The dentist dispelled the myth about teeth whitening with coconut oil

Dentist Alexei Antipenko, in an interview with Lenta.ru, assessed the effectiveness of coconut oil, which was advertised by bloggers on the network as a means for cleaning the oral cavity.

Earlier, Medialeaks reported that among beauty bloggers and yoga enthusiasts, the trend of daily mouthwash with coconut oil has gained popularity in the hope that it will help get rid of harmful bacteria, freshen breath and whiten teeth.

As Antipenko said, bacteria are complex organisms with a good protective cell wall, which is difficult to penetrate even with an antibiotic. The doctor said that even if “we assume that coconut oil forms a kind of film” that “to some extent disrupts the vital activity of bacteria, slows them down”, then it is unlikely that the oil will affect the bacteria in such a way that they die. because bacterial colonies regenerate very quickly.”

Saliva, as the doctor said, contains many enzymes that will quickly break down this product.

Antipenko listed the most common causes of bad breath: untreated gum disease, the presence of carious cavities, decayed teeth with inflammatory processes in the bone, and diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.

“Theoretically, the oil is really capable of isolating the release of an unpleasant odor due to the formation of a film, maybe for a few minutes, maybe half an hour at most,” the dentist said.

However, according to him, “in the medical aspect, to have any therapeutic result, it is unlikely.”

He clarified that the effect when using this product can only be short-term – the same as from a mouth freshener: “Puffed – the smell passed … its effect ended – the smell again.”

Regarding teeth whitening, the doctor said, “I have no idea how coconut oil can be involved in teeth whitening, this is nonsense.”

He explained that bleaching is often referred to as the removal of an organic film on the teeth – pellicles, which can be stained with tea or coffee. It can be removed only with abrasive products and whitening pastes, or during professional hygiene procedures that are carried out by dentists in their office.

“If we talk about whitening enamel, then here is a completely different process, long, powerful,” — Antipenko said. In this case, doctors use “atomic oxygen in order to obtain a whitening effect, and the enamel is whitened with sufficiently active preparations for an hour.”

When coconut oil is applied, none of these things happen.

“And if we are talking about whitening the inner tissue of the tooth, which is called dentin and is located under the enamel, then this oil must pass through the enamel, reach the dentin and be in contact with it for at least 8 hours,” — the doctor said, noting that it was “unlikely”.

As a result, he concluded that the use of coconut oil for oral cavity, most likely, its sellers and manufacturers are interested, since this method cannot be called a working one.

Previously, videos appeared on TikTok in which users daily rinse their mouths with coconut oil for several weeks to whiten their teeth. They claim that this practice also helps detoxify the body, freshen breath, and improve enamel health.

One of the participants in the flash mob said that the method reduced the recession of her gums. Another showed the audience how her teeth brightened after the first procedure, which surprised her dentist.

However, another blogger, having tried the fashionable method on herself, did not notice the difference in the shade of her teeth after several rinses and admitted that she decided to quit this idea so as not to waste her time.