• Teeth bleaching at the dental office
• Using whitening toothpastes
• Coconut oil pulling
• Using apple cider vinegar
• Using activated charcoal powder
• Home whitening treatments like a strawberry and baking soda mixture
• Teeth scaling by a dentist
• Using at-home dental whiteners

Over time, teeth can change color due to the consumption of colored foods and drinks, smoking, aging, and other factors. Since having a beautiful smile and white teeth is a desire for many people, we have tried to introduce you to at-home methods for whitening teeth. These solutions, with the highest effectiveness and minimal side effects, will help you achieve a whiter, more beautiful, and more attractive smile.

What Causes Teeth to Turn Yellow

Several factors contribute to the yellowing and discoloration of teeth. Consuming certain foods can cause stains on the outer layer of the tooth enamel. Additionally, plaque buildup on the teeth can also cause them to look yellow. People typically treat this type of discoloration with regular cleaning and whitening remedies. However, as the tooth enamel erodes and the underlying dentin becomes visible, teeth appear yellow. Dentin is a naturally yellow, bone-like tissue located beneath the enamel.

At-Home Remedies for Whitening Teeth

Below, we introduce several simple and effective methods for whitening teeth at home. However, it is best to consider a few points before performing these processes:

• At-home teeth whitening remedies require consistency and repetition; none of them will whiten your teeth after just one use.
• Some home whitening methods can cause sensitivity in your teeth. Before trying any of the introduced methods, check that you are not sensitive to the recommended substance.
• The effectiveness of these home methods is less compared to professional methods.
• If you are looking for a more lasting and better result, use teeth bleaching. However, in conditions such as pregnancy, due to the risks of bleaching during pregnancy, at-home teeth whitening methods should be used.

1. Brush with Baking Soda to Whiten Teeth

Baking soda has natural whitening properties, which is why it is used in some commercial toothpastes. It has a mild abrasive quality that can remove surface stains on teeth. Furthermore, baking soda creates an alkaline environment in your mouth, which prevents bacteria from growing. Using baking soda is not a method that will whiten your teeth overnight, but you will notice a difference in the color of your teeth over time and after several applications. If you decide to use baking soda to make your teeth whiter, simply mix 1 teaspoon of baking soda with 2 teaspoons of water and then brush your teeth with this paste. To prevent side effects and tooth sensitivity to baking soda, do not perform this process more than 3 times a week.

2. Rub Banana Peel on Your Teeth

Although it may seem a bit strange, using banana peel on your teeth helps a great deal in whitening them. Banana peels contain very high amounts of potassium and manganese and can remove colored stains from teeth. These two minerals also naturally strengthen tooth enamel and eliminate acids in the mouth. To use banana peel for teeth whitening, simply rub the inside of the peel on your teeth for two minutes and then rinse your mouth with water. Fortunately, this trick is completely natural and has no side effects. For this reason, you can do this up to twice a day.

3. Oil Pulling for Whitening Teeth

Oil pulling is a traditional at-home teeth whitening remedy among people in India. This method eliminates bacteria in the mouth and on the teeth. In the past, Indians used sunflower oil or sesame oil for oil pulling; however, you can use any oil for this purpose. It should be noted that, unfortunately, there is no scientific evidence that oil pulling whitens teeth. Nevertheless, it is a safe practice and worth trying. Most people believe that after regular oil pulling, their teeth become whiter and brighter.

Coconut Oil

One of the at-home methods for whitening teeth is using coconut oil. Coconut oil has antibacterial properties and can help reduce dental plaque, consequently making teeth whiter. To use this method, swish one tablespoon of coconut oil in your mouth for 10 to 15 minutes every morning before brushing. Then, spit the oil out—be careful not to swallow it—rinse your mouth with water, and then brush your teeth. In addition to whitening teeth, this method also helps improve gum health and reduce harmful bacteria in the mouth.

4. Use Hydrogen Peroxide

Hydrogen peroxide is a substance with natural bleaching properties that can make your teeth shinier and brighter. This substance is used in many toothpastes on the market, but its main application is for at-home teeth bleaching. Teeth bleaching is one of the solutions for whitening teeth, which is done through two methods: at-home bleaching and in-office bleaching at a dental clinic.

In both methods, teeth are whitened using hydrogen peroxide. The difference is that in in-office bleaching, the concentration of the hydrogen peroxide substance is higher due to the presence and supervision of a dentist than when an individual whitens their teeth personally. The most common concentration of hydrogen peroxide available in pharmacies is a 3% solution.

You should dilute its concentration to 1.5% by mixing equal amounts of peroxide and water. You can also mix hydrogen peroxide with baking soda. Mix 2 teaspoons of hydrogen peroxide with 1 teaspoon of baking soda and gently brush your teeth.

Although highly diluted concentrations of this substance are safe and harmless, a concentrated form or overuse of it can cause gum irritation and tooth sensitivity. Therefore, we strongly advise you not to use this substance more than twice a week and only with a dentist’s consultation.

5. Don’t Overlook the Miracles of Potato

Potatoes do not directly whiten teeth or remove stains, but some of their properties and characteristics help to lighten the color of teeth. One of these features is the abrasive property of potatoes.

Plaque is a sticky layer of bacteria that accumulates on the outer surface of the teeth and can turn into tartar over time. Tartar gradually causes yellow and brown stains on the teeth.

With its abrasive property, potatoes help to remove plaque from the tooth surface. For this, simply rub a bit of raw potato on your teeth in a circular motion. Repeat this process for 10 minutes, and then rinse your mouth with lukewarm water.

