Dental Experts Dispel Teeth Whitening Myth — And the Results Are Shocking

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When you aren’t happy with the colors of your teeth, there are a lot of ways to get them whiter so that they look better. When you want teeth whitening to change the color of your teeth, there is a way to whiten your teeth at home. In fact, there are several different ways. You can use actual whitening toothpaste at home to make your teeth whiter gradually over several weeks. You can also use white strips regularly to make your teeth whiter. Many people turn to bleach white teeth whitening kits to get their teeth as white as they possibly can.

You may wonder whether a toothpaste can really make much impact on the color of your teeth. In other words, can brushing your teeth make them whiter? If you choose the right toothpaste and mouth rinse, the answer is that yes- it really can. The key is to choose whitening products that use the right ingredients to get rid of the stains on your teeth. You may choose those that use charcoal to white teeth or those that use hydrogen peroxide to do it. There are whitening methods that you these chemicals and more to get teeth as white as possible.

You may have heard of the latest DIY teeth whitening technique that’s been gaining popularity, thanks to exposure on The Dr. Oz Show and various YouTube channels.

Proponents of this method state that by mixing fruit — usually strawberries — with baking soda and applying it to one’s teeth, one can create a homemade solution to lighten teeth effectively and organically.

Unfortunately, the fruit and baking soda method doesn’t work, according to a recent study by So Ran Kwon, a researcher from the University of Iowa. Kwon compared the results of the fruit mixture’s effect on teeth with those of other whitening methods, including over-the-counter whitening strips, professional teeth whitening and prescribed take-home whitening kits, according to IBN Live.

Kwon’s research showed that strawberries and baking soda may effectively remove debris from one’s teeth, but the mixture produces no noticeable whitening.

“The only benefit of the do-it-yourself method (strawberries and baking soda) is while it seems to make your teeth look whiter, they look whiter because you’re just removing plaque accumulation on your teeth,” Kwon said.

“Whatever method you use does about the same thing, the difference is the length of time it takes for teeth to lighten,” says Dr. Anibal Lopez of Summit Family Dentistry. “Over the counter methods have 10% Carbamide peroxide (active ingredient) whereas the take-home and in-office methods range from 11% to 40% Carbamide peroxide. The higher the percentage the faster it will remove both external and internal stains.”

According to IBN News, strawberries and other fruits are ineffective as teeth whiteners because they contain no hydrogen peroxide or carbamide peroxide, the key ingredients responsible for lightening teeth.

The other three whitening methods Kwon tested — the whitening strips, professional whitening procedure and the at-home whitening solution — all showed visible results after being tested on extracted teeth for three five-minute intervals over a 10-day period.

So while the idea of whitening your teeth with the inexpensive, natural mixture of strawberries and baking soda may seem appealing, it’s still your best bet to whiten your teeth with dentist-recommended techniques.

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