Under the headline “WHITE YOUR TEETH”, a Facebook post published in Nigeria in December 2019 says: “To remove that stubborn dirt gotten from tobacco and not brushing well for a long time all you need is coal, ginger, salt and water.” The post goes on: “Crush your ginger and grind your coal, add a little salt and few drops of water. If the ginger has enough water, then no need to add water. Brush your teeth with the mixture using your toothbrush. Repeat this twice daily for a week, the result will surely amaze you.”
It ends by saying: “Get ready to be laughing in all your pictures.”
Could you safely use this mixture to whiten your teeth?
Or would your photos eventually show damaged teeth?
Mixture bad for teeth
Africa Check asked Chukwudi Onyeaso, professor of orthodontics at the faculty of dentistry, University of Port Harcourt, southern Nigeria, about the claim.
“I would not advise anyone to do it. If anyone has an issue with their teeth, such a person should report to the clinic and get professional care,” Onyeaso said.
Onoriode Imemesi, doctor of restorative dentistry at the University of Nigeria Nsukka, in southeastern Nigeria, told Africa Check using different mixtures on your teeth could cause damage.
He said: “It is possible this mixture may give you the desired result you want: white teeth. This is because the ingredients in the mixture contain some kind of cohesive abrasion. But these agents are acidic and can destroy the inner part of the tooth.” – Jennifer Ojugbeli
For publishers: what to do if your post is rated false
A fact-checker has rated your Facebook or Instagram post as “false”, “altered”, “partly false” or “missing context”. This could have serious consequences. What do you do?
Click on our guide for the steps you should follow.
Publishers guideAfrica Check teams up with Facebook
Africa Check is a partner in Meta's third-party fact-checking programme to help stop the spread of false information on social media.
The content we rate as “false” will be downgraded on Facebook and Instagram. This means fewer people will see it.
You can also help identify false information on Facebook. This guide explains how.
Further Reading
Super-benefits of humble charcoal? Beware of dangerous claims in widely shared Facebook posts
Activated charcoal is one of the most medicinal products you can have at home, according to social media posts. Are these claims true?
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