Almost everyone wants a bright, white, movie star smile. However, not everyone can afford expensive whitening treatments from the dentist, and many people's teeth are too sensitive to tolerate the harsh chemicals involved in drugstore whitening strips. So what else can you do to whiten your smile without breaking the bank, or your teeth? Listed below are three natural teeth-whitening methods to try out.

1. Get Counter-Intuitive

Oddly enough, many substances that would leave dark stains on your clothes can actually have the opposite effect on your teeth. Strawberries, activated charcoal, and turmeric, a spice known to dye things yellow, are great options for naturally fighting tooth stains. The whitening process is basically the same no matter which of these substances you are using. If you're using strawberries or turmeric, simply coat your teeth in the material of your choice (if using strawberries, mash them up first!), and then let it sit on your teeth for 3-5 minutes before rinsing. With activated charcoal, brush your teeth like you would with toothpaste, and then rinse thoroughly.

2. Give Oil-Pulling a Try

Coconut oil can be used for much more than cooking. Swishing coconut oil around your mouth (known as oil pulling) for 5-20 minutes has been said to leave teeth whiter and healthier due to coconut oil's anti-bacterial properties. You can also brush or rub coconut oil onto your teeth if the idea of swishing for 20 minutes is unappealing. When practicing oil pulling, make sure that you spit the oil into the trash can rather than into your sink, so that you don't accidentally clog it with oil.

3. Get Your Crunch On

It doesn't have to be difficult to whiten your teeth. Incorporating more (healthy) crunchy foods into your diet is a simple way to enhance the whiteness of your teeth. Crunchy fruits and vegetables contain stain-fighting acids and naturally scrub away tough enamel stains. Apples, for example, contain malic acid, which is a component that is included in many tooth whitening products! Get the tooth-whitening elements without all the other strange dyes and chemicals by simply incorporating more crunch into your diet. It couldn't be easier!

Everyone should be able to get a bright white smile without breaking the bank (or breaking down their enamel). If you're feeling self-conscious about your smile and are looking for an inexpensive, safe way to whiten your teeth, give one (or more!) of the methods listed above a try.

For professional dental services, contact a dentist such as Roy B. Guster DDS PC.