Are bananas a delicious and nutritious on-the-go snack? Yes! But does banana peel whiten teeth? Hmm, that warrants a deeper look. It’s better to be accurate than trendy when it comes to your oral health.
First off, there’s no doubt about the nutritional value bananas provide, according to Net Doctor. Your typical banana contains:
- 396 mg of potassium
- 32 mg of magnesium
- 1.7 grams of fibre
It’s a banana’s high mineral value that has people believing that the peel can be great when used for teeth whitening treatments. The word on the web is if you rub the inside of the peel on your teeth before or after brushing for a few minutes, you’ll get whiter teeth in a few weeks.
Does banana peel whiten teeth?
Now the validity of this trend is purely based on anecdotal evidence. You may have seen it posted, shared or blogged. But when it comes to removing stains from teeth, there isn’t any proper scientific evidence that proves banana peels do the job.
Expert opinions on banana peel teeth whitening
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) carried out a 2015 study that showed banana peel may have some antibacterial effect on the bacteria found in common oral conditions like gingivitis and periodontitis. However, the hearsay that rubbing various fruit peels (banana, orange or lemon) on your teeth can whiten them has never been proven by experts.
There is scientific evidence against using other kinds of fruits for teeth whitening. As reported by the British Society for Periodontology and Implant Dentistry, citrus fruits like lemons and oranges contain acids that attack the enamel and can irreversibly erode teeth. Healthy — sure. Whitening — no. Their high acid content can damage your teeth rather than help them. Our apologies to banana believers everywhere!
Alternative teeth whitening treatments
Fortunately, you can still enjoy bananas as a healthy part of your diet, and get your teeth whitening needs met separately. There are lots of options available to whiten your teeth effectively at home or the dentist:At-home whitening
Some over-the-counter whitening products contain natural products, like baking soda or xylitol. However, many use the super-effective bleaching agents hydrogen peroxide or carbamide peroxide – applied in varying degrees depending on the product.
Some products come with an LED light to further activate the ingredients that brighten your teeth. Home teeth whitening treatments include:
- Toothpaste: Make sure the toothpaste you buy contains fluoride. Use it during your twice-daily brushing routine
- Mouthwash: Use when you rinse your mouth daily to brighten your smile.
- Strips: Follow the package directions to apply the strips containing a thin layer of a bleaching agent to your teeth.
- Overnight whitening pen: Perfect to whiten while you sleep.
- Gel trays: Available where dental products are sold, these trays can be used at home by following the package directions.
Professional whitening
Talk to your dentist about professional in-practice whitening for a brilliant smile. The options for professional teeth whitening treatments include:
- Customised tooth-whitening gel trays: The customised trays can be more effective and better at protecting your gums than over-the-counter trays as they’ll be specially made to fit your teeth. And if you prefer, you can use them at home.
- Bleaching gel and laser: The active ingredients in the bleach are given a boost with the power of laser light. Though this combo delivers the most effective results, it’s also the most expensive.
As with all teeth whitening treatments, there are pros and cons for each option, so it’s best to discuss them with your dentist to find the right choice for you.
Alternative natural teeth whitening methods
If you fancy trying a more natural approach to teeth whitening, there are also plenty of natural methods you can try. They may not give you the same results as professional teeth whitening treatments, but they’re often affordable and can be done using things you already have at home! We’ve listed some below that you might want to try:
- Try oil pulling by swishing coconut oil around your mouth for 10 minutes.
- Make a homemade teeth whitener with products like baking soda, turmeric or activated charcoal to remove stains.
- People often wonder ‘Do strawberries whiten teeth?’ In fact, eating naturally teeth-cleaning foods like strawberries, pineapple and crunchy vegetables can help to keep your teeth clean and bright!
The pros for bananas — plentiful. The pros for banana peels to whiten your teeth — unreliable. So keep the fruit in your diet, the peel in the compost and save the teeth whitening discussions for your dentist.
