Natural Teeth
Whitening

Natural teeth whitening is a subject that comes up frequently in my dental office.

Quite a lot of my patients just prefer to avoid the normal chemical whitening processes, and are looking for a "home remedy".

Others are looking for a gradual method to bring about a little more "brightness" to their teeth, without going through the normal teeth whitening procedures. I think some people are afraid that their teeth will go too white, too quickly with conventional tooth whitening.

I only wish that tooth whitening was that easy!

I have NEVER seen anyone doing any kind of tooth whitening, whether it was natural teeth whitening or conventional teeth whitening, that had their teeth go TOO white. It just doesn't happen. Tooth enamel is so dense that whitening will always be a slow process. So don't worry about snow-white teeth!

The television and film celebrities you see with really white teeth have nearly all had their teeth capped with crowns or veneers. Some of them do look too white, in my opinion, but that's down to them wanting a "Hollywood Smile". And that isn't possible by simple teeth whitening.

First, I have to tell you that none of the natural teeth whitening methods that I have seen on other websites will work. Some of them could even damage your teeth! I'm afraid that those pages often look like the advice was written by someone with very little dental knowledge - OR NO DENTAL KNOWLEDGE AT ALL.

Some of the methods those people recommend are dangerous, and I'm not going to repeat them here.

Lady with dark hair smiling at the camera

natural teeth whitening

BUT THERE IS A WAY. . . .

THERE IS A WAY to bring about a gradual brightening of your teeth over a period of time, in a safe manner.

I can tell you one thing about natural teeth whitening - it is a gradual process, taking some months! Definitely not for those in a rush.

Also, your teeth will not get quite as white as they could do with conventional teeth whitening methods.

However, if you have had some conventional teeth whitening done already, then this is an excellent way of maintaining the results you got, or even getting a little more brightness!

Natural Teeth Whitening

Natural teeth whitening has two parts - first the stain removal, and then gradual whitening.

Stain removal; If you have a lot of staining, you will need to see your dentist or hygienist for a good clean and polish. After that, you must prevent stain build-up by avoiding red wine, black tea and coffee, and smoking.

You can slowly shift small residual staining with a high-quality toothbrush (providing you brush for long enough - 5 to 6 minutes!). I recommend the Cybersonic 3 sonic toothbrush.

Gradual whitening comes from daily use of a toothpaste called BlanX White Shock whitening toothpaste, available from Amazon.

BlanX White Shock whitening toothpaste has an extract from Arctic Lichen that has been shown to produce a whitening effect on tooth enamel. It also has a low abrasive index; this means it will not damage your teeth.

AND it contains fluoride, so it helps to strengthen your tooth enamel against decay.

There are several products in the BlanX range of toothpastes, but I think the only one you need is the White Shock Toothpaste to be quite honest. If you see a dental hygienist for a proper scale and polish, then the whitening effect of the BlanX White Shock toothpaste will work best!

There are two important factors here if natural whitening is to work for you:

First, you must brush slowly for 5 to 6 minutes. This is VERY important. This allows enough time for the toothpaste to get into the enamel and produce a gradual whitening effect.

It also allows enough time for the brush and toothpaste to remove any surface stain that may start to re-form.

Second, you should do this at least twice a day. If you can brush for 5 - 6 minutes more often, say 3 to 4 times a day, then you will speed up the process. IN ADDITION, you will also be improving your gums!

Over the course of 3 to 6 months, you WILL notice a gradual lightening in the color of your teeth. You should keep up the process, and your teeth will SLOWLY continue to lighten. But don't expect to get movie-star white teeth, even after 12 months. It's important to appreciate that this is a slow, gradual, subtle process.

As a bonus, BlanX is also the only toothpaste to have been approved by the World Health Organization! (at the time of writing). It is an excellent all-round toothpaste, even if you are not too bothered about whitening your teeth.

Natural teeth whitening definitely works, but you need patience and persistence. Be prepared for weeks and even months to pass before you start to notice much change!