Everyone wants whiter teeth, but not everyone knows how to get them. There’s a lot of false information out there and wacky ideas – it’s time to clear some of them up!
Here, Dr Joe Oliver reveals 5 teeth whitening myths and why they’re wrong:
1: Lemon juice – there may be some people who tell you that lemon juice will whiten your teeth. Don’t listen to them. Lemon is one of the most acidic substances there is and will only damage your teeth if you rub it in.
2: Baking soda – baking soda is an active bleaching agent that works by oxidising the stains present on your teeth enamel, but using it every day will damage your teeth.
3: Charcoal – we’ve all seen the videos on Instagram touting the so-called benefits of ‘Activated Charcoal.’ But be warned – charcoal does not whiten your teeth, despite what some might say; but it DOES remove surface stains which really is only a short term solution.
Activated charcoal products only remove surface stains, they don’t actually whiten your teeth.
4: Banana skins – rubbing banana peels onto your teeth may be considered a natural alternative to some but it actually does more harm than good due to the sugars in fruit.
5: Oil pulling– oil pulling supposedly removes stains, leading to whiter teeth. Although many claim the health benefits, there is no scientific research that confirms how effective it is in whitening teeth. Stick to professional services for scientifically proven results!
