People have been using natural remedies to whiten their teeth for millennia. All of these natural remedies follow roughly the same concept: strengthening the enamel and removing plaque–bacteria on the teeth built up after several meals or non-water beverages. Here are some 100% natural ways to improve your oral health and get those pearly whites even whiter:

1. Oil pulling
This is an ancient home remedy for whitening the teeth. The concept is essentially the same as mouthwash: you swish a tablespoon of coconut oil in your mouth for fifteen to twenty seconds before spitting it out. The oil, due to its adhesive properties, basically strips the bacteria from the teeth, leaving less plaque to dirty everything up. If you’ve ever seen a scientific demonstration of oil and water not mixing, the idea is the same. Regardless of the technical details, oil pulling is a time-tested home remedy for teeth whitening that is worth checking out.

2. Brushing with baking soda
More commonly known than the others, brushing with baking soda has oft been mentioned as a viable alternative or addition to brushing with toothpaste. The science behind this one is pretty simple: bacteria (like plaque) produce a lot of acids as waste products. This acid is the primary component of that film of yellow gunk that forms over dirty teeth. Baking soda, or sodium bicarbonate, is a base, which if you remember your high school chemistry, neutralizes acids, and you’re left with an acid-free environment on the surface of your teeth.

3. Hydrogen peroxide
This is one of the more versatile chemicals to use in teeth whitening. This fantastic chemical that is usually found in every bathroom cabinet and first aid kit works wonders for oral health. You can either swish it around your mouth or put it on your toothbrush and brush with it. Hydrogen peroxide is one of the main components of almost all toothpastes and mouthwashes, and can offer an effective and cost-efficient replacement for these products. Just make sure you only use lower-concentration forms of the stuff, and only for short periods of time.

4. Eat foods like strawberries
Like many other areas of physical health, one of the best remedies is to simply eat a good diet. In fact, one of the best home remedies for dirty teeth is to eat strawberries! Strawberries contain high concentrations of Vitamin C and Vitamin B6, which speed up the generation of various proteins that help protect and clean your teeth. It’s very simple: develop a sweet tooth for strawberries and your teeth will thank you for it.

5. Avoid drinks that stain
There are many infamously terrible foods and beverages for teeth. Perhaps the simplest method of tooth whitening is to simply avoid or cut back these foods and drinks. Whether it’s wine, coffee, or candy, you will notice a significant decrease in plaque if you significantly decrease (or eliminate entirely) these foods and drinks from your diet. A clean diet doesn’t just benefit your muscles or your waistline, it also has profound effects on oral health.