When returning home for the holidays, many families enjoy taking photos to commemorate the events. When reviewing the photos, however, you might have mixed feelings about hair that is out of place, a wrinkled shirt or not so white teeth. To make this year’s holiday photo the best, ensure your pearly whites are up to par by trying these simple, at-home remedies.

Remedy 1: Baking soda and lemon juice. Mix several teaspoons of baking soda and enough fresh lemon juice to form a paste. Grab a toothbrush or cotton ball and brush mixture on to teeth for about one minute.

According to Dr. Mehmet Oz from “The Dr. Oz Show,” lemons are acidic and the acid is what acts as the whitening agent, but don’t leave the paste on too long because too much of the acid can also erode tooth enamel.

Remedy 2: Strawberry, salt and baking soda scrub. Mash up about three or four large strawberries into a pulp. Add a dash of kosher salt, or sea salt, and ½ teaspoon of baking soda into a paste to brush teeth with for five minutes before rinsing. 

Dr. Oz said on his day-time talk show that strawberries have astringent and Vitamin C in them, which are very effective as a bleaching agent — use them as such.

Remedy 3: Coconut oil rinse.  Simply swish around about one tablespoon of coconut oil in mouth for about 10 to 15 minutes before brushing teeth. For best results, do this once a day. After a few days, a whiter smile and healthier gums will be noticeable. 

“A tooth is made up of four tissues,” said Claire Goodall, blogger of Everyday Roots. “Enamel, which is the strong white covering that protects the tooth. Dentin, which supports the enamel and is a hard yellow material that carries nerves. Pulp, which is at the center of the tooth and contains blood and lymph vessels and cementum, which covers the root of the tooth.”

Goodall said that enamel and dentin are the two factors that play the biggest role in the color of teeth. Food and drink have a huge impact on these areas and will break down tooth enamel overtime.

“As the enamel breaks down, it reveals the yellow dentin underneath,” Goodall said.

It is important not only to whiten your teeth, but protect your existing enamel as well. 

Foods like apples, oranges, strawberries and lemons are good for teeth in moderation because of their acidic nature. And things like coffee, pop and wine are not as good because of the high sugar content that will break down enamel and build plaque.

Whitening teeth doesn’t have to be an expensive procedure that will leave you broke, and with teeth sensitivity. Trying these at-home remedies can be a fun and inexpensive way to achieve the desired results.