Naturally Maintain Bright Teeth Between Professional Whitening Treatments
Scheduling regular whitening treatments with your dentist is an effective way to enjoy a bright smile year-round as you age, but some of your lifestyle habits – such as drinking coffee, enjoying chocolate, and chewing on sugary gum – may make it tough to maintain that bright smile between your professional treatments. Luckily, there are a few easy recipes you can use to naturally maintain your white teeth between dentist visits. Here's what you need to know:
Making Your Own Whitening Products
One of the best ways to naturally keep your teeth bright between professional whitening treatments at the dentist is to whip up some homemade whitening products in the comfort of your own kitchen. Thanks to the high volume of astringents and vitamin C found in strawberries, you'll find that they make for a great base ingredient when creating homemade toothpaste and mouthwash. The strawberries' astringents work to scrub away stains, while their vitamin C helps to lift plaque and debris from the surface of each tooth. Try these effective recipes:
- Simple Berry Toothpaste
- 3 fresh or frozen strawberries (if frozen, let them thaw before using)
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp lemon juice
Place the strawberries in a small bowl and use a fork to mash them until they become mushy and smooth with no chunks left. Add the baking soda and lemon juice then mash the ingredients together until well blended, smooth, and creamy. Dip your toothbrush in the mixture and then brush as you would with commercial paste. Keep leftovers in the fridge for up to a week between uses.
- Berry Raisin Toothpaste
- 2 fresh or frozen berries
- 2 tbsp raisins
- 1 tbsp baking soda
- 1 tbsp water
Place all of the ingredients in your blender and mix on medium until well thick and creamy. Strain the mixture through a cheesecloth or nut milk bag if possible to make sure the finished toothpaste doesn't have any chunks or raisin seeds in it. Store the paste in a small sealable container in a cool dark area between uses.
- Berry Blast Mouthwash
- 4 fresh or frozen strawberries
- 1 tbsp hydrogen peroxide
- 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
Place the strawberries in a blender and mix on high until well combined and juicy. Using a nut milk bag or cheesecloth, strain the berries so their juices drain into a bowl. Add the hydrogen peroxide and apple cider vinegar then whisk with a fork until well combined. Pour the ingredients into a clean sealable bottle and fill the bottle the rest of the way with clean water. When you're ready to use the mouthwash, give your bottle a shake and then take a sip and swish for about 20 seconds before spitting the solution out. Rinse with clean water and be on your way!
- Berry Mint Tooth Rinse
- 3 fresh or frozen strawberries
- 6 fresh mint leaves
- 1 tbsp hydrogen peroxide
- 1 tsp lemon juice
Place the berries and mint leaves in a small bowl and use a large spoon to mash the ingredients together until the strawberries become mushy and most of the juice is extracted from the pulp. Mix the lemon juice in and allow the mixture to sit in the fridge overnight so the mint and berry flavors can meld. After 8 to 12 hours in the fridge, use a nut milk bag or cheesecloth to strain the mixture and collect the juice into a sealable container.
Add the hydrogen peroxide to the container and secure the top, then shake the mixture vigorously for about 30 seconds until the ingredients are well combined. Use the mouthwash like you would a commercial mouthwash, making sure to rinse with fresh water afterward.
These recipes are easy to make and the whole family is sure to love using them, which should make it easy on your dentist when it comes it comes time for your regular checkups and professional whitening treatments.
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