The evidence of apple cider vinegar’s dental health benefits, such as whitening your teeth, is limited. It could also damage your tooth enamel.

Apple cider vinegar (ACV) has been touted as a miracle cure for internal and external uses, from relieving sunburn to treating acne to reducing the risk of heart disease.

However, there is not much science to support these claims, including those regarding dental health, such as tooth whitening.

Before using ACV for teeth whitening or other oral applications, you need information so you can make an educated decision.

Basically, ACV is twice-fermented apple juice. In the first step, yeast ferments the apples’ sugars into alcohol, turning them into cider. In the second step, bacteria convert the alcohol into acetic acid.

The finished product, ACV, contains 5% acetic acid, which is corrosive. It has an average pH between 2.5 and 3.0. Distilled water, a neutral solution, has a pH of 7.0.

This may have both benefits and drawbacks for your mouth. For instance, there’s some evidence that ACV may help reduce dental plaque. But, the acidity in the vinegar may also erode tooth enamel.

A 2022 study examined the potential harm to teeth from consuming acidic beverages and dietary preservatives, including vinegar and apple cider. The researchers examined the effect of these substances on 190 human permanent teeth, finding that vinegar and apple cider had the most significant impact on tooth enamel erosion.

Therefore, it stands to reason that ACV as a whole may also erode tooth enamel. This, in turn, can lead to tooth sensitivity while increasing chances for tooth decay and cavities.

Many sources suggest using ACV, either full strength, diluted with water, or mixed with other products, such as baking soda, to whiten teeth.

One older 2014 study examined the effects of apple vinegar, white vinegar, and hydrogen peroxide on tooth color and dental hard tissues. The study concluded that apple vinegar, white vinegar, and hydrogen peroxide all had bleaching effects.

However, more researchneeds to be conducted to support this conclusion. In addition, sources that recommend ACV for tooth whitening tend not to mention potential risks, such as erosion of tooth enamel.

There’s also a risk of burns to the throat, especially if you swallow undiluted ACV.

ACV may have some antimicrobial properties. A 2023 test tube study evaluated its effectiveness against common oral bacteria. The researchers found that acetic acid at a concentration of 5% had similar antimicrobial properties to a sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) mouth rinse.

While the researchers couldn’t conclude that ACV could actually treat a tooth infection, they were able to show that it was generally effective against certain bacteria in the mouth.

It’s important to also note that this study used samples from ACV sold in stores, all of which were diluted. While undiluted ACV may also have this effect, it is also more likely to cause negative side effects.

Along with its potential effect on teeth, it’s also worth considering that when you use ACV in the mouth, you may swallow some of it.

For this reason, you should always dilute it before use. However, even in this case, it may interact with the medications you take. This includes:

  • Diuretics: Some of these drugs can cause your body to excrete potassium, so if you also consume large amounts of vinegar, your potassium level could drop too low.
  • Digoxin (Lanoxin): This drug is used to lower the potassium level in your blood. If you’ve been prescribed this medication, ACV could also lower your potassium to a dangerous level.
  • Diabetes medication: If you’re taking insulin or insulin stimulants, vinegar may lower either your blood sugar or potassium to a dangerous level.

ACV can whiten teeth, but it can also damage tooth enamel. There are also other concerns regarding ACV use, such as interaction with certain drugs.

If you’re considering using ACV for health purposes, such as whitening teeth, consult your dentist or doctor before trying it.

They can offer recommendations and guidelines for maximizing potential results without interfering with current medication, damaging tooth enamel, or causing any other health complications.