5 Natural Tooth Whitening Tips to Give to Your Patients

Yes, people have heard that dental whitening treatment might damage their tooth enamel. Or perhaps they don’t want to invest their money or time for in-office dental procedures. So, what would you say to your patients when they ask you about some great, natural, at home remedies that can whiten their teeth? When it comes to this, there are plenty of products to choose from, but you’d want to avoid the chemicals. Take a look at these safe and natural options for teeth whitening.

  1. Brush Teeth with Baking Soda

Baking soda is a common ingredient in commercial toothpaste because it has natural whitening properties. It acts as a mild abrasive that can scrub away stains, so try brushing your teeth with a DIY toothpaste of baking soda. Besides helping to remove stains over time, baking soda is known to create an alkaline environment in your mouth – and that prevents bacteria from growing. Some studies that found that non-baking soda kinds of toothpaste were less successful in removing plaque from teeth than toothpaste with baking soda.

  1. Hydrogen Peroxide

Another natural-bleaching agent found in most whitening products. Hydrogen peroxide can be bought in a drugstore, and people have been using it for years to disinfect wounds (because of its ability to kill bacteria.) Your patients can use it as mouthwash before brushing teeth or by mixing it with baking soda to make a toothpaste (1 teaspoon of baking soda and 2 teaspoons of hydrogen peroxide.) Make sure that they’re using a 1.5%-3% solution to avoid potential side effects. Overuse or strong concentrations of hydrogen peroxide can cause tooth sensitivity and gum irritation. The use should be limited to a few times per week.

  1. Apple Cider Vinegar

For centuries, apple cider vinegar has been used as a natural cleaning product and disinfectant. Its main active ingredient, acetic acid, has antibacterial properties which make it great for whitening the teeth and cleaning the mouth. Just dilute it with water and use it as mouthwash, swishing it in your mouth for a few minutes. Tell your patients to avoid using it every day and limit the amount of time the vinegar is in contact with their teeth because the acetic acid can damage and erode the enamel on their teeth.

  1. Brushing and Flossing

There’s nothing better than the tried-and-true methods of oral hygiene. Remind your patients that they should brush and floss their teeth regularly. Whether they want to use regular or whitening toothpaste, they both work the same way, gently buffing out stains from their teeth’s surface. By flossing, we get rid of food chunks and bacteria that could grow and harden into plaque, which makes our teeth appear darker and dull.

  1. Apples and Pineapples

A compound found in pineapple is bromelain. It is an ingredient found in certain kinds of toothpaste, and it helps whiten the teeth. The malic acid in apples boosts saliva which washes away the acids from the teeth. There is no substantial evidence that we can whiten our teeth by eating these fruits, but that’s no reason not to eat them, right?

The number one advise you need to give to your patients is to watch what they eat, because it’s the best prevention from letting your teeth turn yellowish. Drinks like soda, coffee, and red wine, as well as foods like dark berries, are known to affect your teeth color. It doesn’t mean that you should stop consuming them entirely, but that you should eat them in moderation and rinse your mouth with water afterward. Stains are also caused by chewing and smoking tobacco, which is another good reason to quit the nasty habit.

As a professional that works to help out other people, you should let them know about the natural remedies they can use by themselves to make their teeth shining white. As a dental assistant, you are trained and taught to know about everything that can affect teeth. Dental Specialties Institute, Inc. is a highly-regarded institute in California that provides the best education for Dental Assistants.