Foods That Can Help Whiten Your Teeth - Eagle Harbor Dentist

There’s a reason why so many people whiten their teeth. Whiter teeth look nice and for many people, the improvement to their smile also provides a boost of confidence. However, not all whiteners are good for your teeth. Some can actually harm your teeth instead.

If you want to pursue whitening treatments, talk to your dentist about safe, professional options. Additionally, what you eat can have a major impact on the color of your teeth. Certain foods and drinks, like tea, coffee, soda pop, and red wine, can all stain your teeth. On the other hand, there are other foods that you can eat that can help to naturally whiten your teeth instead.

Strawberries

Strawberries are high in an enzyme called malic acid, which may be able to help naturally make teeth whiter because of its . Even just eating them can help. However, some people use strawberries as an actual whitener by mashing the strawberries up and then rubbing them across their teeth, leaving the crushed strawberries to sit for five minutes before rinsing. Afterwards, they brush and floss as usual.

Crunchy Vegetables

Certain vegetables that are coarse and crunchy in texture can have whitening effects on your teeth. These vegetables include:

• Cauliflower
• Broccoli
• Celery
• Carrots

These foods can help you maintain better overall oral health by killing bacteria in your mouth and stimulating the production of saliva, which is your mouth’s way of cleaning itself. The crunchy nature of these vegetables can also help scrub your teeth clean of any stains on the surfaces of your teeth.

Apples

Apples have many of the same benefits as crunchy vegetables and strawberries, combining the best of both. Their crunchy themselves, so they may be able to take care of some superficial stains. Also like crunchy vegetables, apples can stimulate saliva production. On top of that, they also contain malic acid, which can function as a natural bleaching agent on your teeth.

Pineapple

Bromelain is a common ingredient in whitening toothpastes. It exists naturally in only one food: pineapples. Plus eating pineapples can also be good for the health of your gums because bromelain is also an anti-inflammatory.

Dairy Products

Dairy products, much like crunchy vegetables and apples, can stimulate the production of saliva in your mouth to help eliminate surface stains on your teeth. Plus, cheeses have lactic acid in them, which can also help to reduce stains for a bonus whitening effect. Hard cheeses are even better because they have the same effect as apples and other crunchy foods like vegetables. Milk is also good for your teeth because it can help to strengthen your enamel. Yoghurts may also be able to help prevent cavities.

Oranges

Oranges and some other tart fruits can help to stimulate saliva production in your mouth. However, you should be careful of eating fruits that are too acidic, like lemons. The acid can actually harm your teeth by wearing away at the enamel.

Watermelon

Watermelons actually have more malic acid in them than strawberries do. Plus, the texture of a watermelon is fibrous, which may help scrub stains away from your teeth.

For informational purposes only.