All smokers know how smoking can affect your lungs and respiratory system, but it can also affect your teeth.
Several things in cigarettes can impact your teeth, including nicotine and tar.
These chemicals can do a number on your teeth, leaving them stained a dull yellow or even brown color.
You may worry that the only way to get rid of these stains is to pay for professional teeth whitening, but luckily, we’ve done the research.
Learning how to remove tar stains from your teeth is accessible from the comfort of your home.
All you need are a few common household items to have your teeth looking like themselves once again.
What You’ll Need
You’ll need a few everyday household items to remove tar stains from your teeth successfully.
- Baking soda
- Hydrogen peroxide
- Toothbrush
Now that you’ve grabbed the materials, read on to learn how to get tar stains off your teeth.
1. Brush your teeth like normal
Before fighting the stains left behind from smoking cigarettes, make sure your teeth are clean.
Developing one will significantly help you remove tar and any other stains from your teeth if you do not.
You should already have an excellent dental hygiene daily routine which includes flossing, brushing, and rinsing with mouth wash.
2. Mix baking soda and hydrogen peroxide
In a small bowl, mix a little baking soda with a few drops of hydrogen peroxide.
soda is a natural abrasive, so it is suitable for removing stains from the outside of your teeth.
The hydrogen peroxide helps increase the stain-fighting power of the baking soda because it helps to oxidize the stains.
Pro tip: Be careful not to make the baking soda and hydrogen peroxide mixture too abrasive. If the mixture is too abrasive, it can damage your teeth instead of simply helping you remove unwanted stains. You are looking for a texture like commercial toothpaste.
3. Rub the Cleaning mixture on your teeth
Using a toothbrush, rub the mixture on your teeth like toothpaste.
Brush your teeth gently for about 30 seconds.
Then, rinse your mouth with water to remove any lingering traces of the baking soda and hydrogen peroxide.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Baking Soda Good For My Teeth?
Baking soda does several good things for your teeth.
Not only will it remove tar stains, but it can prevent tooth decay as well as allow your enamel to remineralize.
It limits the build-up of plaque by neutralizing the plaque acids.
We recommend finding a toothpaste that contains baking soda.
What are some ways that I can prevent tar stains on my teeth?
The easiest way to remove tar stains from your teeth is to prevent them in the first place.
Tar stains are easiest to prevent by not smoking, but that may be difficult for some people at the present moment.
If you can quit smoking, your teeth will be healthier in the long run.
How Do Smokers Keep Their Teeth White?
If you are not able or willing to stop smoking at the moment, there are still things you can do to limit and prevent tar stains on your teeth.
The first thing you should do is create and maintain an excellent oral hygiene routine.
Brush your teeth twice a day, floss at least once a day, and use a good mouthwash.
Doing this will help reduce plaque and tartar, both of which are magnets for stains.
Your teeth will be healthier and less likely to stain.
In addition, whenever possible, brush your teeth immediately after smoking.
The goal is to brush away any tar or lingering chemicals on your teeth before becoming embedded in your enamel as a stain.
This process may seem a little tedious, especially if you smoke multiple cigarettes a day, but doing so will prevent tar stains.
If you cannot brush your teeth right away, try rinsing with a mouth wash or at least clean water.
While it is not as effective as brushing, it will still help dislodge some staining chemicals.
You can also eat foods that naturally help to whiten your teeth.
These are foods like apples, celery, carrots, and citrus.
These foods allow you to remove stains and whiten your teeth by increasing saliva production, necessary for keeping your mouth healthy.
Saliva helps remove germs and stains from your teeth, so these foods can help prevent tar stains.
Be careful not to overuse the citrus, though, because the citrus can wear down tooth enamel if used in an overly concentrated dosage.
Is there anything else I can use if I don’t have any baking soda?
If you do not have any baking soda on hand, you can still use hydrogen peroxide to remove tar stains from your teeth.
We recommend using no more than an ounce, although you can use less.
Add a little hydrogen peroxide to a glass of water.
Take a sip of the mixture and swish vigorously for several seconds.
Then, spit it out. You can repeat this process several times and then rinse your mouth thoroughly with fresh water to remove any lingering hydrogen peroxide.
Does Vinegar Remove Tar Stains From Teeth?
You can also use vinegar to remove tar stains from your teeth.
It works best when combined with salt.
Add a teaspoon of salt to half a cup of warm water, then add two teaspoons of white vinegar.
Stir the mixture well and gargle with this solution two times a day.
The acidic properties of the white vinegar have antibacterial properties and will demineralize tooth enamel, making it extremely effective in removing tar stains from teeth.
This process will also remove tartar and plaque.
Can tooth whitening help Remove Tar Stains From Teeth?
Tooth whitening can help to remove tar stains left from smoking.
You can use at-home kits to avoid stains, but you should use them sparingly.
If used too often or in too strong a dosage, at-home whitening can increase tooth sensitivity, gum irritation, and even chemical burns on your gums.
You can also consult your dentist for tooth whitening.
You should already be visiting your dentist twice a year for a dental cleaning, which should help remove some stains, but additional sessions for whitening can help.
Tooth whitening at the dentist usually allows you to see immediate results and can be highly effective against old smoking stains.
Professional tooth whitening can help you permanently remove tar stains from your teeth quickly if you choose to go that route.
