Tag: Invisalign

By: Dr. Elizabeth Eggert

Social media is packed with “natural teeth whitening” hacks promising brighter smiles through foods, pantry staples, and household ingredients. Strawberries, charcoal toothpaste, lemon juice, apples, baking soda, coconut oil pulling — you name it, someone’s probably claimed it can whiten your teeth.

But which methods have science behind them, and which ones could put your enamel at risk?

At Eggert Family Dentistry, we believe education is one of the most powerful tools for protecting your oral health. That’s one of the reasons we work hard to provide you with access to our monthly blog articles. Dr. Elizabeth Eggert and Dr. Jeff Eggert spend a great deal of time helping patients sort through conflicting information online so they can make confident, informed decisions about their smiles.

So, let’s separate fact from fiction and take a closer look at which DIY teeth whitening trends may offer modest benefits, and which trends you’re better off avoiding.

(Spoiler alert — we’ll also explain why professional whitening remains the gold standard for noticeable results).

Why Do Teeth Become Yellow in the First Place?

Many people assume yellow teeth are simply the result of poor brushing habits. In reality, tooth discoloration can happen for several different reasons.

Some of the most common causes include:

• Surface stains from highly pigmented foods and drinks (10 Common Foods and Beverages That Stain Your Teeth)
• Natural aging and enamel thinning
• Genetics
• Certain medications

Understanding the source of discoloration is important, because different causes respond differently to treatment.

That’s one reason Dr. Elizabeth Eggert and Dr. Jeff Eggert take a comprehensive approach when discussing whitening options with patients. The most effective solution depends on what’s causing the color change in the first place.

Can Natural Remedies Help Whiten Teeth?

While some foods may help your teeth look cleaner or slightly brighter, none of them can replicate the results of professional whitening. Still, several foods can support oral health and help reduce the buildup that contributes to staining — BONUS! They’re all healthy.

Coincidence? We think not.

Crunchy Fruits and Vegetables (A.K.A., “Nature’s Toothbrush”)

Crunchy fruits and vegetables can help remove some surface debris from teeth while stimulating saliva production.

You may have heard that carrots support eye health, but they’re also great for your smile. Foods with crisp, fibrous textures create a gentle scrubbing effect as you chew, helping reduce some of the buildup that can make teeth look dull.

Some excellent choices include:

• Apples
• Carrots
• Celery
• Cucumbers
• Bell peppers

These foods also encourage saliva flow, which helps rinse away bacteria, food particles, and stain-causing compounds throughout the day.

But here’s the important distinction: crunchy fruits and vegetables can help teeth look cleaner, but they do not bleach teeth. They won’t change the underlying color of your enamel.

It is a little disappointing, but still … from a holistic oral health perspective, these foods deserve plenty of credit. A healthier mouth tends to look better, feel better, and stay healthier for the long haul.

Can Strawberries Help Whiten Teeth?

Strawberries won’t dramatically whiten your teeth, but they do contain malic acid, a naturally occurring compound that may help reduce minor surface stains.

That’s where the popular whitening claim comes from. The effect, however, is typically subtle and temporary. Strawberries don’t change the underlying color of teeth the way professional whitening treatments do.

It’s also worth remembering that malic acid is still an acid. Frequent exposure to acidic foods can contribute to enamel wear and thinning over time, which may make teeth appear more yellow as the darker dentin underneath becomes more visible.

🦷 From shape to dental decay, acidic foods affect much more than just the color of your teeth! At Eggert Family Dentistry in North Oaks, MN, Dr. Jeff Eggert and Dr. Elizabeth Eggert are passionate about educating patients about the harmful effects of acidity on dental health: Protecting Your Smile: Understanding Acidity and Dental Decay

Does that mean you should avoid strawberries? Not at all. Strawberries are packed with nutrients and can absolutely be part of a tooth-friendly diet. Drs. Elizabeth Eggert and Jeff Eggert would simply recommend thinking of strawberries as a healthy snack with a few oral-health perks … not a substitute for professional whitening.

Can Pineapple Help Whiten Teeth?

