MADaboutTeeth

Let’s get into IT…

*Natural teeth whitening remedies 

Natural bleaching remedies are being seen all over blogs/vlogs and social media. We’ve heard of the do-it-yourself remedies including rinsing with hydrogen peroxide, brushing with baking soda, using activated charcoal, rubbing certain fruits or fruit peel on your teeth and oil pulling. But let’s break down the actual facts on these commonly used whitening remedies or better yet said trends. 

Hydrogen peroxide: As a mouth rinse hydrogen peroxide has a very low concentration of about 3%. This concentration of hydrogen peroxide is very low and not effective enough as a whitening agent to aid in the appearance of teeth looking significantly brighter or whiter. While heavily diluted concentrations may seem safe, the use of stronger concentrations or overuse of hydrogen peroxide as a rinse can cause gum irritation and tooth sensitivity. There have also been speculations that high doses of hydrogen peroxide can cause cancer, but there is no scientific evidence based research that proves this.

Activated charcoal: Directly using activated charcoal is harmful to the dentition (teeth) and can wear down the enamel exposing the underlying layer which is known as the dentin. Chronic use of activated charcoal and exposing the dentin will eventually cause the teeth to look more yellow due to the underlying calcified yellow tissue of the dentin.

Fruits: The proponents suggesting natural fruit remedies claim that compounds such as malic acid found in strawberries and apples or Bromelain found in pineapples will remove discoloration thus making the teeth appear whiter. Using this method in conjunction with baking soda will aid to buff stains away. But there's no evidence that rubbing these fruits will make your teeth whiter. In fact, a recent study found that brushing with a mixture containing baking soda had no whitening effects and  the citric acid in strawberries can actually cause harm to the dentition by breaking down the enamel.

Oil Pulling: Even though research lacks evidence suggesting oil pulling has whitening benefits, this commonly mentioned method is safe to do on a daily basis because unlike many of the other natural teeth whitening methods mentioned, coconut oil pulling does not expose your teeth to acid or other ingredients that erode the enamel. 

Baking soda: (“I’ve got baking soda”). 

Baking soda also known as sodium bicarbonate. The truth is that teeth whitening generally happens in two forms: by bleaching the teeth with peroxides or using an abrasive to remove stains. Baking soda is an abrasive that can assist in stain removal  when rubbed against the teeth’s hard outer layer known as the enamel. However, it can damage the enamel which may cause tooth sensitivity to hot and cold temperatures like when drinking coffee and eating ice cream, and can make brushing your teeth painful. Damage to the enamel can make you a high risk for cavities. Brushing with baking soda as an ingredient in your toothpaste on occasion will not damage teeth and can aid in teeth whitening maintenance. Keep in mind brushing too hard or too often with it can lead to damaged tooth enamel. Some people also mix the baking soda with lemon juice, strawberries or other ingredients to clean the teeth. However, due to the abrasiveness of all these acidic substances combined it is not recommended by dental professionals.