Oral health is important for many reasons. It’s important to overall health, and it’s also something that can have a significant impact on a person’s self-esteem. Having a pearly-white smile helps many feel comfortable and confident. 

Recently, social media sites and blogs have started spreading information about do-it-yourself teeth whitening fixes. If you want to enter the field of oral health by becoming a dental assistant, it could be worthwhile to familiarize yourself with these household hacks—do their claims hold up under scrutiny? 

Oil Pulling 

Oil pulling is a method of teeth whitening with a long history, having been practiced as traditional medicine in South Asia. It is typically conducted with coconut oil, sesame oil, or sunflower oil, sometimes mixed with baking soda. It involves swishing the solution around in the mouth, and the oil is supposed to pull the stains off of teeth.

Unfortunately, there are no studies proving that oil pulling whitens teeth. The baking soda may have some impact, but otherwise this method doesn’t hold up under scrutiny. This tactic is one you won’t be hearing about at a dental assistant college—unless it’s brought up only to be debunked. 

Turmeric

Turmeric has been used for centuries for a variety of purposes—skin brightening, food flavouring, bridal ceremonies, and making hot milk drinks. Recently, natural health circles have been abuzz with discussion about turmeric as a teeth-whitening agent. It’s tempting to believe that the famous spice does it all. But will rubbing the yellow powder onto teeth make them gleam? 

Though turmeric mixed into delicious curries can make the tongue happy, it’s unlikely that coating teeth in it will have a positive effect. There are no studies showing that this is the case, and dentists have refuted claims of its whitening ability. It’s safe to say that you won’t spend any part of your dental assistant career with this delicious spice.  

Apple Cider Vinegar 

Apple cider vinegar is advocated for as a remedy for a myriad of things. Some claim that the liquid can be used to kill bacteria and remove stains from teeth if gargled, providing a whiter smile and a cleaner mouth. 

The vinegar can be useful in the kitchen, but don’t expect it to come in handy as a magical tooth tool. There’s no evidence that it’ll do anything to whiten the teeth. In fact, using such an acidic product may have adverse effects on oral health, impacting the enamel layer of teeth. 

A Dental Assistant Career Can Help You Separate Fact from Fiction  

If you want to gain the knowledge that will allow you to clean the old wives’ tales out of these remedies, a dental assistant career may be right for you. These programs provide a balanced combination of training and real-world experience so that you will be able to navigate your career with confidence. Having this specialized knowledge means you will be helping to keep your clients’ mouths clean, strong, and healthy—so that they won’t need to rely on household legends for their oral health.

Do you want to gain real knowledge about how to keep teeth shiny and clean? 

Apply to become a dental assistant today!