Everyone wants a brighter smile, but professional whitening isn’t the only solution you’ll find when searching online. Social media is filled with teeth whitening hacks promising whiter teeth using ingredients you may already have at home.
Strawberries. Baking soda. Activated charcoal. Coconut oil. Hydrogen peroxide.
Some DIY teeth whitening methods may temporarily change the way your teeth look, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they’re whitening your teeth, or that they’re a good idea.
Before experimenting with the latest viral whitening trick, it’s important to understand the difference between removing surface buildup, bleaching tooth discoloration and potentially damaging your enamel or gums.
Let’s take a closer look at some popular teeth whitening hacks and what you should know before trying them.
Do DIY Teeth Whitening Hacks Actually Work?
It depends on what you mean by “work.”
Teeth can look discolored for different reasons. Some staining occurs on the outer surface of the tooth, while other discoloration involves the tooth itself.
A DIY method that removes some surface staining or buildup might make teeth appear slightly brighter, but that’s different from actually bleaching the tooth to change its color.
This distinction is one reason dramatic before-and-after results from homemade whitening methods should be viewed cautiously.
More importantly, “natural” doesn’t automatically mean safe for your teeth. Some ingredients promoted for DIY whitening can be acidic or abrasive, potentially damaging the very enamel you’re trying to make look better.
1. Strawberries and Baking Soda
One popular teeth whitening hack involves crushing strawberries, mixing them with baking soda and applying the mixture directly to the teeth.
The theory sounds convincing: strawberries contain malic acid, while baking soda can help remove surface stains.
But that doesn’t make the combination an effective substitute for tooth whitening.
Research has evaluated strawberry-and-baking-soda mixtures and found that while they may affect surface debris, they don’t provide the same bleaching effect as established whitening methods.
There’s another issue to consider: repeatedly exposing your teeth to acidic substances isn’t a good strategy for protecting enamel.
If your goal is a whiter smile, temporarily altering the surface appearance of your teeth isn’t worth unnecessarily exposing them to ingredients that weren’t designed or tested as dental whitening products.
2. Activated Charcoal for Teeth Whitening
Activated charcoal became one of the biggest DIY dental trends, appearing in toothpastes, powders and countless social-media videos.
The idea is that charcoal binds to substances on the tooth surface and removes stains.
The problem is that scrubbing your teeth with an abrasive substance can also wear the surface of your teeth over time.
Your enamel doesn’t grow back after it’s lost.
Ironically, thinning enamel can eventually make teeth appear more yellow, because the naturally yellower dentin underneath the enamel becomes more visible.
If you’re interested in the trend, we’ve taken a closer look at activated charcoal for teeth and what patients should know before using it.
3. Oil Pulling With Coconut Oil
Oil pulling generally involves swishing coconut, sesame or another edible oil around the mouth for an extended period.
It has been promoted online for everything from removing toxins to improving oral health and whitening teeth.
But oil pulling isn’t a proven method for bleaching the color of your teeth.
And it shouldn’t replace the fundamentals of oral hygiene.
Brushing twice daily with fluoride toothpaste, cleaning between your teeth and receiving regular professional dental care remain much more important for maintaining healthy teeth and gums.
If you enjoy oil pulling and your dentist has no concerns about you doing it, that’s one thing. Just don’t rely on it as a replacement for evidence-based dental care or expect it to produce the results of an actual whitening treatment.
4. Hydrogen Peroxide Teeth Whitening
This hack is a little more complicated because hydrogen peroxide actually is used in many legitimate tooth-whitening products.
But that doesn’t mean grabbing a bottle of hydrogen peroxide from the medicine cabinet and experimenting with concentrations, application methods or exposure times is equivalent to using a product formulated specifically for teeth.
Whitening products are designed with particular concentrations and instructions for how they should contact the teeth.
Improper use of peroxide can contribute to tooth sensitivity and irritation of the gums or other soft tissues.
The takeaway isn’t that peroxide doesn’t whiten teeth.
It’s that a whitening ingredient being effective doesn’t make every DIY method of applying that ingredient safe or effective.
5. Baking Soda by Itself
Baking soda deserves separate mention because it appears in many whitening hacks and is also found in some commercially formulated toothpastes.