Pineapple may support a cleaner-looking smile because it contains bromelain, an enzyme that helps break down plaque and surface buildup.

This trend has more scientific merit than many people realize. In fact, bromelain has been incorporated into some whitening toothpaste formulas because of its ability to help remove debris from the surface of teeth.

That said, eating pineapple is not going to produce dramatic whitening results.

Like strawberries, pineapple is acidic and should be consumed in moderation. The better takeaway is that bromelain shows promise as an ingredient in professionally formulated oral care products, not as a standalone whitening treatment.

Water — the Unsung Hero

Water helps reduce staining by rinsing away pigments, acids, and food particles before they have a chance to linger on your teeth. It’s especially useful after enjoying stain-prone favorites such as:

• Coffee
• Tea
• Wine
• Berries

Water also supports healthy saliva production and helps combat dry mouth, both of which contribute to a healthier oral environment.

🦷 Need a few more reasons to reach for a glass after a particularly colorful meal? Four Ways Drinking Water Benefits Teeth

It may not be trendy enough for TikTok, but it remains one of the simplest habits for maintaining a brighter-looking smile.

Which DIY Teeth Whitening Trends Are Overhyped … or Downright Risky?

So far, we’ve looked at foods that may offer some oral health benefits, even if their whitening abilities are overstated. In most cases, there’s little harm in enjoying apples, strawberries, or pineapple as part of a balanced diet. The biggest risk is expecting more from them than they’re realistically able to deliver.

Unfortunately, not every viral whitening trend falls into that category. Some simply don’t work. Others can be downright harmful, contributing to enamel erosion, tooth sensitivity, and long-term discoloration when used repeatedly.

Let’s take a look at a few trends that deserve a cautious approach.

Lemon Juice Whitening

Let’s start with a popular one.

Dr. Elizabeth Eggert and Dr. Jeff Eggert have been hearing about lemon juice as a DIY teeth whitening remedy for years, and for whatever reason, it never seems to fade from the spotlight.

The logic sounds reasonable at first. Lemons contain citric acid, which can help remove some surface stains. But remember how we talked about strawberries? How we said there may be some minor benefits, but the acidity probably outweighs any whitening effect?

Well, lemons take that concern and crank it up several notches.

Strawberries are considered only mildly acidic, with a pH of around 3.9. Lemon juice, on the other hand, has a pH closer to 2.0, therefore, making it nearly 100 time more acidic. To put that into perspective, that means lemon juice is roughly 100,000 times more acidic than pure water.

🦷 At Eggery Family Dentistry, Dr. Elizabeth Eggert and Dr. Jeff Eggert encourage patients to learn which healthy snacks have pH levels your teeth will thank you for, and which ones may damage your enamel. For example, these 8 fruits have lower acid levels: Bananas (pH 4.5 to 5.2), Figs (pH 5.05 to 5.98), Watermelon (pH 5.18 to 5.6), Papaya (pH 5.2 to 6.0), Green Mango (pH 5.8 to 6.0), Honeydew (pH 6.0  to 6.67), Cantaloupe (pH 6.13 to 6.58), Avocados (pH 6.27 to 6.58).

Repeated exposure to highly acidic substances can gradually weaken and erode enamel. And as enamel wears away, the darker dentin underneath becomes more visible. In other words, the very thing you’re using to make your teeth look whiter could eventually make them appear more yellow.

So lemon juice isn’t the miracle whitening hack the internet makes it out to be.

At Eggert Family Dentistry, we’d much rather help our patients protect their enamel than chase a temporary whitening effect. A brighter smile should never come at the expense of a healthy one.

Activated Charcoal Toothpaste

Activated charcoal toothpaste can remove some surface stains, but there is little evidence that it significantly whitens teeth. Its popularity largely stems from the dramatic black color and before-and-after pictures that spread like wildfire on social media.

The reality is far less exciting … and far more concerning.

Charcoal works through abrasion. As you brush, the particles help scrub away surface buildup that contributes to staining. The problem is that charcoal products can also be abrasive to enamel.

