Who doesn’t love cheap, easily available teeth whitening remedies? I know I do. I get to read about many obscure, interesting DIY home remedies in the nooks and crannies of the internet every day.
The latest craze to hit the social media world is the teeth whitening effect of banana peel. The burning question of the hour is “Does Banana Peel Whiten Teeth?”. Would you believe me if say yes? Would you blindly trust me if I say no?
No one believes in claims without proof. So let me just explain how teeth whitening works first. Then we will put the alleged teeth whitening effect of banana peel into perspective. By the end of this article, you should get a proper answer to your question.
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Banana Peel Teeth Whitening Effect – Overview
“Team banana” is backing up this anecdotal effects of banana peel by stating its nutritional value.
Banana is loaded with potassium, manganese, magnesium, and fiber. True. It is also a good source of vitamins and minerals. True. But this doesn’t prove the point here. How does rubbing banana peel for 2 minutes magically make your teeth a few shades whiter? ADA or American Dental Association has no idea about this miraculous teeth whitener.
But hey! I’m not totally rejecting the claims either. There are tons of home remedies that actually work, even though the methods are not scientifically proven. Many people have used this DIY method in real life and have shared their positive experience too.
Plus, banana is cheap and healthy. Trying it won’t cause you any harm. Just try not to overdo it as fruit skin contains acid and sugar that can damage your teeth enamel over time. However, rubbing in for a minute or two shouldn’t cause any harm.
But before you begin your experiment, let’s just take a quick look at how teeth whitening actually works.
How Does Teeth Whitening Work? – A Basic Idea
The science behind a bright smile and pearl white teeth is complex. But I’ll try my best to explain the process in the simplest possible way.
So here we go:
The main culprit behind stained teeth is a sticky substance called pellicle film. When you over consume teeth staining foods like fruity tea, black coffee, wine, and junk food, a layer of pellicle film starts to form on your tooth enamel. Due to the film build-up, foreign materials such as staining agents can easily get into the enamel.
Tooth enamel is porous, full of microscopic holes. Due to the Pellicle film buildup on enamel, tooth staining substances can reach the depth of enamel layer. Once the staining pigment goes deep inside, it can make its way further down to the dentin layer underneath. Once the dentin layer is exposed to pigment, your teeth begin to appear yellow. If the stain build-up is only on your tooth’s surface, it is called extrinsic stain. This type of stain is easier to remove. The real problem occurs when the pigment goes very deep into the enamel. Oral experts call this condition intrinsic staining. This stain is hard to remove.
You will need oxygen to break the double bond of the pigments. Dentists often suggest bleaching with hydrogen peroxide or chemical based professional teeth whitening strips. These effectively remove the pigment accumulated in the depths of tooth enamel.
Scientifically proven teeth whiteners such as hydrogen peroxide or carbamide peroxide penetrate the microscopic pores of enamel to reach the pigment molecules.
The oxygen molecules of peroxide react with the pigment molecules and break its chemical bond. After this, the oxygen molecules spread all over the enamel, making your teeth appear whiter and brighter again.
A Possible Explanation of How Banana Peel Can Whiten Our Teeth
Banana peel is nearly not as abrasive as professional teeth whiteners. However, it is filled with minerals which make people think that it can whiten teeth.
It also contains a few chemicals that keep your tooth enamel thick and strong. But these chemical don’t whiten your teeth.
Also, the minerals, fiber, and vitamin in banana peel cannot break the double bond of discoloring agents. Even if they can, medical science is yet to discover how. But what it definitely does is brighten your teeth a little, thanks to the fiber content in banana peel.
Why Banana Peel Is a Good Alternative Teeth Whitener?
One thing we all know and agree on is that bananas are nutritious and quite delicious too. Eating the whole fruit can promote good teeth health.
People with severe teeth sensitivity should try out the banana peel method once if they want. Normal bleaching agents can cause a sharp pain in your teeth and gums if you have sensitivity problem.
Once the bleach reaches the nerves of your teeth, along with pain, you can also feel extreme gum irritation. Banana peels have no bleaching substance in them. Therefore, it is obviously a much safer alternative to bleaching.
Argument in Favor of Banana Peel
Banana peels are a great source of magnesium and potassium. Magnesium thickens the enamel, thus making teeth stronger. It also prevents the formation of cavities. It aids the quick absorption of calcium, an essential mineral to ensure strong teeth.
Potassium helps with the uptake of magnesium so that our teeth can receive maximum benefits of it. Since mineral deficiency is one of the leading cause of dental problems, rubbing a banana peel on your teeth is actually not a bad idea.
Due to the lack of minerals, your teeth enamel can wear away with time, making it easier for the staining agents to attack it. We have already spoken in detail about it. So if you think it this way, banana peel does indirectly promote whiter teeth.
There’s another reason why bananas are great for our overall dental health. This fruit is rich in Vit-D and calcium. Calcium ensures strong teeth and healthy gums. However, calcium needs Vit-D to be fully absorbed by our body. Vit-D also reduces gum inflammation. This is why bananas are great for people suffering from periodontal disease.
How to Whiten Teeth with Banana Peels?
If you have decided that you are going to go for it, then you must know to use the peel for best results.
The process begins with selecting the right banana for the purpose. Don’t just use any banana. If you are really serious about it, take the following factors into consideration while selecting the fruit:
- Take a ripe banana. It should ideally have traces of green on the peel. Green shows that it has just ripened, thus it has high amounts of minerals in it. You need the minerals.
- The banana should be fresh from the store. It shouldn’t be sitting in your refrigerator for days.
Now that you are done choosing the ideal banana, follow the steps below:
- Peel it. You only need a small part of it for rubbing.
- Now rub the white side of the peel on your teeth for two to five minutes. Try to keep your mouth wide open while doing this. Don’t leave it on for longer than that. As I said before, fruit peels contain high amount of sugar and acid that can damage our teeth.
- Scrub your teeth with a dry soft bristled brush to lather the minerals all over your teeth.
- Then brush your teeth with your regular toothpaste.
- Rinse your mouth with mouthwash at the end. (optional).
- Continue this twice a week for 3-4 weeks to see results.
The Bottom Line
I think we shouldn’t discard any idea without trying it first. Banana is readily available, simple to use and has no side effects. What do you have to lose? Natural remedies with no scientific backing have often worked like a charm on some people.
So if you wish to, do give it a try without any hesitation. Just keep in your mind that it won’t work like a miracle. You should also stop eating and drinking things that cause staining in the first place. How about you quit cigarette, reduce your daily coffee intake and stay away from fizzy sodas? Try that too and the results might be surprisingly good.
