Teeth generally lose their shine with growing age due to the changes in the mineral structure of the teeth. Teeth can also get stained through food and drinks like tea and coffee, tobacco, and other bacterial pigments. Tartar, which are calcified deposits formed by dental plaques, is another cause of teeth staining. Tartar makes the dental surface rough, thereby causing further accumulation of plaque and discoloration of teeth. Also, presence of tartar increases the absorption of stains on the teeth.
Staining of teeth may not be completely avoidable, but certain practices may reduce the chances of getting stained teeth. Do brush teeth with a fluoride toothpaste twice a day, regularly. Reduce the number of sugary foods and drinks you take in a day. Avoid smoking or taking tobacco-based products as they generally increase the staining of teeth. Also, visit a dentist's office at regular intervals to get your teeth treated for plaques and tartars.
You can employ some of the following inexpensive home treatments to whiten your teeth. Take one cleaned-up ripe strawberry and ½ teaspoon of baking soda and get them in a blender until you get a paste. Brush your teeth with this strawberry-soda paste and leave it for five minutes before washing off with water. You can do this once a week, as doing this too frequently might damage your enamel. You can also brush your tooth by mixing your toothpaste with salt, baking soda, or lemon juice. Baking soda and lemon juice, however, should be used carefully and with moderation as frequent use of these may damage your teeth. So, use these treatments once a week or month but not for a prolonged period. Salt is probably less likely to do any harm and can be used more frequently. Hydrogen peroxide mixed with toothpaste is also considered effective as teeth-whitener; however, be cautious with the use of hydrogen peroxide as frequent use of it may damage your teeth. Do not use this hydrogen peroxide treatment more than once a week. Wood ash is another treatment for treating stained teeth. Hard wood ash contains substances that may bleach your teeth, while the tiny crystals contained in wood ash helps scrape off plaques from the surface of the teeth. Be careful, however, while using wood ash as scrubbing your teeth too hard with it may damage the enamel. It is, therefore, recommended not to use wood ash too vigorously or too frequently on your teeth. You can just mix a pinch of wood ash powder with toothpaste and brush your teeth.
answered by G R