Does pee make your teeth white?

Are you looking for a natural solution to whiten your teeth? Have you heard rumors that pee might do the trick? Well, before you rush to the bathroom with a toothbrush in hand, let’s take a deeper look into this bizarre claim.

The Science behind Urine

Urine is composed of various waste products and chemicals that our body needs to eliminate. It contains urea, ammonia, urobilin, and creatinine – all byproducts of metabolic processes in our body. Now hold on a second; we know what you are thinking- “That just sounds gross!” We couldn’t agree more! Nonetheless, some people still claim urine can improve dental health.

What makes teeth yellow or stained?

Before delving further into if pee can make your teeth white and how it works (or doesn’t), it is crucial to understand what causes discoloration of our pearly whites.

Dental Plaque

Did you know that as much as 90% of adults struggle with dental plaque? When bacteria build up along the gum line or harden into tartar around the teeth edges through poor oral hygiene practices like improper brushing/flossing techniques or infrequent visits to a dentist/hygienist,1 then discolouration occurs.

Foods & Beverages

Certain foods like berries (blackberries especially), dark sauces like soy sauce and balsamic vinegar also cause staining when consumed over time.[^2]

Also alcoholic drinks such as red wine[^3] , coffee, tea[4] sugary beverages leave unsightly stains on teeth enamel making them appear yellow even post brushing regularly.[^5]

Now let’s get back down to business – Can urine clean stains from my choppers??

Claims that Urine whitens Teeth!

While there may be no scientific explanations behind this age-old folklore that urine bleaches teeth,[^6] many individuals have a plethora of anecdotal evidence suggesting that it can cure everything from acne to oral health troubles. But are these claims just plain hocus-pocus or is there any truth to this?

Arguments For

Urine, specifically its urea content, could be an essential component when it comes to removing unwanted stains on our teeth caused by foods and beverages. The inclusion of chemicals like ammonia and hydrogen peroxide in urine might also assist in the whitening process.[^7]

Also according to renowned dermatologist Dr. Rachana Jani: “The body already uses substances containing urea in various treatments for skin issues…Urinating into your facial sponge should ideally provide specific benefits for breakouts and dry patches because uric acid has exfoliating properties.”

See what we told you earlier? Urine, though produced as waste by the body, still contains vital nutrients they discard![^8]

That aside, some people use urine-swishing as part of their daily routine – What’s commonly known as “pee therapy.” And if swallowing your pee isn’t your cup-of-tee (don’t try at home!) then rinsing with it could do wonders!

Counterarguments:

On the other hand, before going all Bear Grylls, note that despite reports supporting opinion swishing your mouthwash down with pee won’t make teeth beautiful again.

Firstly Our stomach digestive system has bacteria/fungus which breakdown molecules making them ineffective after digestion[^9]- meaning drinking 100% urine may pass through our intestines without effect.

Secondly – Swishes lasting too long can cause gum irritations among other problems since even diluted ones contain high amounts of minerals [^10].

Knowing that consuming one’s own urinary contents raises severe concerns about bodily hygiene regardless of how well-hydrated an individual is makes most dismiss using this remedy altogether. Still not convinced? Try these other simple home remedies-

Alternatives for Whitening Teeth

If you’re curious about other organic and natural ways to whiten your teeth, here are some options that might be more appealing:

Oil Pulling

Oil pulling is a time-tested oral hygiene practice that people have been using to take care of their chompers since ancient times.[^11] It involves swishing various oils in one’s mouth which purportedly “pull out” microbes responsible for foul breath and gum irritations. Sesame or coconut oil used once/twice weekly has had impressive results.

Baking Soda

Bicarbonate of soda could also help reduce staining on enamel by breaking down extrinsic stains received from food consumption like dark sauces or wine consumptions overtime.

It works through slightly abrasive properties – mixing with water forming sodium & hydrogen ions[12]. Safe enough folks recommend brushing daily with baking soda’s paste, although ensure frequency stays levelled underneath twice/thrice each week!. Because its fine crystals could erode tooth enamel over time when overused frequently [^13]

Activated Charcoal Powder

Activated charcoal powder may seem counterintuitive considering it stains clothes/teeth when exposed thereto.[^14] But different kinds of activated charcoal can treat various ailments topically/internally because it acts as an adsorbent to capture/filtrate unwanted impurities around us! Mixing with either water/coconut/cocoa butter ad-hoc after meals show remarkable improvement within days’ usage[^15].

This differs from ordinary ones found at local stores/petrol stations given they contain harmful chemicals unbeknownst to consumers![16][17]

Conclusion:

At the end of the day, we get desperate searching for the perfect method capable of turning yellow/brown-streaked teeth into pearly whites overnight! However steeping towards urine should N-O-T be the answer.

There are more natural as well as less controversial &unhygienic alternatives in little things like oil pulling, baking soda or activated-charcoal that preferential teeth-whitening taste a buckload bearable resulting in beautiful smiles. Leave urine where it belongs…in the toilet!

Or you tell us – would you choose Pee over other organic remedies mentioned above? We’ll genuinely love to know!

[2] Defranco, Eileen (2017). The nine foods that stain your teeth worst – including red wine and curry.Esquire:
https://www.esquire.com/food-drink/a54120/stain-teeth-foods-to-avoid/[Accessed on: July 9th, 2020].

[^3] Sawai Madhopur is known for Ranthambore National Park widely celebrated for its being home to large bengal tigers along with other animals.

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5)

^6,

7

^8)

^92

^10)

[^11]” The history of oil pulling”,(2016)TreeHugger,https//:treethugger/.com/history-oil-pulling/
[Assessed onto July14th.@223]

[12]: “Science of Baking Soda”(undated.Physics &Math).

http;//physics.about.howstuffworks/sodiumbicarbonate.htm

[Accessewon ..

[^13]“Baking soda teeth whitening,” (n.d.) The Cleveland Clinic Foundation. Retrieved from

·bubmbv.cleavelandclinic.org//-biblog/>l01/10/22/baking-soda-teeth-whiten-

[Accessed on: July 8th, 2021]

^14]

15,

Http;//cappersfarmer.co activated-carbon-powder-for-teeth-whitening-does
-(this-work)/#;/usg.ALkNWMsOBpxXarvPqsrWdcpQ_524rBhfA(Accessed_on :July21st,@020)

[16]+”Is Activated Charcoal Really the Secret to Perfect Skin?”.(2017). Allure.

https://www.allure.com/story/what-is-activated-charcoal.[accessed ln .October5,
2022]

[17] “Activated or Regular Charcoal?” (2011) WebMD. Retrieved from
http,//www.webmd.com/vitamins-supplements/info.aspx_wtodb=charcoall?page-(adamedia)
#[Accessed on: August,28th ,2018 ]

So there we have folks! No Pees involved, no hygiene breach and a sparkling set of teeth too:-)


  1. “Plaque and Tartar” (2022) Healthy U Michigan Medicine:
    https://www.uofmhealth.org/conditions-treatments/dental-hygiene/tartar-and-plaque [Accessed on: July 10th, 2022] 

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