A DIY Teeth Whitener

What’s the first thing people notice about you when you shake their hand? Chances are if your smile is not the first thing they notice it is ONE of the first things they notice. Did you know habits like smoking, excessive coffee drinking, and even inconsistent dental hygiene habits like forgetting to floss can do a number on your teeth? With brands like Colgate Whitening Strips and other supposed whiteners it’s easy to just buy and go, however, what if I told you that you don’t need to buy the store brand to get instantly whiter teeth?

That’s what this life hack I found on Pinterest proposes and with such a easy shopping list and the things I needed to test it already in my house, I thought, why not?  So off we go back to Brittany’s Life Hack Lab to test out the theory that mixing baking soda with a mashed up strawberry will give me whiter teeth.

Hypothesis: Mixing a strawberry with half a teaspoon of baking soda will create a paste that will whiten your teeth when left to sit for 5 minutes.

Theory 1: I will notice minimal changes but will need to do this consistently to see real results.

Theory 2: Don’t even bother! It doesn’t do what it claims for all the hype it received on social media.

Theory 3: It worked! Move over Colgate there’s a new sheriff in town!

So now with all our possible outcomes laid out, let’s go over what you’ll need:

*1/2 Teaspoon of baking soda.

* A Strawberry Mashed up.

* A Toothbrush to spread the paste on your teeth.

* A timer set for 5 minutes.

The mixture tastes like a salty fruity combination so its not too hard to tolerate for 5 minutes, I’m not sure I mashed my strawberry enough either so that may affect the overall outcome of your results, but I definitely feel this paste is doing something, especially along my gum line where it’s stinging just a little but nothing intolerable.

 

 

Well 10 seconds left, let’s wash this off!

 

You do this by using your toothbrush and regular toothpaste, to brush your teeth. And the results? I found my teeth were whiter although I never really had horribly stained teeth to begin with but I would recommend it if you’re looking for a sure fire way to gradually whiten your teeth to add it into your evening brushing regiment. The hack itself explains that this is because Strawberries contain malic acid which removes stains from teeth. Is this a miracle solution that will reverse years of stains and damage to your teeth? Yes and no, yes in a sense that  I feel it does and will work but not if you’re looking for instant results you’ll be sorely disappointed. I am going to personally add this hack into my evening brushing routine and check back in for an update next month to post my final verdict.

I CAN honestly say though that my teeth feel cleaner (like dentist clean) and look shiner in addition to a bit whiter. I am also prone to getting minimal plaque build up by the gum line no matter how much I brush (it’s genetic not because of lack of brushing and flossing) and I did notice that the strawberry/baking soda paste got rid of it quite nicely. Therefore, for now I got to go with Hypothesis 1, I noticed minimal changes and will be doing this consistently to give you the scoop of whether it’s worth your time or not.

Is there a life hack you’ve read that you want me to put to the test? Leave a comment below and I’ll get back to you since I do love hearing from all of you! Happy Whitening!

Love you. Mean it.

Brittany

xoxo