However, if you want to use lemon to help reduce bad breath and keep teeth clean, you need to do it properly, because the acidity of lemon can affect tooth enamel if used inappropriately.
Drink diluted lemonade
You can add a small amount of lemon juice to filtered water to create a refreshing drink. This helps increase the amount of water entering the body and create a clean mouth feeling after drinking.
However, do not mix too much lemon or drink continuously for a long time. After drinking, you should rinse your mouth again with filtered water to limit acid contact with teeth.
Use lemon in combination with oral hygiene
Instead of using lemon directly on your teeth, you can use diluted lemon juice as a drink in your regular diet, but still need to maintain brushing with fluoride toothpaste and cleaning between teeth.
According to Mr. Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Regional Director for Africa, many oral diseases can be prevented through oral hygiene and healthy habits; she recommends brushing teeth with fluoride cream twice a day.
Use lemon to flavor drinking water instead of chewing or rubbing it on teeth
Some people have a habit of rubbing lemon slices or lemon juice directly on their teeth in the hope of whitening them. This is a method that should not be applied regularly.
Tooth enamel is the outer protective layer of teeth and can be affected by acidic environments. Experts say that even very hard enamel can still be damaged by repeated impacts.
In addition, bad breath does not always originate from food. Plague, tooth decay, gum disease or problems in the oral cavity can also cause odors. WHO says oral disease is still a common health problem and can be mostly prevented.
Therefore, lemon is not a method to whiten teeth or treat bad breath. If you want to use it, you should prioritize diluted lemon, limit direct contact with teeth, and most importantly, brush your teeth properly, clean between teeth, and have regular dental check-ups.