6. Use Lemon Juice and Salt

Two other accessible ingredients for whitening teeth are lemon juice and salt. The benefits of these two ingredients for teeth whitening include the following:

• The citric acid in lemon juice can remove plaque from the tooth surface.
• Lemon juice prevents the growth of bacteria in the mouth.
• Salt, with its mild abrasive property, cleans surface stains on teeth.

Lemon juice and salt both have whitening properties for teeth on their own, but their combination can lead to a more powerful substance for having whiter teeth. To create this whitening paste, you should mix about 1 teaspoon of salt and 2 teaspoons of lemon juice together and brush your teeth with this paste for 2 minutes.

7. Apple Cider Vinegar for Teeth Whitening

Another popular and effective natural method for whitening teeth at home is using apple cider vinegar. Apple cider vinegar has mild acidic properties and can help remove surface stains on teeth. To use this method, you should mix one teaspoon of apple cider vinegar with a glass of water and gargle it in your mouth for 30 seconds.

Then, rinse your mouth with water and brush your teeth so that the acid does not remain on the tooth enamel. Remember not to do this more than two to three times a week, as overuse of apple cider vinegar may gradually weaken the tooth enamel.

8. Eat Strawberries to Whiten Your Teeth

It might be interesting for you to know that you can whiten your teeth by eating a few strawberries daily! But what is the reason for the effect of strawberries on teeth whitening? Strawberries contain a large amount of Vitamin C and malic acid. These acids can help clean surface stains on teeth but are not so strong and concentrated as to damage the tooth enamel.

To use the properties of strawberries for teeth whitening, you should mash one or two strawberries and mix them with a small amount of baking soda, or without it. Then, apply it to your teeth. Let this mixture stay on the teeth for about five minutes, and then rinse your mouth thoroughly and brush. Do this once or twice a week to see the amazing whitening effect of strawberries, without damaging your tooth enamel.

9. Rub Orange Peel on Your Teeth for Whitening

Another method is using orange peel. The white inner layer of the orange peel contains compounds like limonene, which have natural whitening properties. For application, rub the white part of the orange peel directly onto your teeth and let it sit for a few minutes. Then, rinse your mouth with water and brush your teeth. You can do this every night before bed to gradually see its effect.

10. Whitening Teeth at Home with Charcoal

Finally, the last trick you can use to whiten your teeth at home is using activated charcoal. Charcoal is another natural method for whitening teeth. That’s why charcoal toothpastes have become so popular these days.

Charcoal has the ability to absorb toxins and stains and can help remove surface discoloration on teeth. To use the properties of charcoal for teeth whitening, you should put some activated charcoal powder on your toothbrush and gently brush your teeth for two minutes.

Then, rinse your mouth thoroughly with water. If you don’t have charcoal available, you can buy a charcoal toothpaste from the pharmacy.

Other At-Home Teeth Whitening Methods

There are a few other unproven natural methods for whitening teeth whose safety or effectiveness is not clear. Some of these methods include:

• Activated Charcoal: Brushing with charcoal powder removes toxins from the mouth and stains from the teeth.
• Kaolin Clay: Proponents of this method claim that brushing with this clay removes stains from teeth.
• Fruit Peels: Rubbing orange, lemon, or banana peels on your teeth makes them whiter.
• Apple Cider Vinegar: There is no evidence that apple cider vinegar whitens teeth; on the contrary, it may even weaken tooth enamel and cause tooth decay.

Proponents of these methods believe that teeth become significantly whiter, but there is no scientific evidence for this claim.

Does Brushing Your Teeth Make Them White?

Brushing alone cannot completely whiten teeth. However, because it helps to remove plaque and surface stains, it prevents discoloration caused by food and drinks. There are also toothpastes containing mild whitening agents that can slightly lighten the color of teeth over time. But to remove deep stains or yellowness caused by internal factors, stronger whitening methods such as scaling, bleaching, or more effective home treatments are needed.

Instant Teeth Whitening

If you are looking for instant whitening of your teeth, you should go for the best and most effective method: bleaching your teeth at a dental office. This method is performed using strong whitening agents like hydrogen peroxide or carbamide peroxide, and in some cases, along with laser light, it can lighten the tooth color by several shades in just one session. Bleaching is not only the fastest way to whiten teeth, but its effect is also more significant and longer-lasting than at-home methods, provided that necessary care, such as reducing the consumption of staining foods and maintaining oral hygiene, is followed.

What Can We Put on Teeth to Make Them White?

• Coconut oil
• Apple cider vinegar
• Strawberry
• Orange peel
• Baking soda
• Salt
• Lemon juice
• Charcoal
• Whitening toothpastes
• At-home dental whiteners

Final Conclusion

There are several natural methods for whitening teeth at home. Using substances such as banana peel, potato, baking soda, vinegar, lemon juice, and salt are examples of these methods. Do not forget that most of these methods remove surface stains on the teeth and are not a permanent solution for achieving white and shiny teeth.

Dr. Nazi Bonyanian

Dental Surgeon (DDS) — Medical Council Number: 138662
Graduate of Isfahan University of Medical Sciences with over 15 years of experience in implants, laminates, and oral and dental surgery.

Dr. Bonyanian Dental Clinic

Address: No. 22, Unit 7, West Alley 6, Bokharest Street, Argentina Sq., Tehran, Iran
Phone: +98-21-88539720 | WhatsApp: +98-912-514-2202
Email: info@drbonyanian.com

Working Hours: Sat–Wed 09:00–20:00 | Thu 09:00–14:00 | Friday Closed

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Last Reviewed: 4 October 2025

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