Natural Teeth Whitening

How To Naturally Whiten Your Teeth

Many teeth whitening products on the market use chemicals to bleach teeth. This is a concern for many people. Fortunately, it is possible to whiten your teeth without any of the harmful chemicals.

There are many ways to whiten your teeth naturally. You can purchase natural whitening products, try home remedies, or use a mixture of both for a brighter smile.

Popular ways to whiten teeth include:

• Light-activated teeth whitening systems
• Natural whitening strips
• Natural whitening toothpaste
• Natural whitening mouthwashes
• Oral care products containing minimal amounts of hydrogen peroxide
• Changing your diet and incorporating more fruits and vegetables
• Practicing optimal oral care at home

Teeth whitening is a popular cosmetic dental treatment. In fact, Americans spend $1.4 billion annually on non-prescription teeth whitening products. $3.2 billion is spent on whitening treatments worldwide.

Why Do Teeth Stain?

Teeth can turn yellow due to intrinsic or extrinsic discoloration:

Extrinsic discoloration affects the outside of your teeth. It is caused by consuming certain foods and beverages (e.g., tea, red wine, coffee, and foods with dyes).

Tobacco smoke can also cause this type of tooth discoloration. Poor oral hygiene can leave teeth looking darker and yellow due to plaque build-up. Since it only affects the outside of your teeth, whitening products can treat extrinsic discoloration.

Intrinsic discoloration forms within your teeth.

This type of discoloration is commonly caused by a childhood illness, genetics, infection, trauma, aging, or medications. To remove intrinsic discoloration, professional whitening treatment is typically necessary. 

6 Ways to Naturally Whiten Your Teeth (Home Remedies)

There are a few ways to naturally whiten your teeth at home, including:

1. Practice Good Oral Hygiene

The best ways to keep your teeth white include:

• Brush your teeth twice a day for two minutes at a time
• Do not smoke or use tobacco products, which can harm your oral health and make your teeth yellow
• Floss to avoid colored foods from getting caught between your teeth
• Visit your dentist every six months for professional teeth cleanings
• Use whitening products a few times a week
• Limit intake of staining products like coffee, tea, red wine, dark berries, and curry powder
• Limit or avoid sugary foods and drinks

2. Eat a Healthy, Balanced Diet

Many healthy foods can also improve teeth health, strength, and brightness. These include, but are not limited to: 

• Coarse vegetables like broccoli (high in fiber and require more chewing to break down, which increases saliva production and helps scrape away stains)
• Pineapple (contains bromelain, an anti-inflammatory compound that helps remove stains)
• Dairy products (increase saliva production to help remove stains)
• Nuts and seeds (natural exfoliators that help remove stains)
• Onions (contain sulfur to help keep plaque from forming on teeth)
• Celery and carrots (high in water, which helps remove debris between teeth)

3. Get Enough Calcium in Your Diet

Calcium is essential for strong bones, including your teeth. The stronger your teeth are, the lower the risk of damage. And the less damaged your teeth are, the less prone they are to yellowing.

Cheese, yogurt, and milk contain lactic acid and the enamel-fortifying mineral calcium, which strengthen your teeth and decrease the risk of stains/damage.

Many vegetables and dairy-free products also contain calcium. These include leafy green vegetables, soy products, legumes, beans, and nuts, among others.

4. Eat Fruits Containing Papain and Bromelain

Fruits like papayas and pineapples contain the enzymes papain and bromelain, which have been shown to have whitening effects on teeth. However, more research is still being done on the effectiveness of these enzymes.

5. Baking Soda and Hydrogen Peroxide (Diluted)

Hydrogen peroxide (HP) is a natural bleaching agent. It also kills bacteria in your mouth, which can help prevent cavities and oral disease.

Many commercial whitening products list hydrogen peroxide as an ingredient. However, they often contain high concentrations of the chemical compound. 

When hydrogen peroxide is heavily concentrated, it can lead to gum irritation, tooth sensitivity, and/or enamel erosion. However, studies show HP is safe to use if it is diluted in toothpaste or mouthwash. 

