Many people turn to expensive treatments to whiten their teeth, but if content creator Armen Adamjan is to be believed then all you need to remove bad bacteria from your mouth and whiten your teeth is a simple yet powerful combination of kiwi, cucumber, and baking soda.
Taking to Instagram, Adamjan shared a creative video in which he spoke about making a paste out of the three ingredients in a blender and brushing your teeth with it.
“In a blender, add some slices of kiwi, some cucumber, and a teaspoon of baking soda. Blend it all together. The consistency should be like a paste. What you have now is a natural way to whiten your teeth. Kiwis are packed with calcium, and cucumbers help get rid of bacteria in your mouth which, in turn, gives you whiter teeth,” Adamjan said in the video.
He asked viewers to brush their teeth with this paste twice a week, and “see the magic happen”. “Why spend so much money on teeth whitening products when you can just make your own with natural ingredients? Cucumbers and kiwi fruits are not only delicious but have the power to keep your mouth and teeth healthy!” he captioned his post.
Curious, we reached out to experts to understand if the hack truly works.
According to Dr Arijit Sengupta, BDS (WBDC), Kolkata, there is some semblance of truth to the hack considering kiwi is a great source of vitamin C that can help remove plaque and stains in the mouth, whereas cucumber is a great antioxidant that synergistically improves the action. “Not to forget baking soda, which is a highly alkaline compound and has microabrasive properties on teeth and also helps maintain the pH of the mouth. Thus, the combination may result in removal of stains and other debris,” he told indianexpress.com.
Kiwi is packed with antioxidants (Source: Pixabay)
Pointing out that baking soda freshens the breath and possesses strong anti-microbial and anti-bacterial properties, Garima Goyal, registered dietitian, said that it raises the pH level of saliva and doesn’t let the bacteria thrive. “A common home remedy for tooth whitening is using baking soda. Molecules that stain the teeth are broken down by baking soda due to its abrasive properties, and its anti-microbial properties fight with the bacteria,” she said.
However, Dr Saachi Shingrani, dentist, Bandra, Mumbai stressed that instead of counting on home remedies, it is best to depend on hydrogen peroxide, which is a tried and tested way to remove stains and deposits. “The combination could just help cleanse the mouth but really can’t account for whitening of teeth. For whitening, hydrogen peroxide is needed, which releases nascent oxygen and brings about oxidation. This helps break the stains and deposits present on the teeth,” Dr Shingrani told indianexpress.com.
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