Nowadays people are more obsessed with oral hygiene than they ever were before. Unfortunately, many of these same people live lifestyles that prevent them from having the healthiest teeth they can have. People are often rushing to get to work in the morning, not spending enough time brushing their teeth and consuming food and beverages that heavily stain their teeth, such as coffee.
Dental hygiene companies often advertise toothpaste that whitens your teeth, however these have been shown to cause damage to your tooth enamel if used too often.
Other side effects include tooth sensitivity and gum damage due to irritation of soft tissue in the mouth. In some cases the side effects caused by tooth whitening products have been irreversible.
There are many reasons to switch from commercial, store-bought products to natural teeth whiteners. Aside from the fact that store-bought products contain ingredients that are actually harmful to your oral health, natural teeth whiteners will provide a more effective clean for your teeth.
This recipe revolves around turmeric, a spice which has proven to provide many benefits aside from oral health.
According to a study conducted by the Indian Society of Periodontology, turmeric was shown to be just as effective as a typical mouthwash when it came to oral health. Turmeric was shown to be incredibly effective at preventing plaque build-up and gingivitis and had noticeable anti-microbial and anti-inflammatory properties. Turmeric was also bio-compatible with all of the subjects who used it, meaning that they did not suffer from any side effects.
Virgin coconut oil is also an important addition to this natural teeth whitener due to it’s antimicrobial properties. Various strains of bacteria have been shown to be inhibited by the medium-chain fatty acids that are derived from virgin coconut oil, making it the perfect supplement to put in oral hygiene products in order to help ward off infections.
Ingredients:
- One table spoon of virgin coconut oil
- One teaspoon of turmeric powder
- Peppermint oil
Usage:
- Mix the ingredients until it forms a thick paste.
- Apply the mixture to your toothbrush as you would with regular toothpaste.
- Let the turmeric-toothpaste sit on your teeth for three to five minutes, allowing the whitening and anti-bacterial properties of the paste to really come into affect.
- Spit out the excess paste and rinse out your mouth
You should notice your teeth beginning to whiten within the next few days. Now you have an all-natural teeth whitening tooth paste without any harmful side-effects.
Sources:
Whitening products and tooth enamel: http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/adult-health/expert-answers/whitening-toothpaste/faq-20058411
Whitening products side effects: http://www.ada.org/en/about-the-ada/ada-positions-policies-and-statements/tooth-whitening-safety-and-effectiveness
Indian Society of Periodontology: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3498709/
Virgin Coconut Oil antimicrobial properties: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24328700
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