Will banana peel teeth whitening remove stains effectively?
Some people believe that banana peels can whiten our teeth.
Do banana peels have teeth brightening powers? It is still debated.
It is no doubt that banana is one of the vitamin-packed fruits and have nutritional compounds include potassium (422 mg), magnesium (32 mg), and fiber (3g) that strengthen the enamel. Regular intake of bananas is also a natural way to enhance the teeth shade but will rubbing banana peels against your teeth remove stains?
Our dentists and oral hygienists have explained this. Keep reading to know more.
What is banana peel teeth whitening?
It is the practice of rubbing inside of a peel over the teeth surfaces for a few minutes. Leave it for around 10 minutes for minerals to sit on the teeth. Then brush your teeth.
Repeating this a day for some weeks will extricate the discolorations on teeth.
Does banana peel teeth whitening remove teeth stains?
Even though banana peels have manganese, magnesium, and potassium that help in teeth whitening, there is no scientific evidence to prove this. It is based on anecdotal evidence only so that some dental bloggers recommend this on their social media channels.
Likewise, other affordable DIY techniques like rubbing orange peels, strawberries, lemons against the teeth are also suggested. Keep in mind that the high acidic content in these fruits will lead to enamel erosion.
Luckily, the banana peel contains mild acidic substances that will not harm your teeth. In simply, banana peel teeth whitening will work only to a certain extent and we cannot assure it will scrub away the teeth discolorations.
Why do people believe this approach?
The salicylic acid present in banana peel is a gentle bleaching agent. Hence some practitioners believe that this peel will whiten our teeth. In contrast, taking fruits and veggies that contain papain will whiten your teeth.
Papain is a natural proteolytic enzyme. It is powerful to break down the organic substances responsible for teeth discolorations. Toothpaste also contains papain to destroy the film of bacteria and stains. Many people believe that the peels of banana have this enzyme but it is not.
The fact is, papain is commonly found in the papaya plant. Besides fruit, the leaves, roots, latex also contain this enzyme.
As mentioned earlier, both banana and banana peel have limited acid contents. The pH value of banana is 4.5 to 4.7 whereas the banana peel’s pH value comes closer to around 7. In contrast, fluoridated tooth structures begin to dissolve at pH 4.2.
Hence it is clear that banana peel rubbing activities will not aid in teeth whitening as many people think.
Bottom line
Removing teeth stains naturally is possible with various DIY treatments but they do not stand on par with in-office whitening treatments.
You should maintain an effective oral hygiene routine like brushing twice a day, using interdental brushes, mouth rinsing after every meal, sticking to a tooth-friendly diet. They will ensure your teeth and gums are healthy enough to clean the stains themselves.
Meanwhile, you should get routine dental checkups at least twice a year to keep your teeth healthy & whitish.
