When you visit the dentist, the last thing you want to hear is that you need a lot of dental work done. Not only does this news elevate your blood pressure, but it also drains your bank account quickly. But you can save some of your hard-earned money by completing a little trick that gets rid of plaque at home. Use this home remedy once per week so that your next dental visit is one that truly makes you smile.

Step 1: Purchase Your Ingredients

You'll need just a couple of ingredients, along with your toothbrush, to perform this trick. The first thing you'll need is a bag of sunflower seeds. You can pick this up at any grocery store. It doesn't matter if they are unsalted or salted because the salt is good for your gums.

The next ingredient to purchase will come from your local health food store. Ask the associate for linden flower. This dried flower is used for teas to help with many physical ailments. Try to get the purest form possible, but do not purchase it to help with plaque removal in the pill form. Get powder, dried flowers or tea. Because linden flower removes mucous, it also helps to remove plaque when cooked into the sunflower seeds.

Step 2: Mix the Concoction

Place about a half liter of water into a saucepan. Then add in about a handful of sunflower seeds and a handful of linden flower. Stir the ingredients just a little.

Allow the mix to simmer on your stove's lowest setting for about an hour. Turn the boiler off and wait for the water to cool.

Step 3: Brush Your Teeth

Brush your teeth as you normally do with your regular toothpaste, rinsing out your mouth with warm salt water when you're finished. This helps to give the mixture a clean slate to work on and a more direct path to any plaque that you might have.

Floss your teeth and then brush them with the mixture and rinse completely when finished. The softer sunflower seeds won't hurt your teeth or gums, but there is still enough friction on the seed to work on the plaque.

Cook up this home remedy early in the morning, once a week. Then brush as instructed above after each meal throughout the day. Make an appointment with your dentist if you feel any pain or may have some sunflower seeds stuck in your teeth that you cannot remove with floss.