Budget-Friendly Ways to Naturally Whiten Teeth at Home

Tired of spending money on expensive teeth whitening treatments? I've got a secret stash of budget-friendly, natural solutions that actually work and give you a dazzling white smile without harmful chemicals or leaving home!

Benefits of Natural Whitening Solutions

Commercial whitening products, strips, and treatments are expensive. Most of these natural solutions cost pennies!
It's easy! No need to sit in a dentist chair for hours, getting fitted for trays, or hanging out with those annoying strips.
No potential risks associated with harsh chemicals often found in commercial products. All these solutions are natural, safe, and effective.

6 Tooth Whitening Powerhouses

Before we chat about whitening techniques, treatments, and recipes, let's chat about natural whitening ingredients. These are listed in no particular order. You can add any of these into your current oral care routines. Tips and recipes are after this list.

#1: Baking Soda

Acidic pH levels in your mouth can weaken enamel and increase the presence of cavity causing bacteria. Baking soda helps balance pH levels.
Baking soda added to your healthcare routine may buff away stains with little to no irritation, even on sensitive teeth.
It's also a a natural and versatile product that can be used for personal care; including toothpaste, deodorant, shampoo (learn about natural hair care here), and skin care.

Learn more about how to use baking soda for hair, skin, teeth, and more here.

baking soda tip for hair, skin, beauty, teeth, and health

#2: Activated Charcoal

The porous nature of activated charcoal allows it to absorb plaque and stains that discolor your teeth. By gently brushing with activated charcoal powder or using toothpaste infused with activated charcoal, you can effectively remove years of surface stains caused by coffee, tea, wine, and other common culprits. But don't worry about your teeth turning black – it doesn't leave any residue behind after you rinse.

Activated charcoal is my go-to digestive support as well as one of my favorite hangover cures.

Learn more about how to use activated charcoal for health and beauty here.

how to use activated charcoal for health, beauty, hair, skin, whiten teeth, hangover, digestion, tummy support

#3: Bentonite Clay

Bentonite clay comes from volcanic ash that has naturally occurring minerals and an electric charge. This electric charge attracts and draws out toxins, metals, & other impurities, resulting in an effective, gentle, & healing detox, brightener, and whitener.

Bentonite clay is also one of my favorite face and hair masks.

Learn how to make the mask & more about bentonite clay here.

amazing benefits of bentonite clay and how to make a bentonite clay face and hair mask

#4: Essential Oils

Want to freshen your breath, whiten your teeth, support healthy gums, and soothe tooth discomfort without using synthetic chemicals & ingredients? Sounds dreamy, right?! Guess what, there's an oil for that! Actually, there are a handful of essential oils for that!

Brightening essential oils include:

Citrus Fresh (blend of citrus essential oils and spearmint)
Lemon
Orange

Learn more & get your discount code:

Essential oils for oral health, teeth whitening, and sensitive teeth

#5: Turmeric

Turmeric contains curcumin. Curcumin is the superstar in turmeric and is anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, anti-aging, and brightens skin & teeth.

Learn more about the beauty benefits of turmeric here.

how to use turmeric for skin, hair, and teeth

#6: Hydrogen Peroxide

Hydrogen peroxide is a cost-effective whitening alternative that can deliver impressive results as well as kill germs and bacteria. Use a food grade hydrogen peroxide that is diluted at 3% and dilute it 50/50 with water. I use this hydrogen peroxide in my whitening mouthwash recipe.

Learn more about how to safely use hydrogen preoxide for oral health here.

4 Natural Whitening Treatments & Recipes

Now you have your tooth whitening toolbox loaded and ready to go! You can mix and match the above ingredients to make a custom oral health routine that works best for you.

Here are my favorite ways to incorporate these ingredients into my routine:

Recipe #1: How I Put an End to Sensitive Teeth With Homemade Toothpaste

I used to have sensitive teeth. I used to use a maximum strength sensitive toothpaste. I used to use a numbing gel I got from my dentist everyday. And I STILL had sensitive teeth & gums. And then I started making DIY, nontoxic, homemade toothpaste. My sensitive teeth are a thing of the past.

Recipe for homemade toothpaste:

4 Tablespoons Coconut Oil
3 Tablespoons Baking Soda
3 Tablespoons Bentonite Clay
1 Teaspoon Xylitol
1 Teaspoon filtered water without fluoride (I use a Berkey Filter - use code tcmberkey)
30 drop of Essential Oils (learn more about essential oils for oral health here):
- Mix as desired. My favorites:
  - Orange & Lemon: Whitening power & fresh breath
  - Clove: Has been used for oral health for centuries
  - Thieves: Great for oral health & fresh breath & has Clove in it
  - Peppermint: Great for oral health & fresh breath
10 drops Mineral Essence Minerals
Optional: 1 Tablespoon Activated Charcoal for extra whitening power (learn about activated charcoal here)

Learn more about my DIY toothpaste recipe here.

Recipe #2: Oil Pulling Chews

Oil pulling is one of my favorite healthy habits. It's easy, detoxing, supports oral health, clears up my complexion, and freshens my breath. All without breaking a sweat! And my favorite oil pulling hack is making oil pulling chews. When I have these handy, premade in my fridge, I'm much more likely to be consistent with this morning routine.

Recipe for whitening oil pulling chews:

Melt 1/2 cup coconut oil over low heat on the stove
Stir in about a teaspoon of activated charcoal (about 3-5 capsules worth if using capsules)
Stir in about 20 drops of Lemon Essential Oil
- More on essential oils for oral health here
Pour into silicone molds into about 1 tablespoon portions
Put in fridge or freezer until hardened
Store in a container in the fridge

Directions:

Put 1-2 chews in your mouth and chew until it melts
Swish for 5-20 minutes
Spit out in the trash

Learn more about oil pulling chews and get 4 recipes here.

how to make oil pulling chews for whitening, detoxing, remineralizing, and soothing

Recipe #3: Remineralizing & Whitening Tooth Powder

Tooth powder is a powder form of toothpaste with all the same cleansing and freshening power. It's less messy than it's pasty counterpart, inexpensive to make, travel-friendly, and has a long shelf life.

Recipe for whitening tooth powder:

In a non-metal bowl and using non-metal utensils (metal shouldn't be used with bentonite clay), mix:
- 1/4 cup bentonite clay
- 2 tablespoons baking soda
- 2 tablespoons calcium carbonate
- 2 teaspoons fine mineral salt
- 1 teaspoon activated charcoal (about 4 capsules if using capsules)
- 1 tablespoon xylitol
- Optional:
  - 2-4 teaspoons dried herbs & spices (cinnamon, peppermint, turmeric, and/or clove)
  - 10-20 drops essential oils of choice
    - Be sure essential oils are mixed well so no clumps form
You can adjust the amounts of each ingredient to fit your needs and flavor preference.
Store in an air-tight non-metal container at room temperature.
Dip your damp toothbrush in the container and brush & rinse normally.
Can be combined with other dental care routines including diy toothpaste, oil pulling, and diy mouthwash.

Learn more about whitening & remineralizing tooth powder here.

diy whitening and remineralizing tooth powder recipe

Recipe #4: Whitening & Remineralizing Mouthwash

The benefits of homemade mouthwash go beyond just clean breath and a refreshed feeling. When you make your own mouthwash at home, you have complete control over the ingredients you put into it. This means you can choose natural, safe, and organic ingredients that remineralize and whiten your teeth. And you can fully customize your recipe to fit your oral care needs. Plus, most recipes cost pennies per use!