While fans would highly recommend using apple cider vinegar to whiten teeth naturally and in a hassle-free way, some dental experts raise a few red flags. When two communities come clashing, how do you determine which side is right? Fortunately, this specific topic has scientific backup that can make compelling arguments for both groups.
This is what we’ll be discussing today. Can you really get those pearly whites you’ve been craving using this miracle product? And if you can, what are the risks involved? Keep reading and find out.
Understanding Apple Cider Vinegar
First of all, it’s important to understand just what apple cider vinegar is, as well as what it does when it comes in contact with your teeth.
In a shortened explanation, it’s pretty much juice apple juice that fermented twice. In its first phase, it becomes apple cider. After its second fermentation, it becomes apple vinegar. This gives it a lot of new properties, most notably a good concentration of probiotics, beneficial bacteria that your body needs for normal functioning.
Aside from that, apple cider vinegar contains plenty of other compounds and agents which make it a household item with many possible uses. You could use it for cooking or you could exploit one of its many beauty benefits, using it for beautiful hair, a sore throat, or foot odor among others.
Apple cider vinegar is also rich in acetic acid, which reportedly destroys plaque off your teeth and bad bacteria, allowing you to have a cleaner mouth and an improved oral health. It’s particularly useful in removing stains caused by coffee, wine, or tea. Notable, though, is to not expect immediate results. Is there a downside to all of this, however? Unfortunately, yes.
The Risks of Using Apple Cider Vinegar to Whiten Teeth
The very same acetic acid which can protect your teeth from plaque, bacteria, and other likewise agents is what can actually endanger them as well. Apple cider vinegar has a pH level of 3.075, which is much higher than coffee, albeit lower than lemon juice. If your teeth come in contact with a substance of a pH higher than 5, this will make the enamel, the protective shell around your teeth, dissolve.
By repeatedly rinsing with apple cider vinegar, this prolonged exposure can easily amount to a level 5 substance interaction. It becomes even more dangerous if you brush your teeth after using apple cider vinegar. Speaking of usage…
How to Correctly Whiten Teeth with Apple Cider Vinegar
The key to protecting your teeth is diluting the vinegar before you use it. Create a mixture made of one part apple cider vinegar and two parts water, swishing the substance around your mouth. Since your teeth are sensitive immediately after, wait for 30 minutes before using your toothbrush. You don’t need the extra harshness on the enamel.
Wrapping Up
In conclusion, you can definitely safely use apple cider vinegar to whiten teeth. The key is to dilute it, to give it a few minutes before you brush, and to not make this into a daily habit. Two or three times a week will do.
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