up plaque and malic acid literally scrubbing stain-causing gunk, this remedy is not only easy but delicious too. Meanwhile the high amounts of potassium, magnesium, and manganese in ripe banana peels can help remove stains. Simply rub a small piece of the peel along your teeth and as you rub, minerals absorb and whiten, then brush away.

Turmeric

While we've covered the natural benefits of turmeric before, it is also an effective teeth whitener. Odd, since it stains every surface imaginable, right? But with its antiseptic and antioxidant properties, turmeric whitens teeth and is beneficial for oral health, acting as a natural pain reliever, used to prevent plaque (which yellows teeth) and gingivitis.

Baking Soda & Lemon

Probably one of the most popular and effective ways to get white teeth, this combination creates a stellar smile-brightening effect thanks to its chemical reaction. Nonetheless, keep it on no longer than a minute, and don't do it daily. After continued use, it can start to wear away enamel and cause teeth to darken, so don't get crazy with it.

Coconut Oil Rinse

Swish your way to a whiter smile with oil pulling. Huh? As odd as it sounds, this remedy is basically swishing coconut or sesame oil in your mouth for five to 20 minutes to help remove plaque and bacteria. Gwyneth Paltrow and Shailene Woodley love this natural mixture that significantly reduces levels of plaque and gingivitis with proven results in just a week.

Vinegar

Not just for salads and marinades anymore, apple cider vinegar acts as an astringent and is an effective way to remove plaque, stains and kill bad breath simply when rinsing with it every morning.

Snacking

We love another reason to snack, try something naturally chewy to encourage the production of saliva. This saliva production will act as a natural mouthwash, washing away stains and left behind food particles.

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