The appearance of your teeth is one of the first things people notice about you, and it can affect their first impression of you for good or bad. Cosmetic dental procedures and treatments to improve the alignment and appearance of your teeth and to lighten the coloring of your tooth enamel are a big part of today's social culture, geared toward looking more attractive and improving your physical appearance. Here are three natural ingredients you can use to whiten and improve the appearance of your teeth at home, on your own.

Coconut Oil

Using coconut oil to whiten your teeth has additional benefits, including removing bad bacteria from your mouth, plaque from your teeth, and getting rid of bad breath while reducing oral inflammation, healing bleeding gums, and preventing cavities. Oil pulling can also boost your immune system and improve the condition of your skin and lips. 

To use coconut oil for oil pulling, place one to two teaspoons of coconut oil into your mouth first thing in the morning, before you brush your teeth or eat any food. It will melt immediately. Swish it around inside your mouth and around your teeth, gums, and tongue for ten to twenty minutes. As the oil flows inside your mouth, it will trap and collect toxins, plaque, and bacteria in your mouth. After twenty minutes, you can spit the oil into the garbage, and with it will go all the harmful toxins. Rinse your mouth with water and brush your teeth, as usual, and repeat this each morning.

Activated Charcoal

When you first hear the word charcoal, you may not consider it something to put on your teeth to whiten them. But food- or medical-grade activated charcoal is a natural substance that does not harm your body or the sensitive skin tissue inside your mouth. And because activated charcoal is a very absorbent and porous material, it binds to coloring and tannins from foods that can attach onto your teeth and cause stains.

Activated charcoal has other benefits besides whitening your teeth enamel, as it changes the pH level in your mouth to help kill the bad bacteria in your mouth that causes cavities and gingivitis and other infections in your gums. When you first start using activated charcoal to whiten your teeth, it is recommended to use it daily for a week, then to use it once a week to maintain the whiteness of your teeth.

First, dip your toothbrush into some powdered activated charcoal and brush your teeth with it. Leave the charcoal on your teeth for a few minutes, which will give it time to bind to any stains on your teeth. Rinse your mouth with clean water to remove the charcoal from them and brush them with your regular toothpaste, as usual. You can also add a teaspoon of activated charcoal powder to some water and swish it around inside your mouth for a few minutes. Spit the water out and leave the charcoal on your teeth for a few more minutes before rinsing and brushing your teeth, as normal.

Turmeric

Turmeric is a spice and another ingredient that you may not associate with teeth-whitening because of its bright yellow-orange color and its ability to stain many surfaces. Fortunately, turmeric can remove stains from your teeth when you apply it to and brush it over your teeth. Turmeric contains curcumin, which, in addition to whitening your teeth, also fights bacteria, relieves inflammation and teeth sensitivity, and cleans plaque from your teeth.

Combine one tablespoon of turmeric powder with some water to make a thick paste. Place it onto your toothbrush and brush it onto your teeth for three to four minutes. After brushing, spit it from your mouth and rinse your mouth well with water. Turmeric is an abrasive material, so it is not recommended to use it more than once a day, as it can wear down the enamel on your teeth.

Use these three natural ingredients to whiten your teeth.