Apple Cider Vinegar Can Bite Back: Why You Shouldn’t Use It on Your Teeth

In cooking, apple cider vinegar is used for salad dressings, marinades, preservatives, and more but it has also been a celebrated home remedy for generations. It has been purported to treat ailments like sunburn, acne, acid reflux, high blood pressure, obesity, and other issues. While its effectiveness in many of these cases has not been scientifically demonstrated, one persisting claim is that it can be used for teeth whitening. Here’s some information from your dentist about why apple cider vinegar is not a sound teeth whitening treatment as well as some ways to use it safely for other purposes.

Can Apple Cider Vinegar Whiten Teeth?

The hard outer layer of your teeth is called enamel. While enamel is white, it can accumulate particles within its surface that can cause it to stain or become discolored over years of use. While wearing away the discolored outer part of your enamel can remove these stains and reveal fresh, white enamel underneath, it also erodes your teeth’s protective layer and makes them more vulnerable to damage and tooth decay.

Apple cider vinegar is highly acidic. Because of its acid content, treating your smile with it can whiten it somewhat, but it also erodes your enamel and weakens your teeth overall. With continued use, it can wear your enamel so thin that more and more of the yellowish dentin layer beneath it begins to show through, which defeats the whole point of using it in the first place.

How Can Apple Cider Vinegar Be Consumed Safely?

Many people consume apple cider vinegar to treat a variety of health issues, and it is an excellent source of nutrients like calcium, magnesium, potassium, and vitamin C. If you swear by the health benefits of apple cider vinegar, you can protect your teeth when drinking it by diluting it in hot or cold water and drinking it through a straw. Diluting it will prevent the acid from doing so much damage to your enamel, and a straw can prevent most of it from ever making contact with your teeth at all.

Apple cider vinegar can also be part of a great home pest control solution if you have troublesome gnats attacking your houseplants. Fill a small bowl with the stuff and add a dollop of dish soap and a little bit of salt. These pests will be attracted to the solution, but they won’t be flying away after they fall into it.

If you’re looking for a healthy way to make your teeth whiter, consulting with your dentist can determine if you are a good candidate for a professional teeth whitening treatment. In the meantime, watching out for your teeth when you consume apple cider vinegar will help keep them healthy and strong.

About the Practice

Harris Parkway Dental Care provides comprehensive dental services to the community of Fort Worth, TX. Led by Drs. Brad McConnell, Yaritza Vazquez, and Scott Peterson, the staff delivers personalized care with the latest technology in a friendly and welcoming environment. Areas of expertise include general, restorative, cosmetic, and emergency dentistry. To learn more about whitening your teeth the healthy way, contact the office online or dial (817) 423-2223.