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in collaboration with
Dr Gérald Kierzek (Medical Director of Doctissimo)
Medical validation:
October 8, 2024
On Tiktok, a new remedy for whitening your teeth based on banana peel and lemon juice is making waves. A good idea for your smile? Not really, warns Dr. Gérald Kierzek.
In recent weeks, a new Tiktok tip has been talked about. This is a “special white teeth” recipe, based on banana peel, salt and lemon. But what do health professionals think? Here are their answers.
A “homemade” whitening cocktail
According to fans of the recipe, there is no doubt that the results are there.
“You’ll Never Throw Banana Peels Again After Watching This Amazing Teeth Whitening Tip“, assures for example an Internet user. Yet another asserts that the compounds in banana peel “whiten teeth naturally without damaging them”.
And good news for budding TikTokers, this “special white teeth” recipe is (as a bonus) rather easy to reproduce. All you have to do is grate the inside of the skin of a banana, add salt, lemon juice and a touch of toothpaste and mix everything.
Then, it would be appropriate to apply this mixture to the teeth, leave it on for a few seconds, then rub, to obtain a dazzling white smile.
Dental erosion and risk of cavities
If users seem won over by the process (thanks of all kinds are pouring in on Tiktok: “It worked for me thank you!“, says a first user, while another is grateful: “Thank you very much for this recipe“, she says), dentists and doctors are not very convinced.
“There is no advantage. On the other hand, the danger lies in the acidity of the lemon juice which will demineralize thetooth enamel and cause dental erosion“, told AFP Dr Joy Shackleton, head of the department of dental prosthetics at the University of the Witwatersrand (South Africa).
An opinion shared by the head of the department of odontology at the University of Pretoria, Zunaid Vally.
“The ingredients mentioned above may have an effect on ‘teeth whitening’, but it is important to understand how they work and their potential downsides“, he warns.
He claims that the skins of these fruits can help eliminate “tsuperficial stains“and offer”a slight brightening effect“, but this effect remains”minimal and temporary“.
As for salt, in excess it can cause “wear of the enamel” Above all “if the mixture is used in the form of a paste“, warns the expert.
Finally, on the lemon side, if its acidity “can help dissolve certain stains, […] Prolonged exposure can demineralize tooth enamel, causing increased sensitivity and a greater risk of cavities. This may ultimately cause more harm than good“, notes the head of the odontology department.
For or against this natural remedy? The opinion of Dr Gérald Kierzek
Using banana peel, salt and lemon to whiten teeth is not recommended and may even be “dangerous“, says the medical director of Doctissimo.
“Banana peel has no proven whitening effect on teeth. A 2022 study even showed that teeth treated with banana peel took on a slightly yellow tint. Although lemon contains limonene known to be anti-tartar, its acidity is harmful to enamel. Salt, on the other hand, is abrasive and can damage enamel. These methods can therefore be abrasive and damage tooth enamel, making them more sensitive and prone to cavities,” he says.
The doctor also assures that these methods can, in the long term, “further yellow the teeth by weakening them“.
Some reminders are therefore necessary, according to Dr. Gérald Kierzek.
- “Brush your teeth twice daily with fluoride toothpaste and a soft-bristled toothbrush” ;
- “Consult your dentist. Professional whitening is generally more effective and safe” ;
- “Opt for approved whitening toothpastes” ;
- “Avoid home remedies or those taken from Tiktok (our grandmother was not always right but Tiktok is even less right than her!)“.