Fact check: Experts say rubbing orange peels on teeth does more harm than good
The claim: Rubbing orange peels on teeth cleans enamel, whitens teeth and kills bacteria
Social media users are recommending an unusual home remedy for treating dental problems.
"Did you know? After eating an orange, you can rub the peel on your teeth to clean your tooth's enamel," an August 3 Instagram post reads. "It whitens teeth, kills bacteria and removes stains."
The post gained more than 900 likes in its first two days. Similar claims on Instagram have garnered more than 3,000 likes.
Though rubbing orange peels on teeth may whiten them, kill bacteria and remove stains, experts say the harms outweigh the benefits. The acidity of the peels erodes tooth enamel and could irreversibly harm teeth.
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USA TODAY reached out to the user who shared the claim for comment.
Orange peels can irreversibly damage tooth enamel, experts say
In one study, Clemson University found that oranges have a pH level between 3.69 and 4.34, which is highly acidic. Experts say this acidity can damage teeth.
"The American Dental Association knows fruit is a great dietary choice but saturating your teeth with fruit acids isn’t a great idea," said Dr. Mirissa Price, an American Dental Association spokesperson. "Prolonged exposure to any kind of acid can harm your tooth enamel if you do it repeatedly. If you’re rubbing orange peels on your teeth as seen online, the prolonged contact with your teeth and the acid will wear the tooth enamel away."
When asked if he had heard of the purported benefits of orange peels, Dr. Andrew Corsaro, clinic assistant professor at the University of Florida's College of Dentistry, said, "I haven’t heard of this previously but there is certainly no evidence to support this claim. In fact, there are loads of evidence to support the contrary, that the acid in citrus fruits like oranges is destructive and harmful to the hard tissues of teeth."
Orange peels may be capable of cleaning and whitening teeth, but only because of the damage they do to enamel.
Dr. Alex Delgado, an associate professor at the University of Florida's College of Dentistry, said, "There is actually some truth to that and it is because you are eroding your enamel. So yes, it is citric acid, so it could remove stains and clean teeth and make them whiter. Also, it could kill bacteria that cannot survive at pH levels lower than 3-3.5. The benefits do not outweigh the harm. And the harm is irreversible."
Dr. Sean Mong, a health science clinic professor at the University of California Los Angeles' School of Dentistry, told USA TODAY something similar, warning of the long-term effects ofrubbing orange peels on teeth.
"While there is some truth to this Instagram post, I don’t encourage anyone to use an orange peel on their teeth," said Mong. "The orange oil and citric acid will kill bacteria and remove stains like coffee or tea. However, the missing detail is that the citric acid in the orange peel will also etch away the enamel slowly. The long-term issue is that people experience sensitivity, yellowing of the teeth (due to thinning of enamel not caused by staining), and increasing wear-tear of the tooth (again due to softening enamel from citric acid). The best way to keep teeth white and healthy is to brush twice a day, floss once a day, visit a dentist once a year, and have a dental cleaning every six months.”
Our rating: Partly false
Based on our research, we rate PARTLY FALSE the claim that rubbing orange peels on teeth may whiten them to some extent, kills bacteria and removes stains. Though orange peels may whiten teeth and kill bacteria, dental health experts say prolonged exposure to the acidity in orange peels can irreversibly damage tooth enamel.
Our fact-check sources:
Clemson University, accessed Aug. 5, pH Values of Common Foods and Ingredients
Dr. Andrew Corsaro, Aug. 19, Email exchange with USA TODAY
Dr. Mirissa Price, Aug. 11, Email exchange with USA TODAY
Dr. Alex Delgado, Aug. 19, Email exchange with USA TODAY
Dr. Sean Mong, Aug. 19, Email exchange with USA TODAY
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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Fact check: Experts say orange peels aren't good for tooth enamel
