Can I use coconut oil in Invisalign for whitening my teeth?

Good question! The only thing that should come between your teeth and your Invisalign aligners should be water. Whitening of any kind should be avoided during Invisalign for one simple reason: Attachments. Attachments act as "sealants" on your teeth, which keep any sort of whitening agents from contacting them in those areas. This will result in uneven, potentially spotty lighter and darker areas. If if you are considering whitening your teeth, it is best done after aligner therapy is complete, using FDA approved agents that are better suited for the job. Hope this helps!Dr. G

Coconut Oil (called 'Oil Pulling') is an remedy that people swear by that will whiten their teeth. By swishing it around in your mouth for 15 minutes on a regular basis, will help rid your teeth of bacteria which causes plaque which makes the teeth yellow. It promotes gum health and also freshens breath. It is an oral therapy that has its origins in Ayurvedic Medicine dating back 3,000 years. You need to swish the solution around a lot for a period of time so it can dislodge bacteria and help your gums.  Coconut oil will do nothing for you in invisalign trays.  It is the swishing process that helps! Your teeth may whiten somewhat but  not  like they whiten with a whitening system found in a dental practice.

Frankly, I have never heard of coconut oil being used as a tooth whitening agent. I  am not aware of any ingredient in this oil, which would be capable of doing so