Are your teeth looking less than their best because of dingy yellow or grey stains? As teeth age, some discoloration occurs naturally. However, many everyday drinks, foods, and even some mouthwashes can leave your teeth stained. The best way to brighten your teeth is to visit your dentist regularly and to get your teeth whitened professionally. If you are in-between appointments, you can use many effective home remedies.

Your grocery store aisles are full of do-it-yourself teeth whitening products. Teeth whitening kits are available that contain carbamide peroxide, a kind of bleach that removes surface stains as well as deeper stains and is able to change your natural tooth color. Many kits utilize a gel you apply directly to your teeth. Others have a tray that holds the gel and is then molded to the teeth and worn for a length of time over several weeks. The positive results can be seen immediately, and will improve over time.

Home whitening strips also help remove tooth stains. These strips come coated with a peroxide-based whitening gel and are thin and virtually invisible when applied. They are worn for several minutes a day for a week or more. You will see results quickly, but the results will be less evident than those obtained using a kit.

Using whitening toothpaste is a very popular and simple method of at-home teeth whitening. Unlike the aforementioned products, whitening toothpastes don’t change the natural color of your natural teeth.

Other at-home methods include baking soda, made into a paste, and brushed onto the teeth twice a month. Rinsing with hydrogen peroxide can also brighten your smile. Diets including strawberries, apples, celery, carrots, and citrus fruits have also been shown to brighten smiles. Dairy products, especially hard cheeses, contain lactic acid which can decrease gum disease, and contain calcium and vitamin D, which are important to your bones and teeth.

Use these at-home treatments to keep your smile bright in-between dental visits. Talk to your dentist in Etobicoke for more useful tips on keeping your smile bright year-round.

Schedule your appointment at our Etobicoke dental office