Can I whiten my teeth without using nasty chemicals?

[RevoltingPeasant]

My teeth are quite stained/ yellow. It is the sort of thing that probably other people don't notice much but it really bothers me to the extent that I have found myself not trying to smile or laugh in public :(

However I have been warned off cosmetic whitening treatments as they can be bad for the tooth enamel, and also whitening toothpastes.

I do not smoke, I drink tea and coffee but not huge amounts, and I brush at least twice a day. Is there anything else I can do? Any magic natural fixes??

Lemon juice (acetic acid)
Bicarb (sodium bicarbonate)
Salt (sodium chloride)

Depends on how nasty you think the chemicals in those are.

Thanks!!Happy with bicarb but will that damage tooth enamel?

It is less the chemicals per se and more the risk of permanently damaging teeth!

These make an abrasive paste which mechanically removes staining.
Do you have staining as a result of antibiotic treatment? Have you spoken to your dentist about it?

Don't think it is anything to do with antibiotics. I have only have 1 lot of ABs in the last, oooh, about 6-7 years. My dentist who is lovely just sort of laughs and says my teeth are healthy and not to worry. He is an NHS dentist and fair enough he doesn't want to get into cosmetics!

I personally wouldn't use those materials above, but rather use a good quality whitening toothpaste and brand new toothbrush head on an electric toothbrush. If you have concerns about your tooth enamel you could try using a fluoride mouthwash (alcohol free), Colgate do one.

I use Janina toothpaste. It's really good and not abrasive.