Mixing a vibrant yellow spice with coconut oil may not seem like the ideal solution to brighten up dull or stained teeth, but some beauty and wellness influencers swear by it.
When Newsweek reached out to dentists about the teeth-whitening hack, the experts were split on whether turmeric—traditionally used to spice food and dye clothing—would stain the teeth yellow or help whiten them.
In an Instagram video from September with more than 1,000 comments by the Hormone Hype Sisters, (@balancedbeyars), Julie Beyars said of the yellow mixture: "This is the best at-home teeth whitening paste."
She advised a ratio of one teaspoon of turmeric powder to a quarter-cup of coconut oil and said: "It seriously whitens my teeth so much!" adding that she used the hack twice a week before weddings or events.
Last year, Evette from TikTok channel @itsevette said much the same thing, in a video that now has 440,600 likes—except she recommended combining two tablespoons of turmeric with half a cup of coconut oil.
"As you can see, my teeth are pearly white and I only use coconut oil and a bit of turmeric powder," said Evette in the video, calling the paste: "Magic gold for your teeth."
"It's crazy because turmeric stains everything, but when you add turmeric and coconut oil together, it doesn't stain—it actually does the opposite to your teeth," she said.
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In another TikTok video, this time from July, user @babzy531 said the hack had prevented her having to go to the dentist since 2015, despite being a smoker and drinking tea and coffee.
She said: "Trust me, it works," and "This is going to save y'all thousands, hundreds of dollars."
She recommended not just brushing with turmeric and coconut oil, but also following the process by swilling a scoop of coconut oil around the mouth, like mouthwash.
All three content creators warned that the hack would stain toothbrushes yellow and clog pipes if spat down the sink, so recommended spitting into the bin.
Dentists on the Turmeric Teeth-Whitening Trend
Most of the dentists who spoke to Newsweek were either skeptical of the trend or advised against it.
Dr. Nina Khedkar, owner of Charles River Orthodontics in Massachusetts, told Newsweek: "A mixture of turmeric and coconut oil is not considered an effective teeth-whitening strategy, and may actually stain your teeth yellow due to turmeric's vibrant pigment, despite some claims about its whitening abilities. I would not recommend doing this at all."
Dr. Fatima Khan, a co-founder of Riven Oral Care dental products, spoke along similar lines, saying: "It's become quite the trend lately to brush your teeth with turmeric and then follow up with regular toothpaste.
"Here's the thing: turmeric is a pretty dark yellow color, and it can be tough to brush off completely.
"I've seen it stain the teeth of some of my patients because they didn't rinse their mouth and brush thoroughly enough after using it—and when the turmeric sits on the teeth for too long, it can actually make them look more yellow, not less."
And about the practice of swishing oil around the mouth, Khan said there was "limited scientific evidence" to support its effectiveness.
Dr. Steven Barefoot, clinical leader at dental insurance company DentaQuest, told Newsweek: "There is no credible evidence the combination would whiten teeth, and I doubt it would stain enamel."
It was his opinion that the hack was not harmful, but "would serve no oral health purpose" either.
But Dr. Jessica Tasios, from Oral Dental in Birmingham, England, disagreed. She told Newsweek that the hack worked.
"It is safe and can even help reduce gum inflammation," said Tasios. "Turmeric has antibacterial properties too, making it one of the better home remedies for oral health."
Tasios clarified that "there is no scientific evidence that this combination whitens teeth," but said there was "a lot of anecdotal evidence" that it was effective.
Therefore, while she couldn't formally recommend it as an option, Tasios said the hack didn't cause any harm and she saw "no inherent risk" in it.
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