The Truth About Popular DIY Teeth Treatments

Wouldn’t it be nice if there were free, easy ways to make significant changes to your teeth without leaving home? At California Dental Group, we’ve read all sorts of tips on the internet and we decided it’s time for our clients to learn the truth behind them. Have you heard about a DIY treatment that isn’t listed here? Feel free to call us at (800) 407-0161 for advice.

Claim: You can whiten your teeth with bananas

This seems to be a particularly popular one: If you rub the inside of the peel of a banana on your teeth for a few minutes, you’ll whiten them. It’s true that there are some great minerals in bananas – and presumably in their peels – but they aren’t going to absorb into your teeth and make them whiter. The good news about this treatment is that it doesn’t hurt anything – it’s just not going to help.

Claim: Use a mixture of baking soda and lemon juice

According to some people, if you mix about three teaspoons of baking soda with two teaspoons of lemon juice, dip a cotton swab in the mixture, swab it over your teeth, wait a minute, rinse your mouth, and then brush, you’ll end up with whiter teeth. This one is actually not only ineffective but it’s actually bad for your teeth.

Lemon juice is very acidic on its own, and baking soda is a known abrasive, but together they can cause real damage to the enamel of your tooth. In short, it can break down the outer layer of your teeth.

Claim: Baking soda and water make a great tooth whitening paste

Another popular idea is to mix baking soda and water together to form a paste. Then apply that paste to the teeth, wait thirty minutes, wash it off, and enjoy a brighter smiler. This one won’t work for one simple reason: While baking soda is an abrasive, when it’s just sitting on your teeth it won’t have any effect at all.

This is yet another option that isn’t dangerous but it’s not going to have the results you’re looking for.

The best way to get whiter teeth

While none of these DIY options are going to help – and some could actively harm your teeth – the good news is that there are other options. Your best option is to call your local California dental office, California Dental Group. We have teeth whitening options that are safe for your teeth and can actually make a significant difference.

In fact, if you wish you had a brighter, straighter, whiter smile, there may be many options available to you including Invisalign, crowns, Veneers, and other cosmetic dentistry choices. Whatever state your teeth are in today, the best way to move forward is to make your appointment with California Dental Group.