Many studies have been conducted to answer the question, “Does turmeric whiten teeth?” and many of them have suggested that, indeed, it may well do the trick!
In a review published in the journal Molecular Nutrition and Food Research and in a study published in International Quarterly Journal of Ayurveda, it poses possible oral health benefits.
This is because turmeric has well-known anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial properties.
Which is why its traditional uses have been for the prevention and treatment of gingivitis, periodontitis, plaque and in reducing oral pain.
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What is Turmeric?
Turmeric is a flowering plant belonging to the ginger family and has been used for centuries in Chinese and Indian traditional medicine. 
The root itself, the part of the plant used for human consumption, looks like ginger but it has a deep orange-yellow color.
When it’s processed into powder, it has a warm and bitter flavor with black pepper-like undertones. As well as an earthy aroma similar to mustard.
Emphasis must be made that in do-it-yourself turmeric teeth whitening, the homemade toothpaste is a combination of turmeric powder and other ingredients. Such as water and coconut oil.
Turmeric powder can be purchased in many health food stores, supermarkets and Asian delis, as well as used as a spice in dishes like curries. When used as a spice in dishes, it adds flavor to the food and boosts the body’s overall health.
How Does Turmeric Whiten Teeth?
When turmeric toothpaste is regularly and properly used, it can contribute to teeth whitening because it has mild abrasive and astringent properties. While its astringent property may have an impact on the health of the teeth, especially on their enamel, the risk is so low that it isn’t a cause for concern.
But keep in mind that while there are advantages in using a turmeric-based toothpaste for teeth whitening purposes, it also has disadvantages.
Every consumer has the responsibility of deciding for themself whether turmeric will address their teeth whitening needs.
On one hand, turmeric powder is a natural substance with little to no risks including side effects involved in its proper use. It is after all, a common spice used in a wide range of dishes, especially in Indian cuisine. So it’s as safe as can be.
It is furthermore, a safe and effective herbal treatment for mild oral issues like gum inflammation and pain.
On the other hand, turmeric powder is neither a substitute for medications in the case of dental illnesses nor for cosmetic tooth whitening treatments. In fact, it should never be a replacement for your daily oral healthcare habit and for regular dental appointments. Plus, it will not be as effective and efficient as cosmetic teeth whitening treatments but it’s a great natural method.
If you have questions about teeth whitening, especially its suitability in your case, we suggest asking your dentist about it.
Your yellowish teeth may not respond so well to a homemade turmeric toothpaste versus someone that already has pearly-white teeth. Your less-than-pristine white teeth may also have an underlying cause and only a dentist will be able to diagnose and treat it.
Methods To Whiten Your Teeth Using Turmeric
When you’re considering using turmeric as your do-it-yourself natural tooth whitener, you have to consider three methods.
You should consider the pros and cons of each one, too, before making your decision. You can of course, experiment with all three methods and determine which one suits your needs including your budget, available time and desired results the most.
1. Make your own turmeric toothpaste
This is the most popular method because making your own turmeric-based toothpaste is affordable, fast and easy. The common turmeric toothpaste recipe involves the following steps:
The turmeric and coconut oil combination makes sense because the latter makes the former cling to the gums and teeth better. Plus, coconut oil also has several benefits for dental health.
If necessary, heat the coconut oil over low heat, if it’s in a semi-solid or solid form. Coconut oil becomes liquid at 74 to 76 degrees.
The peppermint or mint extract may or may not be necessary depending on your tolerance for the taste of turmeric. For many people unfamiliar with it, turmeric has a funky taste that doesn’t event taste similar to ginger despite these spices belonging to the same family.
The peppermint or mint extract serve many purposes, from lessening the funky taste in the mouth to increasing the refreshing feeling after brushing, as if a conventional toothpaste has been used.
DIY Turmeric-Coconut Oil Natural Toothpaste
The abovementioned recipe should be sufficient for a single brushing session. But if you want to make a turmeric-coconut oil natural toothpaste for several sessions. The ratio is: 1 part coconut oil, 1 part baking soda and 2 parts turmeric powder. Add the peppermint or mint extract as desired.
Store the paste in a cool place, such as a refrigerator. We recommend using a batch within three days after it has been mixed to ensure freshness. Dispose of any stale turmeric paste in the trash.
Brushing teeth with turmeric toothpaste is easy since it’s the same as brushing with conventional toothpaste. There are obvious differences, too, since the DIY toothpaste has a bright orange-yellow hue, a fact that can result in minor inconveniences.
A few important tips to remember:
When you use the turmeric toothpaste regularly, you should be accustomed to its taste soon enough. But it’s still important to brush your teeth with regular toothpaste since the turmeric paste’s bright orange-yellow color can be slightly difficult to remove.
2. Buy a commercially available toothpaste with turmeric and curcumin
This is a less time-consuming way of using turmeric paste as a natural teeth whitening method. You can purchase commercially available toothpastes with turmeric and curcumin from supermarkets, pharmacies and health food stores.
Just ask the staff about the availability of these products since these aren’t as common as, say, Colgate, Crest and Sensodyne.
These turmeric-infused toothpastes are preferred by people who want the teeth whitening benefits of turmeric but don’t want to deal with the hassles of brushing and rinsing away the orange-yellow color from their mouth. This is because these toothpastes don’t have as much turmeric as in a DIY turmeric paste.
And therein lies the rub. The use of a turmeric-infused toothpaste will likely not provide as much a teeth whitening benefit as using the DIY turmeric-coconut oil toothpaste.
3. Buy a turmeric-based tooth whitening powder
This is the middle ground, so to speak, between using a DIY turmeric-coconut oil toothpaste and a commercially available turmeric toothpaste.
You will still get the teeth whitening benefits although, again, the actual results will vary depending on the strength of the turmeric-based tooth whitening powder.
In all three methods, the importance of thoroughly rinsing your mouth and flossing your teeth (i.e. a water flosser is the most effective) cannot be overemphasized, as will be explained in the next section.
Does Turmeric Stain Teeth?
When you’re using turmeric to whiten teeth, you have to remember that the orange-yellow spice will leave its bright color behind on nearly everything it touches. Unless you immediately and thoroughly clean it!
Yes, it will definitely leave a stain on your teeth, gums and even the corners of your mouth, as can be expected.
But the stain can be removed by a thorough rinsing followed by another round of brushing your teeth with regular toothpaste, as recommended earlier.
You may have to rinse your mouth and use a water flosser for more than five minutes until every orange-yellow residue can be removed.