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Health & Wellness · Mar 15, 2022 edition

Four Easy Fixes for Common Dental Complaints

From the Genius House Hacks archive.

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A large majority of us deal with persistent dental problems of one kind or another. To keep your smile happy between dentist visits, try these simple tweaks to your oral hygiene routine.

Yellowing Teeth? Drink More Milk

As teeth's tiny pores enlarge with age, coffee and tea stains have more crevices to stick to. Casein in milk binds to the tannins that yellow teeth and whisks them away, while also fortifying enamel against future stains.

Dull Teeth? Try Oil Pulling With Coconut Oil

Swishing with coconut oil pulls harmful microbes from the mouth, reducing plaque by up to 30 percent. Two tablespoons for 5 minutes daily is enough to start seeing a difference.

Bleeding Gums? Floss Before You Brush

Flossing before brushing instead of after removes noticeably more bacteria — and less bacteria means less gum disease.

Toothache? Try Clove Oil

A dab of clove oil calms a toothache about as effectively as over-the-counter numbing gel, without side effects like headaches or fatigue.

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