Homemade Teeth Whitening-Cheap!

Back in the 80's, and long before there were dozens of tooth whitening products on the market, I made my own little creation that worked very well. In fact, I have tried many of the 'new' products out there, and I prefer my cheap & easy concoction over any available at the stores today.

Here's what you need:

Box of Arm & Hammer Baking Soda

Mouthwash

Large Glass of Water

Toothbrush

Using a small dixie cup, place 1 spoon of baking soda in the cup. Add mouthwash until your cup is 3/4 full. I recommend using a flavored mouthwash-Mint, cinnamon, etc.  Flavored Mouthwashes work best. Take the end of your toothbrush, and mix together. In a seperate, large cup, fill your cup with drinking water, and place next to your sink.

Using your toothbrush, scoop a bunch of the mixture onto your toothbrush, and brush. Start with your front teeth, and try to let the mixture sit for some time on your teeth.  Now, I will warn you, because of the high concentration of baking soda, this is going to taste nasty (hence, the mouthwash- straight baking soda is really strong!). Don't worry about making a bit of a mess, you can clean up later. Start on your front top, brush a little, then SPIT out, and immediately rince with the water. Then do the same thing for your bottom front, and so on. Be sure to spit out the mixture, it is not a pleasant taste. Do not brush hard- just as you would normally. When you are done, completely gargle with drinking water and rinse.

Based on my experience, it only takes one or two times for this to work. Results are immediate and your teeth will shine. People used to ask me how I got my teeth so white, and when I told them, they couldn't believe it.

When you are done with the Baking Soda, put the open container in the back of your fridge to help keep your fridge fresh. You don't have to purchase any particular brand mouthwash-any brand will do, even generic. Just as long as you enjoy the flavor. I would not recommend using Listerine (not the original anyway)- its just too strong, and will not help dull the taste of the baking soda. You can also add a squirt of toothpaste when you are mixing it together. When you do that, it just makes it more into a gel like formation.

Don't have mouthwash? How about fresh strawberries? Subsitute 1 strawberry (chop it up in small pieces) instead of the mouthwash, and blend it together with the baking soda, and follow the instructions above.

This is an inexpensive & easy way to whiten your teeth.

So, you may be wondering, How does this compare to Store bought, products on the market? I have tried the following, and my reviews are as follows:

Professional Teeth Whitening from the Dentist:  About 7 years ago, I bought the teeth whitening trays & bleaching syringes from my dentist. Cost was around $300 at the time. It came with plastic trays (like a retainer) that you sleep with that fit on your teeth, and small tubes of bleaching solution that you squirt into the trays.  The process took many weeks. It worked well, but it was expensive, and time consuming.

Crest White Strips:  Purchased these when they first came out. $30. They are peel and stick strips that you wear at night. They fell off, and were unpleasant tasting. Trying to get to sleep with them was uncomfortable. Tried them a few times, they never stood on. Sent them back to Crest for a refund. Sorry Crest, they don't work. This is just my opinion.

Whitening Toothpastes: I've tried them all, and can't say that I have noticed any difference!  I'm sure they can't hurt, and maybe after long term use there may be a noticable difference, however I have not noticed one yet.

Colgate Simply White Gel: I've tried 2 of these: the original one, and the one you use at night. Product price was around $9. The night one worked the best, and was the easiest to use. Once again though, it took a few weeks to really notice any type of difference. I'm not sure if this product is still available for purchase?

Many of the whitening products on the market use baking soda as a main ingredient, however it is in smaller concentrations. When using the recipe above, remember that you are using a straight mixture of baking soda, so you will see results much quicker, and will only need to do this occasionally.

After trying many products, I would still recommend the inexpensive recipe at the top. Save yourself some money, and get results faster.

Hope this guides was helpful! Thanks for reading, and please vote yes if you have enjoyed this guide.

Smile! :)

Now, as for a disclaimer: I am not a dentist, not affiliated with any of the products mentioned in this guide or anyone in the medical community. Not recommended for children, or those under age 16.