If you enjoy drinking tea every day, but are disgusted by the stains that tea leaves on your teeth, you don't need to worry because there is still hope. You don't need to stop enjoying tea in the afternoon. In fact, there are a variety of teeth whitening methods that use household ingredients, such as charcoal and fruit. If you don't feel comfortable with such methods, you can use whitening toothpaste and strips, or even supplement your diet with stain-removing foods. However, be careful with bleaching methods that are more abrasive. This will keep your teeth clean and healthy.
Step
Method 1 of 3: Using Home Treatments
Step 1. Gargle with a 3% concentrated hydrogen peroxide mixture to remove tea stains
Hydrogen peroxide is an antibacterial agent that can clean the entire mouth and gums. To make a mouthwash, mix 250 ml of water with 250 ml of hydrogen peroxide. Gargle for one minute. After that, discard the mixture and gargle again with water to remove any remaining hydrogen peroxide.
- Baking soda can also be used in homemade toothpaste. Mix a little baking soda with water to form a paste. You can use the paste to remove plaque from your teeth.
- If you want to use baking soda paste to safely whiten your teeth, brush your teeth with the paste for 15 seconds. Because it has a gritty texture, baking soda is abrasive to tooth enamel. Also, the pasta you make should have a runny consistency. Therefore, make sure you mix enough hydrogen peroxide. Rub the paste on your teeth for one minute and rinse your teeth thoroughly with water.
Step 2. Make a paste of strawberries to whiten teeth
If you drink tea often, try a strawberry puree to strengthen and whiten your teeth. When making the paste, mash 4-5 strawberries. Apply the mixture on the teeth, then rinse the teeth with water.
For a fuller strawberry paste, mix mashed strawberries with baking soda. Spread the paste on your teeth using a toothbrush, let it sit for five minutes, then rinse/gargle. Since strawberries contain sugar, brush your teeth with regular toothpaste after this treatment
Step 3. Brush teeth using activated charcoal to remove stains
You may be confused to learn that "dirty" substances like charcoal can whiten teeth. Activated charcoal is often used in hospitals to treat poisoning victims. The absorbent substance in charcoal that binds toxins in the stomach also functions to lift stains, bacteria, and toxins from the mouth. Use charcoal once a day for three days in a row, or five days in a row for very severe stains.
- First, use an old toothbrush because the bristles will turn black due to exposure to charcoal. Of course, you don't want to sacrifice a good toothbrush, do you? Place the toothbrush on a paper towel, pour the powdered charcoal over the bristles, and brush your teeth.
- Brush your teeth for 3-5 minutes. Instead of spitting into the sink, spit your spit into a glass. After that, gargle with water. Discard the spit that is stored in the glass into the toilet so that the sink does not get dirty.
Method 2 of 3: Whiten Teeth
Step 1. Brush your teeth using whitening toothpaste
Whitening toothpaste is one of the most frequently and effectively used teeth whitening products because it has polishing, abrasive, and mild chemical bleaching agents as its active ingredients. However, whitening toothpaste will not give instant results. Also, it takes time and patience when you use whitening toothpaste. Brush your teeth consistently twice a day. You can see results in 2-6 weeks.
Some whitening toothpaste products work by using a chemical called blue covarin that sticks to the surface of the teeth and creates the optical illusion of whiteness
Step 2. Use a tooth whitening strip to remove the tea stain
These small, flexible strips are made of polyethylene, a type of elastic plastic. This product contains peroxide or bleach to whiten teeth. Imagine that you wash white clothes and use bleach to remove the stains from the fabric. Whitening strips work the same way to remove tea stains from your teeth.
- Whitening strips are a more affordable option than teeth whitening treatments at the dentist because usually teeth whitening costs are not covered by insurance.
- Follow the directions on the product packaging. The thing to remember is that just because a product can whiten your teeth, doesn't mean you shouldn't brush your teeth. Always brush your teeth before using a whitening strip. Otherwise, plaque will get stuck under the strip and cause health problems besides discoloration. In addition, retained plaque also makes the strip unable to work effectively.
Step 3. Use an electric toothbrush to whiten your teeth
Thanks to its speed and power, electric toothbrushes can attract more plaque and remove more stains easily than regular toothbrushes. An electric toothbrush can also whiten teeth faster than a regular toothbrush.
With a regular toothbrush, you can brush 300 times in one minute. Some electric toothbrushes (including those that run on batteries) can deliver 3,000-4,000 brushes per minute so they can whiten teeth faster
Step 4. Visit a dentist for a professional teeth whitening treatment
Dentists can provide professional teeth whitening treatments, but because they are cosmetic in nature, the treatment costs are usually quite expensive and are not covered by insurance. If you choose this treatment to remove stains on your teeth, your dentist will schedule an appointment to whiten your teeth.
- The dental staff or team will apply a gel or rubber guard to the gums to protect them from whitening agents.
- The doctor will use a section that has been adjusted to the size and shape of the mouth, then fill the section with a bleaching agent (usually hydrogen peroxide or carbamide peroxide).
Method 3 of 3: Preventing Stains on Teeth
Step 1. Drink the tea through a straw to prevent the development of stains
This way, the tea won't hit most of the tooth surface. While enjoying tea, try not to rinse your mouth or run the tea around your mouth and teeth.
Step 2. Add milk or cream to reduce the stain
The protein in milk (known as casein) binds to the tannins in tea. Tannins are substances that give tea its color and taste. Since the tea becomes lighter in color when you add milk (due to casein), you can reduce the risk of developing tea stains on your teeth.
Observe the level of tannins in tea because most types of tea contain tannins. However, black tea contains the highest levels of tannins
Step 3. Eat oranges to prevent tea stains on teeth
Oranges are acidic, but many people do not know that the acid content in oranges is actually beneficial and can neutralize acids that cause decay and stains in the mouth and teeth.
Step 4. Consume coarse-textured and fibrous foods to scrape the stains on the teeth
You can remove stains from your teeth by chewing on fibrous roots, such as miswak.
Almonds, seeds, and other nuts have a coarse enough texture to lift and prevent the development of tea stains on teeth
Step 5. Eat an apple to clean your teeth
You may have heard the saying that eating one apple every day can keep disease away. Consumption of apples can also increase saliva production because of the high water content in apples. Just like when you chew gum, large amounts of saliva can lift the bacteria that cause stains and decay on the teeth.
Warning
- Don't overuse baking soda or other acidic ingredients, as they can remove tooth enamel.
- Hydrogen peroxide can sting your mouth if you use it in excess (or in too large an amount).
