Joan Wilen and Lydia Wilen
Joan Wilen and Lydia Wilen are folk-remedy experts and home tipsters based in New York City. They have spent decades collecting “cures from the cupboard” and are authors of several books, including Secret Food Cures.
Americans are globally famous for how often they smile. This in turn has lead to a lot of concern for the whiteness of our smiles with over-the-counter tooth whitening treatments and even bleaching overseen by a cosmetic dentists being popular. There are effective and natural ways to remove brown stains from teeth though, and they are likely to cost far less than commercial tooth whitening.
In this excerpt from the book Household Magic by Joan and Lydia Wilen the authors explain how to remove brown stains from teeth naturally with ingredients you already have in your home as well as giving tips for removing stains between your teeth, caring for retainers, and maintaining dentures.
Children have 20 first teeth. Adults have 32 teeth. Just like fingerprints, everyone’s set of teeth is unique, even those of identical twins. In this section, we offer all kinds of helpful suggestions to take care of your extra-special set of choppers.
Dip a strand of unwaxed dental floss in 3% hydrogen peroxide for about 30 seconds, then floss with it. (However, if you’ve smoked for 20 years and have nicotine buildup, please don’t expect this to make much of a difference.)
It is said that many celebrities keep their teeth white and stain-free by drinking coffee, tea and red wine through a straw. Although it might raise eyebrows at the dinner table, it really does help prevent stained teeth.
If you think you’ve squeezed every last bit of toothpaste out of the tube—think again. Place the tube in a glass of hot water for one or two minutes. As the heat makes the tube expand, it will release any paste stuck on the sides, and you should be able to get two or three more squishes out of it.
When you run out of your regular toothpaste, make a paste with baking soda and water— use about one teaspoon of baking soda and 1 ⁄4 teaspoon of water.
Brush extra gently at the gum line because the baking soda can be irritating. And don’t for[1]get to stop at the store to buy more toothpaste
◆ Mix equal amounts of distilled white vinegar and filtered or spring water (you don’t want your dentures turning green from the chlorine in regular tap water), and put the solution in a clean cup. Soak your dentures or a retainer overnight, and get ready for some clean choppers!
◆ Dissolve two teaspoons of baking soda in one pint of filtered or spring water. Then drench a clean washcloth and wipe the dentures or the retainer. Rinse and wear.
Discover more natural remedies and tips for healthy daily living with your own copy of Household Magic from Bottomlineinc.com today.
