How to Naturally Whiten Your Teeth In 3 Minutes at Home (Research Based)

Products aimed at beautifying your smile line the shelves of drugstores these days. The problem? Many of these teeth whitening products contain chemicals that can be harmful to your health and can ultimately lead to eroding the enamel on your teeth.

Even professional whitening performed by a dentist can lead to painful sensitivity, and the methods used are not natural in the slightest. However, don’t give up hope: if you want a brighter, whiter grin, there is a once-a-week method that can have you flashing your pearliest whites—the natural way and you only need a few ingredients such as baking soda and a 3% hydrogen peroxide.

How to Naturally Whiten Teeth Fast At Home in 3 – 5 Minutes

You can naturally and cheaply whiten your teeth at home using just two simple, all-natural ingredients and a toothbrush. You can brush your way to a whiter smile in just a few minutes’ time, once per week. Here’s what you’ll need to whiten your teeth quickly:

1 tablespoon of baking soda (bicarbonate of soda)

A study from 2008 checked the effect of a toothpaste containing baking soda on removing tooth stain and teeth whitening. One group used baking soda and peroxide toothpaste and brushed twice daily with their toothpaste for six week.

The study found a significant improvement in teeth shade score and tooth stain reductions of this group in comparison to the other group that used silica based toothpaste.

A review of 5 clinical studies revealed that baking soda is an effective natural ingredient for removing plaque from teeth. The plaque removal effectiveness of baking soda was significantly greater than the non-baking soda products.

According to another study, baking soda has antibacterial and antimicrobial properties that can help reduce infections.

Since baking soda is alkaline, it neutralizes the acids in the mouth, thus reducing the risk of tooth decay and gum disease. You can also use baking soda as a general kitchen medicine.

You may have heard the claim that baking soda is abrasive. However, compared to commercial toothpastes, baking soda is much less abrasive, and therefore healthier for your teeth.

A small amount of 3% hydrogen peroxide food grade

Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) comes in a variety of grades designed to address its different uses for disinfection and sterilization. 3% hydrogen peroxide food grade can help to whiten your teeth if used carefully. That means you should avoid higher concentration and not use it too often. Higher concentrations can damage tooth enamel.

A study from 2006 examined the effect of 10, 20 and 30% hydrogen peroxide solutions on human enamel for different periods of time. The research found that higher concentrations of hydrogen peroxide solutions and longer period of time caused more damage to teeth.

The researchers recommended to perform tooth whitening using low concentration of hydrogen peroxide, and shorten treatment time to reduce the possibility of teeth damage but reach the required change in color.

Another study from 2004 checked various concentrations of hydrogen peroxide gel (5, 10, 15 or 25%) on tooth whitening. It found that a person would need 12 applications of the 5% gel to achieve teeth whitening in comparison to one application for the 35% gel.

This means that to prevent damage to your teeth, you will need to use more low-concentration treatments for shorter time in order to achieve your desired teeth whiteness.

You can find other uses for hydrogen peroxide in my article “Food Grade Hydrogen Peroxide: Ingenious Uses and Benefits“.

A clean, new toothbrush

That’s it! Here is how to put nature’s smile brightener to work for you:

Teeth Whitening at Home – The Method

1. Place a tablespoon of baking soda into a small bowl and add a small amount of 3% hydrogen peroxide food grade.
2. Mix until you get a paste of a thick consistency.
3. Put the paste onto the toothbrush and brush all of your teeth thoroughly, just as you would with regular toothpaste.
4. Leave the paste on your teeth for 3 to 5 minutes. Make sure to not swallow any hydrogen peroxide.
5. Rinse your mouth out well with plenty of water, and you’re done! That’s all there is to it.

Whitening Teeth with Baking Soda & Hydrogen Peroxide – Things to Consider

– This natural whitening method should be performed no more than once per week in order to get a bright smile without harming the protective enamel covering the teeth.

– It is recommended that you use a fresh, clean toothbrush your first time trying the method and dedicating that toothbrush specifically to being used for whitening—in other words, don’t use your daily-use toothbrush for your whitening treatment.

– According to the National Capital Poison Center, swallowing small amounts of household (3%) hydrogen peroxide is not poisonous to humans. It can cause some irritation and cause a lot of foam in the mouth. If your child swallows some hydrogen peroxide, usually giving a small drink of water or milk is enough to remove the irritation. However, ingesting concentrated hydrogen peroxide (more than 10%) can result in severe injuries like ulcers, internal burning, vomiting, or intense abdominal pain.

– This treatment is not recommended for people who wear dental braces, as it would cause uneven whitening that would be noticeable once the braces were removed.

– After just one month of use (only four treatments) you should begin to see results in the form of a whiter, brighter smile!

Can You Use Baking Soda with Lemon Juice to Whiten Your Teeth?

Some people use lemon juice along with baking soda as a natural toothpaste to whiten teeth. They usually mix 1 tablespoon of baking soda and add the juice of half a lemon to clean their teeth. But you need to be aware that lemon is a naturally acidic fruit.

Some studies have suggested that a mixture of salt and lemon juice has mildly abrasive properties. The cleansing action of sodium and citric acid can help to whiten teeth over time. (6)

A study published in 2015 found that the acidic nature of lemon juice has the potential to weaken tooth enamel. However, the study also noted that apple juice and orange juice can also affect the integrity of tooth enamel. It is also important to note that the research involved soaking a tooth in an undiluted lemon juice for 7 days.

So, when used infrequently, adding lemon juice to baking soda to help whiten your teeth may not have any negative result on your oral health.

More Tips on How to Keep Your Teeth Healthy & White

• There are 13 other natural methods to whiten your teeth.
• Try to avoid these 12 foods and drinks that can cause yellow teeth.
• Learn how to use eggshells to heal cavities.
• You should also consider using this oil as a toothpaste.