Baking soda can help remove certain surface stains, which may make teeth look cleaner or brighter.
But again, removing surface stains isn’t the same thing as bleaching the natural color of a tooth.
There’s also an important difference between using a toothpaste that has been formulated for dental use and repeatedly scrubbing your teeth with homemade abrasive mixtures.
If you want to incorporate baking soda into your oral-care routine, choosing an appropriately formulated dental product is preferable to creating your own aggressive whitening concoction.
6. Lemon Juice, Apple Cider Vinegar and Other Acidic Whitening Hacks
These are among the DIY teeth whitening tricks we’d be especially cautious about.
Lemon juice, vinegar and similar substances are acidic.
Why does that matter?
Because acid can weaken and erode tooth enamel.
Once enamel has been lost, your body can’t simply regenerate it. Enamel erosion can contribute to sensitivity, changes in tooth appearance and increased vulnerability to dental problems.
A whitening method that potentially sacrifices healthy enamel for a temporarily brighter appearance is a poor trade.
Can Teeth Whitening Hacks Damage Enamel?
Some can. The two major concerns with many DIY whitening trends are acidity and abrasiveness.
Acidic substances can contribute to enamel erosion. Highly abrasive substances or aggressive scrubbing can physically wear the tooth surface. That doesn’t mean every home whitening product is harmful. There are legitimate over-the-counter whitening products specifically formulated for dental use.
The distinction is between tested products intended for teeth and improvised remedies made from household ingredients simply because someone online claims they work.
Why Do Teeth Become Yellow or Stained?
Understanding the cause of discoloration can help determine which whitening approach makes sense.
Common contributors to tooth staining include:
- Coffee and tea.
- Red wine.
- Tobacco use.
- Certain highly pigmented foods and beverages.
- Aging.
- Changes within the tooth.
- Certain medications or dental conditions.
Not every type of discoloration responds to whitening in the same way.
Dental restorations such as crowns, veneers and tooth-colored fillings also don’t whiten the same way natural tooth enamel does, which is another reason it’s useful to talk with your dentist before dramatically changing the color of your smile.
What Is the Safest Way to Whiten Your Teeth?
If you want to whiten your teeth at home, look for products specifically designed and tested for dental whitening and follow their directions carefully.
For patients who want a more significant change, professional teeth whitening provides another option.
A dentist can also examine your teeth before whitening to identify issues such as cavities, gum problems, exposed roots or restorations that could affect your treatment or results.
That’s particularly helpful if you have:
- Sensitive teeth.
- Gum recession.
- Dental crowns or veneers.
- Existing cavities.
- Significant or unusual discoloration.
- Previous problems with whitening products.
Are Professional Whitening Treatments Better Than DIY Teeth Whitening?
Professional and appropriately formulated whitening treatments have an important advantage over internet hacks: they’re actually designed to whiten teeth.
Instead of trying to scrub stains away with charcoal or expose enamel to acidic ingredients, whitening products use bleaching agents formulated to alter discoloration within the tooth.
That doesn’t mean every patient needs professional whitening. Some people are perfectly happy with the results of an appropriate over-the-counter product.
But if DIY whitening isn’t producing the result you want, using harsher ingredients or whitening more aggressively isn’t necessarily the answer.
Finding out why your teeth are discolored and choosing an appropriate treatment is a much better approach.
Skip the Wacky Teeth Whitening Hacks
We understand the appeal of DIY teeth whitening. It’s inexpensive, convenient and the before-and-after videos online can make some of these tricks look incredibly effective.
But your enamel has to last a lifetime.
Before putting charcoal powder, acidic fruit, vinegar or other household substances on your teeth, consider whether a temporary cosmetic result is worth potentially irritating your gums or damaging enamel.
If you’re unhappy with the color of your teeth, there are safer and more predictable ways to brighten your smile.
Teeth Whitening in Shorewood, IL
At Shorewood Family Dental Care, we can help you determine why your teeth appear stained or discolored and discuss whitening options appropriate for your smile.
Learn more about our professional teeth whitening options or call 815-725-5991 to schedule an appointment at our Shorewood, Illinois office.