Many charcoal toothpastes lack fluoride as well, which means they may not provide the cavity protection found in traditional toothpaste formulas.

Research has not shown charcoal toothpaste to be particularly effective at changing the intrinsic color of teeth. Most of the improvement people notice comes from removing superficial stains rather than whitening the tooth structure itself.

For patients interested in whitening toothpaste, Dr. Elizabeth Eggert and Dr. Jeff Eggert generally recommend professionally formulated products that balance stain removal with enamel protection. A toothpaste should support your oral health, not force your enamel to fight for its life every morning.

DIY Baking Soda Pastes

Baking soda can remove some surface stains as well, but it cannot bleach teeth.

Because baking soda is mildly abrasive, it can help polish away certain types of discoloration. That’s why you’ll find it in many commercial toothpaste formulas.

But the issue arises when people begin creating homemade whitening pastes and using them too aggressively. Overuse of an abrasive ingredient like baking soda can increase enamel wear — especially when combined with harsh brushing techniques.

🦷 Check out Dr. Elizabeth Eggert’s article to learn more about protecting your enamel! 5 Helpful Tips for Preventing Tooth Enamel Erosion

And if you’ve seen recipes that combine baking soda with lemon juice, please do yourself a favor and keep scrolling! One ingredient is abrasive. The other is highly acidic. Combining them does not create a stronger whitening treatment. It simply creates two opportunities to irritate your enamel at the same time.

Oil Pulling

Oil pulling has been around for thousands of years, long before social media wellness influencers got their hands on it.

🦷 It’s not the only interesting thing in the history of oral health! Learn more here: The History of Tooth Whitening.

The practice involves swishing oil (typically coconut oil) around your mouth for several minutes before spitting it out. Advocates often claim it can whiten teeth, freshen breath, reduce bacteria, and improve overall oral health.

Of all the trends on this list, this one is probably the hardest to classify. Unlike lemon juice or abrasive DIY whitening pastes, oil pulling isn’t likely to damage your enamel. The bigger issue is that it simply doesn’t have much evidence supporting it as a whitening treatment.

Some studies suggest oil pulling may help reduce certain bacteria in the mouth and support gum health when used alongside regular brushing and flossing. But when researchers have evaluated the practice, they’ve generally focused on plaque levels, bacteria, and oral hygiene — not meaningful changes in tooth color.

In other words, even if oil pulling contributes to a healthier oral environment, there is very little evidence that it can significantly whiten teeth.

The Healthiest Path to a Brighter Smile

If there’s one takeaway from all of these whitening trends, it’s this: keeping teeth clean and whitening teeth are not the same thing.

Many viral whitening hacks promise far more than they can deliver. Some offer little to no whitening benefit, while others can contribute to enamel erosion, tooth sensitivity, and long-term discoloration.

Professional whitening works differently. Rather than simply removing buildup from the surface of the tooth, professional whitening treatments use carefully researched whitening agents to target the tooth beneath the enamel. The result is a brighter smile that is typically more noticeable and longer-lasting than what DIY teeth whitening methods can achieve.

But don’t just take our word for it! Check out some of our patients’ stories:

• Unlocking A Brighter Smile with Zoom Whitening – Kimberly’s Story
• My New Smile – “It was Necessary:” ML’s Story

Discover the Best Option for YOU at Eggert Family Dentistry

At Eggert Family Dentistry, Dr. Elizabeth Eggert and Dr. Jeff Eggert take a holistic approach to cosmetic dentistry. Before recommending any whitening treatment, they consider your overall oral health, existing restorations, sensitivity concerns, and long-term smile goals.

For some patients, professional whitening is the ideal solution. For others, treatments such as veneers may provide a more dramatic and lasting transformation.

If you’re ready to explore your options, we’d love to connect. Contact Eggert Family Dentistry today to schedule a consultation with Dr. Elizabeth Eggert or Dr. Jeff Eggert and take the first step toward a whiter smile.

Call or text 651.482.8412 to schedule your next appointment. We can’t wait to see you soon!