There are many ways to whiten teeth, some of which are done by dental professionals, and other done at home by over the counter products or natural methods. Most people would like to restore the natural white color of their teeth, and they would like to do this as naturally and as cost-effectively as possible. Read on to discover a few good ideas on how you can make it happen. You may not need to go down the expensive route.

Chewing gum can actually whiten teeth. It's true! Gum acts as a mild abrasive and also promotes saliva production, both of which help to clean teeth. But it is important to use a gum that does not contain sugar. Malitol is a sugar alcohol found in many gums, and it almost tastes just like sugar, and it will not rot your teeth.

A natural whitening method that many people stand by is to mix lemon juice and salt. Fresh squeezed lemon juice is best as the acid is at its peak. Mix the juice from a lemon with a half teaspoon of salt and brush your teeth with the mixture. The acid will eat at the stains and the salt will add abrasion to scrub them away. Brush normally after this treatment to remove the citric acid.

Drinks such as tea and coffee are notorious in ruining and discoloring your teeth. Make sure to keep a bottle of water handy to rinse while you are drinking tea or coffee and afterwards. Drinks such as colas and wine can also stain your teeth. Avoiding or limiting these drinks can improve the whiteness of your smile.

Use natural tooth whiteners, such as baking soda, orange peels, or lemon peels. Mixing any of these with a little salt can make an excellent cheap tooth whitening product. Be sure to wash your mouth out thoroughly after using any of these methods, as the harsh acids can damage your teeth.

After meals and beverages, swish some water around your mouth. If you rinse thoroughly, you will get all the remaining food and drink out of your mouth preventing them from staining your teeth. Rinsing will help keep stains from developing on your teeth.

For an effective way to get your teeth whiter at home, try baking soda and water. Because baking soda is mildly abrasive, it can polish your teeth and remove stains, leaving them clean and white. Try running your toothbrush under water and then dipping it in the baking soda while it is still wet to mix the paste directly on your toothbrush.

Once you go through the teeth whitening treatment, you are going to want to avoid drinking things or eating foods that are known to stain teeth. Newly whitened teeth are prone to absorbing the staining agents that are in these things and you may find yourself worse off than before you treated your teeth.

Whatever approach you decide to take, you must also keep these factors in mind. Teeth naturally have slightly different shades of white, so if your teeth are naturally off-white, do not try to go beyond that. You should never exceed the recommended doses and intervals of application. Finally, give it time! Aim for a very gradual improvement.