Are bananas a delicious and nutritious on-the-go snack? Mmm, actually yes. But does a banana peel whiten your teeth? Hmm, that warrants a deeper dive. It’s better to be accurate than trendy when it comes to oral health.
Banana Peel Teeth Whitening: Will It Give You A Brighter Smile?
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Medically Reviewed By Colgate Global Scientific Communications
What Is Banana Peel Teeth Whitening?
According to the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change, Government of India, a Single Banana provides 23% of the total potassium that we need on a daily basis. Potassium benefits the muscle as it helps maintain their proper working and also prevent muscle spasms. Bananas are also an excellent source of vitamins, including: Vitamin A - aids in healthy teeth, bones, soft tissue, and more.
- Vitamin B6 - aids the body's immune system, promotes brain health & heart health.
- Vitamin C - aids in healing, growth of tissue, ligaments, etc.
- Vitamin D - helps the body to absorb calcium Hundred grams of ripe Banana provides approx. 116 KCal energy that makes it a supplementary staple food Banana contains about 20% sugar. Banana has relatively less proteins compared to cereals.
It’s a banana’s high mineral value that has some saying the peel can be great for whitening. The word on the web is you rub the inside of the peel on your teeth before or after brushing for a few minutes and whiter pearly whites in a few weeks.
Does Banana Peel Teeth Whitening Work?
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 aren’t any scientific studies that are tagging or liking banana peels for the job.
While the American Dental Association (ADA) isn’t saying banana peels are the right tool for teeth whitening — they’re also not saying they are. What they are saying, however, is that other types of fruits (strawberries, orange peels, lemons) won’t give you positive results when you try to whiten your teeth with them. Healthy — sure. Whitening — nope. Their high acid content can hurt your teeth and not help them. Our apologies to banana believers everywhere.
Teeth Whitening Alternatives
According to the Times of India, the first basic step for pearly white teeth is brushing at least twice a day i.e. in the morning and before we go to bed. Brushing in the morning helps to remove plaque and bacteria that have been accumulated over night.
- Brushing at night is important because saliva (helps to wash the cavity-causing plaque off teeth) dries up as we sleep.
- Brush with a whitening toothpaste
- For best results, contact your dentist as professional teeth whitening can typically remove more stains and achieve a brighter white faster than at-home treatments.
There are pluses and minuses per option, so it’s best to discuss them with your dentist to find the right choice for you.
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 trash, and the whitening discussion with your dentist ongoing.
