The other day I had started to research turmeric because I had heard it was a good natural anti-inflammatory but then got sidetracked and didn’t finish my research. Two days later we had a family get-together and my friend (and daughter-in-law’s mother) came up to me and asked, “Do my teeth look whiter?” Well, yes they did and I figured she had them bleached at the dentist. Then her husband, son, and daughter-in-law all showed me their teeth and they all looked whiter and brighter. What had they done? Brushed their teeth with ground turmeric. Wow, what a difference with just one brushing!
Turmeric is a bright yellow aromatic powder obtained from the rhizome of a plant of the ginger family that is antioxidant-rich and has anti-inflammatory benefits.
Dr. Oz actually says that “turmeric is one of the safest, most ancient and easily accessible home remedies in the world.” It has a broad number of uses, is easily stored and inexpensive too.
As always, especially if you’re under a doctor’s care or pregnant, check with your physician before you try something new. Here’s some more interesting information about the health benefits of turmeric from Web MD, including any side-effects.
Dr. Sanjay Gupta drinks a creamy cup of turmeric tea every night (which can help slow the progression of Alzheimer’s.) Here’s the recipe he uses…
TURMERIC TEA –
Ingredients:
1 cup almond milk
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon honey
1/4 teaspoon ginger
Directions:
Heat the almond milk in microwave, stir in the spices and drizzle the honey on top.
TRIG PIC 1278 or 1279
This was surprisingly tasty. I tend to not like drink “concoctions” but I could and will try drinking this every day.
So, back to the teeth. For some reason, even though turmeric can stain, it can actually remove stains from your teeth! I tried it once and definitely saw a difference. I’m going to continue using this once a day and then use it for maintenance. Remember, it can stain so if you’re messy, don’t wear white while brushing your teeth with this. Make sure you rinse the sink too. I use an electric toothbrush but used a different brush for this because it will stain the brush too. Just put it in a little bowl, add a bit of water to make a paste and brush. (I then brushed with my regular paste.) I read where some people simply sprinkle it on top of their regular toothpaste too.
And for even more ways you can use turmeric, this is a great article, with lots of uses and even a delicious sounding recipe…
http://www.mnn.com/health/fitness-well-being/stories/22-surprising-uses-for-turmeric
I don’t get it. If turmeric can stain, including the tooth brush, how can it remove stain from my teeth. I love cinnamon in my coffee, but it stains my teeth. Will turmeric remove the cinnamon stain ?
Michael…I admit I do not know the scientific reasons turmeric doesn’t stain teeth but rather whitens them. I tried it for the first time after I saw the difference it made on a friend’s teeth. I’ve had lots of family and friends try it out and no one had any stains from the turmeric and they all saw a difference, some more than others. (Another good and beneficial thing to add to coffee that won’t stain your teeth is a teaspoon of coconut oil…really good!)
Yeah its a hard concept to receive but I too was very skeptical until I tried it. I noticed a significant difference after the 1st use. Now I wear a much much brighter smile! Looks like I paid for professional whitening. I also use turmeric to lighten my skin. I’m an African American women and HAD several dark spots on my face. With a mixture of lemon juice, turmeric, and honey…my skin is blemish free, smooth, and radiant! I’m so glad I tried turmeric. .A cheap and very effective skincare item! It REAL works!
Terria…thanks for the tip on dark spots. I have a couple of sun/age spots so I’m going to try the lemon juice/honey/turmeric mixture.