Turmeric for Teeth Whitening

Turmeric is an Asian spice that is known to be great for pain relief, weight loss, cholesterol regulation, and a whole bunch of other health benefits, but one benefit that you may not have heard of is that the spice is also used for teeth whitening. That’s right, the yellow spice that is known to stain everything in sight can actually be used to lighten up those pearly whites.

If you’re not too interested in spending hundreds and thousands on teeth whitening products from the store or your dentist, then maybe you’d be up to having a little DIY fun with using good old turmeric for teeth whitening. So keep on reading to find out what causes yellowing of the teeth, how turmeric whitens teeth, how safe it is, and the other ways that turmeric can help our dental health.

First off, why is your teeth a yellowish color? Part of this is due to the thickness of your enamel. As we age, the enamel thins out and begins to expose the naturally yellow dentin that hides underneath, which can also cause sensitivity. That, plus factoring in poor diet and dental hygiene, there’s no wonder why those pesky stains just won’t come out with a simple brushing.

So, how is turmeric able to help with not just whitening your teeth, but also improving the health of your chompers?

I’m sure you’ve heard of using lemon or salt to clean your teeth, but turmeric offers you a much safer deal for your dental health as salt can be too abrasive and will result in a higher sensitivity because it shaves off the enamel. Lemon is also highly acidic which also does help lighten teeth and lifts away stains, it also damages your enamel.

There are a couple of ways that you can use turmeric for not just teeth whitening but also in improving your overall dental health as well. Here are a couple of methods:

You don’t need any fancy tools or complicated mixtures to make this paste. It’s really simple. You just a need a small bowl, a spoon or stick for mixing, water, coconut oil, baking soda, and a toothbrush.

1. Mix a tablespoon of the powder with half the amount of water, coconut oil, and baking soda to form a thick paste. 

2. Once you have, brush your teeth with it for 3-4 minutes.

3. Don’t rinse it out yet! Give it at least another five minutes to set in so during that waiting period, you can do other chores like shower, wash your face, get dressed, get on the internet, etc.

4. After the five minute mark, keep on rinsing your mouth out until the water is clear, and you’re done.

The root of the turmeric is traditionally used in India for teeth whitening by chewing on it because this also helps cleanse the gums. So if you’ve got one, grab a good size of the root (that you can handle) and start chomping. After making sure that you rotate the root all over the inside of your mouth in order to hit all of your teeth, spit the root out and then rise thoroughly.

Thanks to  the vitamins present in turmeric, as well as the antimicrobial properties, it is easier for the minerals in your teeth to be regulated. This also helps prevent the build up of plaque.

When the body encounters something that isn’t supposed to be there or encounters an irritant, inflammation happens. In dental health, when this happens, swollen gums move away from the teeth which present an opening for bacteria to jump right in the gaps and grow and this can also lead to more painful swelling and even gum disease. Curcumin is a component found in turmeric, which has properties that alleviate dental issues such as sensitivity and gingivitis as it decreases inflammation, is antibiotic and antiseptic.

Because of the anti-inflammatory properties in turmeric, it relieves irritation of the gums thus lessening the risk of bacteria seeing those gaps in your teeth as free real estate.

Although turmeric doesn’t have side effects as it is 100% natural, there are still people who may react negatively to the spice. Take caution if you find yourself as one of the reasons below:

Turmeric is a fantastically cheap and easy way in teeth whitening as well as an effective natural remedy in improving your overall dental health. So, if you’ve got some stains you need to lift or some gum and plaque problems, you know that you’ve got a great natural alternative in turmeric.