Easy Ways to Whiten Your Teeth at Home

If you’re reading this, it probably means you struggle with your personal hygiene. Look, you don’t have to be a dentist to take care of your teeth. It’s really not that hard! Not only is it expected of you to be brushing your teeth for two minutes at least twice a day, but dentists even recommend brushing your teeth after especially sugary meals or beverages. This also helps with bad breath and other related issues. It’s also super important to be flossing your teeth at least once a day. This is something that a lot of people overlook as part of their daily routine. Here’s the deal - if you don’t floss your teeth, you will get mouth cancer and your loved ones will have to watch you suffer for years due to your negligence. In other ways, people tend to neglect the color of their teeth. Sometimes teeth can get really stained over time. Some gradual discoloring is normal, but there are definitely ways to prevent your teeth from looking like the side of a gravel road! Here are a few home remedies that can help to whiten your teeth and remove surface stains. No dentist needed!

One way to remove stains and whiten teeth is to use a combination of baking soda and hydrogen peroxide. Let’s face it, whitening strips and mouthwash are generally really expensive, and for what? They contain usually 1 or 2 common ingredients that you can find for much cheaper and will do the same thing; however, baking soda and hydrogen peroxide paste will not taste very good, especially if you are comparing it to some name brand toothpaste or mouthwash. Using this trick can help whiten your teeth at home and won’t necessarily break the bank. Now you can look all pearly fresh on your next date with Jane from HR. Just don’t let it slip that you used baking soda and hydrogen peroxide to clean your teeth, because that’s a little embarrassing.

Another way to whiten your teeth and start looking all nice and fresh is to bleach them. Now this is very important - bleaching your teeth does mean you swish some clorox around in your mouth and hope for the best. In fact, that’s a really good way to find yourself back at the dentist or even in the emergency room. Bleaching your teeth usually means getting a special gel or serum that one applies to their teeth with the help of a mouth guard or retainer. My girlfriend Hannah does this with her teeth and they look really good! She’s a cutie. Anyways, this trick can help whiten your teeth but is a bit more expensive than the baking soda and hydrogen peroxide method - it’s also a little harder to get the supplies for it.

Another way to remove surface stains on your teeth and keep those pearly whites shinin is with apple cider vinegar. Now, keep in mind that apple cider vinegar is one of the most repulsive things that you can put in your mouth. My roommate in college drinks a shot of apple cider vinegar every morning, and I just think that’s a perfect way to ruin your day right from the get go. However, apple cider vinegar is said to do wonders for removing stains from your teeth. Simply put some in  your mouth and swish it around like you would a nice minty mouthwash.

The time I had my wisdom teeth removed

When my dentist told me I needed to get my wisdom teeth removed, I was scared. I don’t like going to the dentist for one. The metal tools scraping on my teeth and having someone’s fingers shoved in my mouth, I’m not a fan one bit. I have a terrible gag reflex, so the dentist and I do not get on too well. I do not even want to get into the conversation I had regarding the need for braces. Getting wisdom teeth removed is kind of complicated, but the good thing is that there are people out there who specialize in doing stuff like this. 

As I said, the process of winsome teeth extraction is kind of a complicated procedure. First, the dentist needs to discuss with you how you want to be numbed. You can either get a shot in the wisdom teeth area, or you can be put under general anesthesia or be put to sleep in more simple terms. I chose to be put under general anesthesia. As I mentioned, I do not like the dentist, so this was the best choice I had. Once that choice has been made, you will receive your shot or be put under, and the procedure can begin. They will make a small incision in the wisdom teeth area to expose the teeth. Then the surgeon will cut the teeth to be easily extracted. They will then remove the teeth in sections, and gauze will be applied, and that’s really all there is to it. 

The morning of my procedure, my mom drove me to the dental office where my procedure was going to be done. When we got there, I had to sit in the waiting room and fill out some paperwork. Once that was done, I got called back for my procedure to take place. I was seated in the standard dental chair where the nurses came to get me ready for it. They told me I had to count down from ten to one after placing a needle in my left arm. I began counting, and by seven, I was out. When I woke up, it seemed like a second had passed; I was very loopy at this point. I remember telling them it was like a sword coming out of my arm. 

The healing process was just a time based thing; they gave me antibiotics; if I wanted them, I could take them. I did not ever feel a need for them. I had gauze placed over my wounds after the procedure was done and was told to keep pressure on them. I had to keep biting down so a blood clot would form; this was part of the healing process. After my procedure, I got a smoothie, and that was helpful. The cold felt nice in my mouth, ease the slight pain I felt.

In the end, getting my wisdom teeth removed was not as bad as I thought it would be. I am glad I had the opportunity to be put under general anesthesia, not to feel the pain or consciously knowing I have someone’s fingers in my mouth. The healing process was relatively quick, and I did not feel too much pain. I did feel the scars after a week or so, and I could not stop feeling them; it was an odd feeling. I am glad to have gotten the procedure done as I do not have to worry about the pain that would come if I did not have this procedure done. That pain being headaches and jaw pains.