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There’s no evidence, however, that eating the fruit, or brushing with a paste made from the pulp, whitens teeth. When combined in toothpaste formulas, these enzymes (papain and bromelain) loosen plaque that make teeth appear discolored. Papayas and pineapples, on the other hand, contain enzymes that may be effective at whitening teeth by combating staining, according to one clinical study. And, as with apple cider vinegar, those fruit acids that remain on your teeth break down the enamel, darken the teeth and encourage decay. Fruits and VegetablesĪlthough the notion that crunchy produce can scrub plaque off your teeth is unfounded, it’s true that some fruits contain natural acids that affect the teeth-lemons and strawberries in particular. Try it or skip it? Skip swishing around apple cider vinegar. And acidic compounds, whether produced by the breakdown of sugars in the mouth or by acids you consume, dissolve tooth enamel, leading to tooth decay.Ĭontact with food acids like vinegar is safe for the short amount of time they stay in your mouth as you eat, but using them to brush or rinse with isn’t a good idea because prolonged contact erodes enamel. In fact, its sharp taste and strong odor make clear apple cider vinegar is very acidic. But that’s a quality that may help your gut, not your teeth. It’s a fermented product, meaning it has probiotic properties, which are responsible for many of its alleged health benefits. People in natural health circles often tout apple cider vinegar as a kind of cure-all. Let’s take a look at the claims and sort out the facts from the fiction-and maybe save you some pain and tooth damage along the way. And, worse yet, some of them may actually have the exact opposite effect of what you’re seeking: They may make your teeth less white over time and even cause painful sensitivity. If you’re considering using a natural teeth-whitening method, though, you should know that there are a lot of claims, but not a lot of documented scientific proof that they are either safe or effective.
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Likewise, natural compounds can’t polish away darkening of teeth caused by issues such as physical trauma or use of tetracycline antibiotics, known as “intrinsic staining.” If you have “extrinsic staining,” or surface discoloration caused by coffee, tea, red wine, prescription mouthwash or tobacco use, however, you may be able to improve or maintain your smile between regular visits to the dentist for professional cleaning and polishing. “It doesn’t grow back, whether we wear it away or dissolve it away.” There are also a lot of different causes of tooth discoloration, Messina notes: “If you have gum disease, whitening won’t make your teeth whiter.” “Enamel is pretty precious,” says Messina. The enamel layer is extremely thin, says Messina, sometimes less than half a millimeter. That layer of enamel matrix (that is, the “chain link fencing”) protects the darker colored dentin underneath it and the living pulp inside the tooth. “Under magnification, it looks like chain link fencing. “Tooth enamel is a crystal,” says Matthew Messina, D.D.S., assistant professor for dentistry at Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio, and a spokesperson for the American Dental Association. To understand whether natural teeth whitening is right for you, it helps to know exactly what your shiny white enamel is and the role it plays in tooth structure. Natural Teeth Whitening: Everything You Need To Know While we work hard to provide accurate and up-to-date information that we think you will find relevant, Forbes Health does not and cannot guarantee that any information provided is complete and makes no representations or warranties in connection thereto, nor to the accuracy or applicability thereof. The compensation we receive from advertisers does not influence the recommendations or advice our editorial team provides in our articles or otherwise impact any of the editorial content on Forbes Health. Second, we also include links to advertisers’ offers in some of our articles these “affiliate links” may generate income for our site when you click on them. This site does not include all companies or products available within the market. The compensation we receive for those placements affects how and where advertisers’ offers appear on the site.
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