I have been drinking a lot of tea and coffee lately, and it's been starting to show. With summer right around the corner and the days getting longer, I doubt that my schedule is going to allow for any extra sleep! To help combat the stains that caffeinated drinks often cause, I've been using this simple mixture at home to keep my teeth bright and stain free. It's more gentle than using baking soda (which is quite abrasive) and can be used daily if you wish. There's no salty flavor, and if you'd like, you can even add a mashed up strawberry for some sweetness and extra whitening power!
What you'll need:
- a capsule of activated charcoal / tip: snip a tiny hole on top of the capsule and gently press the powder out. It's a lot neater this way! Plus, you can save half of it for later use.
- 2 teaspoons of coconut oil
- toothpaste - I use Hello Toothpaste, which is all natural and comes in great flavors!
- Gently stir 1 teaspoon coconut oil and AC together with a spoon. With your finger or toothbrush, gently cover your teeth with the mixture, and then brush away! Spit out mixture into the trash - not your sink! Take your 2nd teaspoon of coconut oil and melt in your mouth. Swish it around for about 10-15 minutes. Spit out into trash. Do not rinse with water. Instead, add toothpaste to your brush, clean teeth as usual, and then rise with water. Smile!
- Tip: use the CO/AC mixture as part of an awesome-ly frightening Halloween costume. It's perfectly non-toxic, and makes for a great scare tactic!
Have you heard of Hello Toothpaste? It's a product with natural ingredients that comes in great unique flavors such as pink grapefruit mint, and peach mango mint! It's free from dyes, microbeads, preservatives and artificial sweeteners, which makes this a new favorite of mine. These can be found at Target for $3.99.
Will you try this? If you're looking for activated charcoal it can be found at health food stores such as Whole Foods or Trader Joe's. It can also be purchased online. If AC is something that you don't already have in your home, I cannot recommend it enough. It's an amazing product! When I used to go out with my girlfriends for GNO, I would take a capsule (or two) before going to bed, and I would sleep all through the night (alcohol is a sleep disturber), and wake without a trace of a hangover. It's also a great skin detoxer, can be used in mild cases of food poisoning, and can be taken to prevent bloating! Really, it's uses are endless and it's been a staple in my household for as long as I can remember!
If you try this DIY teeth-whitening recipe, take a photo please share it with me! I will be uploading my own personal photo soon on Instagram. Can't wait to see yours too - just be sure to tag me in it!