It is best to use whitening products that contain 1 to 1.5 percent hydrogen peroxide. Many of these products also have small amounts of baking soda. 

Do not overuse whitening products containing hydrogen peroxide or baking soda. Always make sure you read the instructions before using them. 

6. Use Natural Whitening Products

Peroxide-containing products are safe to use on your teeth in small doses. However, some people prefer to use completely natural products.

Many natural whitening strips, toothpastes, and mouthwashes on the market use essential oils and botanicals to whiten teeth gradually.

What Makes a Whitening Product “Natural?”

Before purchasing a natural teeth whitening product, it is essential to look for certain features to ensure you are buying the best product.

All of the products listed below meet NewMouth’s standards for a “natural whitening product.”

These standards are:

• Certified non-toxic
• Enamel safe
• Non-abrasive
• Gluten-free
• Fluoride-free
• Preservative-free
• Sulfate-free
• Vegan ingredients
• Organic or naturally-derived ingredients
• Latex and paraben-free
• Sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) free
• Sodium saccharin (artificial sweetener) free
• Sugar-free or naturally sweetened with safer sugar alcohols, such as xylitol
• Not tested on animals (cruelty-free)
• Clinically tested 
• Whitens without sensitivity (chemicals can cause sensitivity)
• Dentist-formulated and approved

Why Trust Us?

All medical content on this site, including this guide and other products reviews, is written by our team of experienced writers and researchers. All NewMouth writers vet products that are recommended and reviewed in the industry. In cases where this is not possible, our team will:

• Compare positive and negative reviews on the products
• Talk to company leaders to ensure their products are safe and effective
• Look into costs to ensure customers are getting the best quality products at reasonable prices
• Read research studies to compare the pros and cons of each product

Every piece of content is heavily reviewed before publication. All content on NewMouth is also medically reviewed by a licensed dentist, specifically any content where we recommend products.

Our dentists are specifically instructed to flag any recommendations they don’t agree with. Any products that don’t meet their professional standards are removed.

None of the products on this page have the American Dental Association (ADA) Seal of Acceptance. This is because ADA-approved whitening products do not use all-natural ingredients. 

Some natural teeth whitening products also use ingredients that may not be completely effective at removing stains. More research is still needed on the overall effectiveness of natural teeth whitening products. 

4 Best Natural Teeth Whitening Kits

If you do not want to use peroxide-containing products, there are many other natural whitening treatments available.

Our team has put together a list of the best natural products based on the standards listed above:

Primal Life Real White Teeth Whitening System 

Best Overall (Editor’s Choice)

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Primal Life’s LED Teeth Whitening Device uses warming heat technology and whitening gel for faster, easier, and more effective whitening.

It is cordless, perfect for on-the-go, and only needs to be used for 15 minutes a day. 

Blue light LED teeth whitening offers many benefits, including:

• Whitening acceleration
• The convenience of whitening teeth at home vs. at the dentist
• Free from UV radiation 

We recommend purchasing Primal Life’s White Whitening Gel (listed below) instead of the Activated Charcoal Whitening Gel. 

Charcoal-based dental products haven't been thoroughly tested. No evidence shows that activated charcoal is 100 percent safe for teeth due to its severe abrasiveness on enamel.

Primal Life Teeth Whitening Gel (WHITE)

Also Great

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Primal Life’s White Teeth Whitening Gel is an excellent way to whiten your teeth naturally. 

This product does not contain peroxide, bleach, or chemicals. These ingredients were replaced with:

• Soothing, whitening, and vitamin-rich olive oil.
• Cleansing and whitening essential oils that help clean your gums, promote fresh breath, and keep your teeth looking white.
• Bentonite clay, which is nontoxic and rich in vital minerals (calcium and potassium). This cleansing clay gently scrubs and polishes your teeth.
• Diatomaceous earth (DE) clay is made of fossilized diatoms, a microscopic algae. Algae is the richest source of iron, chlorophyll, silica, trace minerals, and nutrients.

