IN SHORT: A video circulating on Facebook advises people to use a mixture of banana peel, lemon, salt and toothpaste to get rid of yellow stains on their teeth. But be warned, such a mixture can damage your teeth and cause sensitivity.
“The best recipe to remove yellow stains at home,” reads the caption of a video posted on Facebook.
The video claims that a mixture of banana peel, lemon, salt and toothpaste can whiten teeth. It also lists the benefits of each ingredient.
The narrator is heard saying: “I finally found the best recipe for whitening your teeth at home in just one minute. To start, peel a banana and peel the inside. Next, cut a lemon in half and add a tablespoon [of the lemon juice] to the banana. Now add a tablespoon of salt. Finally, add a tablespoon of toothpaste.”
Many factors can cause teeth discolouration, including smoking, ageing, injury and certain illnesses.
The video has received over 34,800 likes, 1,500 comments and 4,500 shares.
It has been posted here and here. (Note: See more instances listed at the end of this report.)
Africa Check previously debunked a claim that baking soda and lemon juice could whiten teeth, finding that it was dangerous advice which could damage teeth enamel.
But does this similar combination of banana peel, lemon, salt and toothpaste really work? We checked.
‘Not scientifically proven,’ say dental experts
According to dental experts, banana peels do not contain the components to whiten teeth. On the other hand, lemon and salt have medicinal properties to whiten teeth, but can cause tooth erosion.
“There is no scientific evidence to support the claim that certain foods or recommendations can effectively whiten teeth,” says Dr Afolabi Oyapero.
Oyapero is a dental health specialist at Lagos State University in Nigeria.
“While some substances, like lemons, may remove stains, they can also damage teeth and cause sensitivity. There is no research backing the use of items like bananas or peels for teeth whitening,” he added.
Africa Check also spoke to Dr Godwin Arotiba, a professor of oral and maxillofacial surgery at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital in Nigeria. He said such a claim was “fake science” and had no scientific basis.
The UK’s National Health Service also recommends that you have your teeth whitened by a registered dentist.
The claim that a combination of banana peel, lemon, salt and toothpaste can whiten teeth is false. See a dentist instead.
The same video also appears here, here, here, here, here and here.
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