It could be said that a majority of people would agree that having whiter teeth is a common goal when it comes to dental care. Unfortunately, there are several foods and drinks that we love to have that stain our teeth. Examples include soft drinks, coffee, tea, wine, and sweets. But inversely, there are tons of food that help remove stains and keep your teeth clean. In our previous post, we discussed the foods that were best for your overall mouth health. This week, we’ll discuss those that will help you achieve the bright, luminous smile you’ve always dreamed of.
Strawberries
Contrary to popular belief, these berries do not stain your teeth, but instead keep them clean and whiten your smile. The red berries contain malic acid, which is the ingredient responsible for keeping your pearly whites so radiant. The seeds in the strawberries also contribute to a healthy mouth. The seeds scrub your teeth when you chew and remove plaque. A fun DIY hack is to mix mashed strawberry with baking soda, to create your own whitening paste.
Seeds and Nuts
The abrasive texture of sunflower seeds, almonds, walnuts, and cashews works to remove surface stains — kind of like an exfoliator for your teeth. Because of their protein content, nuts protect our teeth and keep them strong. Also, the chewing it takes to eat each one helps stimulate saliva production, which aids in cleaning the mouth.
Broccoli
Broccoli is a vegetable that is high in fiber, and eating lots of fiber helps reduce inflammation throughout the body
(in this case, your gums). Eating crisp raw broccoli can help clean and polish your teeth. It’s also said that the iron in broccoli has the added benefit of providing a wall of protection for your teeth against the enamel-degrading acid that’s produced by bacteria. This will definitely help protect against stains and cavities.
Cheese
Hard blocks of cheese, similar to what can be found on appetizer trays at parties and restaurants, are full of calcium, which strengthens teeth and gums. Casein, a milk protein found in cheese, has been shown to reduce the loss of minerals from tooth enamel. Chewing these hard chunks of cheese are also great for removing extra food particles.
Celery and Carrots
Both of these vegetables have a high water content, which is great for helping product saliva. They’re both crunchy and difficult to chew. This not only strengthens gums but also gets rid of surface stains.
Orange and Pineapple
Eating tart fruits such as oranges and pineapples can cause the mouth to produce more saliva, which naturally helps assist with cleaning teeth. Pineapple is the only food that naturally contains bromelain—a compound with that contains anti-inflammatory and cleansing properties. Bromelain is also used as an effective ingredient in a stain-removing toothpaste. The skin of oranges is also very helpful in whitening teeth. The skin of the fruit contains variants of vitamin C, which can be a substitute for harsh teeth whiteners. Thoroughly wash off the peel, then rub the inner, white portion across the surface of the enamel to fight tartar buildup and minimize plaque
We hope that this week’s discussion about food’s contribution to oral help will influence you to make positive changes to your diet.