You can use this natural, mineral-infused whitening gel alone or in combination with Primal Life’s powerful LED Whitening Device (listed above). 

You should use this teeth whitener 3 to 5 times a week. After desired whiteness is reached, only use it 1 to 2 times a week.

Lumineux Oral Essentials Teeth Whitening Kit

Best Vegan Whitening Kit

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Lumineux’s Whitening Kit is a certified non-toxic, microbiome safe, and clinically proven teeth whitening regimen. 

Lumineux products combine ancient homeopathic ingredients with scientific evidence.

The formulas include ingredients like coconut oil, sage oil, and lemon peel oil. These naturally-derived ingredients help remove surface stains and freshen your breath naturally. 

These products are non-toxic, enamel-safe, SLS Free, vegan, preservative-free, sugar-free, and dentist formulated. They will also whiten your teeth without any sensitivity.

Lumineux’s Teeth Whitening Kit includes: 

• 14 natural whitening strips
• Whitening toothpaste (3.75 oz)
• Whitening mouthwash (16 oz)
• Bamboo toothbrush 

Cali White Teeth Whitening Kit 

Also Great

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The Cali White Botanical Whitening System is non-toxic and contains zero peroxide. 

The whitening gel is made of botanicals and other natural ingredients. It is also vegan, paraben-free, sulfate-free, organic, and gluten-free.

These ingredients work to give you whiter teeth without any harmful chemicals used in traditional whitening kits.

The kit includes:

• One blue LED light for whitening acceleration
• Two 5ml peroxide-free gel syringes
• One universal comfort fit tray
• Two thermoform trays (custom-fit)
• Retainer case
• Detailed instructions 

This advanced whitening system allows the gel to fill crevices between your teeth. It also whitens molars, giving a uniform whitening effect on all teeth. 

Cali White’s whitening gel tastes better than traditional gels because it contains Xylitol (non-toxic sugar alcohol) and organic peppermint oil. This oil is also a natural antiseptic.

5 Unproven Natural Teeth Whitening Methods

Some natural teeth whitening methods are capable of lightening your teeth safely. However, other popular whitening methods are not proven to work. They may actually do more harm than good. 

According to the American Dental Association (ADA), you should avoid whitening your teeth with:

1. Acidic fruits — naturally acidic substances can wear away tooth enamel and cause cavities, sensitivity, and other conditions. Do not use lemons, oranges, limes, strawberries, or other acidic fruits to whiten your teeth. But make sure you eat them as part of a healthy diet, which naturally improves teeth health and brightness. Increased intake of acidic foods can cause tooth sensitivity and wear away enamel.
2. Apple cider vinegar — vinegar contains acid, which can wear away tooth enamel. Do not put vinegar directly onto your teeth. 
3. Baking soda-hydrogen peroxide paste — applying a homemade baking soda-hydrogen peroxide paste directly to your teeth is abrasive because the concentration of the mixture is typically too strong. Overuse can erode your enamel.
4. Turmeric and other spices — There is no reliable evidence that shows putting turmeric on teeth whitens them. Many herbs are beneficial for your health but will not whiten teeth. 
5. Oil pulling — oil pulling is an Ayurvedic practice of swishing oil through the teeth and around the mouth. Coconut oil and olive oil are commonly used. This practice may improve bad breath, but it will not remove stains from teeth.

Is Activated Charcoal Safe on Teeth?

The answer is mixed. While studies have shown that activated charcoal removes stains, it is not the most effective option. 

A 2017 review of charcoal-based toothpastes (by JADA) found that 96 percent of them claimed to have whitening effects. Forty-six percent of them were able to detoxify teeth.

This shows that charcoal does have whitening properties. However, the problem is that there is no clear definition of what it means to detoxify something (at least not in the mouth).

In addition to this, the toxicity of charcoal-based dental products hasn’t been thoroughly tested.

No evidence shows that activated charcoal is 100 percent safe. Some dentists are also concerned that charcoal's abrasive particles whiten teeth by removing a layer of enamel.

Until more research comes out, it is best to avoid whitening products containing charcoal.