Four Ways to Whiten Your Teeth Naturally

Baking soda has natural whitening properties, which is why it's a popular ingredient in commercial toothpaste. It's a mild abrasive that can help scrub away surface stains on teeth. It also creates an alkaline environment in your mouth, which prevents bacteria from growing. This isn't a remedy that will whiten your teeth overnight, but you should notice a difference over time.

Hydrogen peroxide is a natural bleaching agent that also kills bacteria in your mouth. Many commercial whitening products contain it, and studies have found that a toothpaste containing baking soda and 1% hydrogen peroxide led to significantly whiter teeth. While diluted concentrations appear safe, strong concentrations or overuse can cause gum irritation and tooth sensitivity.

Oil pulling is a traditional folk remedy meant to improve oral hygiene and remove toxins from the body. The practice involves swishing oil around in your mouth to remove bacteria, which can turn into plaque and cause your teeth to look yellow. Sunflower or sesame oil is popular, but any oil will work. Put a couple tablespoons of oil in your mouth and push and pull it through your teeth for 10-15 minutes. Unlike many other whitening methods, oil pulling doesn't expose your teeth to acid or other enamel-eroding ingredients, so it's safe to do daily.

Apple cider vinegar has been used for centuries as a disinfectant and natural cleaning product. Its anti-bacterial property is what makes it useful for cleaning your mouth and whitening your teeth. However, vinegar may soften teeth — the acetic acid in vinegar has the potential to erode tooth enamel, so you shouldn't use it frequently.