I’ve been looking up natural teeth whitening. Two get the most mentions in their effectiveness: lemons and apple cider vinegar. Which one of these is the best to use?
Carlyn
Dear Carlyn,
It’s great that you’re double checking these before trying. Truthfully, while both of them will whiten your teeth, they’ll also destroy them. Both of them contain a type of acid. Apple cider vinegar contains acetic acid and lemons contain citric acid. Acids eat through things. It’s one of the reasons these ingredients are often used in cleaning supplies.
While they will make your teeth look whiter, they will eat away at your tooth enamel. This leaves you vulnerable to decay. It also makes your teeth more sensitive because it eats away at the layers between your outer tooth and the nerves in your tooth.
I know when you think of chemicals, it sounds like you’re not using natural ingredients, but if you think about it on a molecular level. The type of gel used in professional teeth whitening is just a special type of peroxide which is found in nature. Chemicals are made of atoms and molecules. They’re the building blocks of life. As long as they’re safe to ingest, they’re a natural solution for your teeth whitening needs.
Alternatives to Teeth Whitening
If you truly have no desire to whiten your teeth with a dentist there is another option for getting that beautiful smile. You could get a smile makeover using porcelain veneers. These are tiny wafers of porcelain which are bonded to the parts are your teeth which are visible when you smile.
They can completely transform your teeth. Working with an expert cosmetic dentist you can change the color, shape, or size of your teeth (or any combination of the three). One word of caution. When I said working with an expert cosmetic dentist, I meant it. You want someone who makes beautiful smiles. So, I’d look at their smile gallery and also ask if they have a beautiful smile guarantee.
This blog is brought to you by Baton Rouge Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Steven Collins.