Can you whiten your teeth at home safely?

From the Teeth whitening guide

You can safely prevent and reduce surface stains at home, but be careful with anything that promises fast whitening. Acidic home remedies and unregulated high-strength gels bought online can permanently erode enamel and burn gums.

Can I deal with this at home?

Safe things to do:

• Brush twice a day with fluoride toothpaste, and clean between your teeth daily
• Rinse with water after tea, coffee or other dark drinks
• Stop smoking, which is one of the main causes of staining
• Use a whitening toothpaste from a reputable brand, which can lift surface stains but will not change your natural shade much

Things to avoid:

• Lemon juice, vinegar and other acids. They soften enamel, and enamel does not grow back.
• Baking soda used often or scrubbed hard. It is abrasive and can wear the tooth.
• Charcoal powders. These are abrasive too, with little good evidence that they whiten.
• Unlabelled or high-strength gels bought online. These can burn your gums and cause lasting sensitivity.

Thinner enamel can actually make teeth look more yellow, because the darker layer underneath shows through.

Why might your teeth be brown?

Tea, coffee and tobacco cause surface stains, which often respond well to cleaning and whitening. Fluorosis, some medicines, a dead nerve or decay are different, and whitening may not fix them. Masking or veneers may be better. Tartar can also look brown or black, and only a professional clean removes it.

When is professional whitening better?

If you want a real change in shade, a dentist first checks that whitening will work on your teeth and treats any decay or gum problems. Professional whitening does not damage enamel, and it typically lasts one to two years. It starts from KES 28,000.