Are you worried about keeping your teeth bright and beautiful? You probably know from your dentist that you need to avoid dark berries, black coffee, and red wine if you want to keep those teeth white. However, you may not know that eating certain foods can help you get the whiter teeth you want over time, while combating plaque and minimizing tooth decay.
While you should always be choosing healthy foods for your dental health, it’s also essential to turn to foods that help clean your teeth while you’re eating. Although these foods are no substitute for visiting your dentist and considering professional whitening treatments, you can eat your way to whiter teeth with the following delicious, teeth-whitening foods.
Broccoli and Cauliflower
Both broccoli and cauliflower require a lot of chewing if you eat them raw – the key here is to eat them raw to grab their whitening powers – and the naturally coarse and abrasive veggies can help keep your teeth clean. Not only do they work as an abrasive on your teeth to remove plaque and surface stains, but all that chewing results in saliva production. That extra saliva can help wash away plaque as well. Think of these veggies as a delicious, natural toothbrush. However, you still need to make sure you maintain your routine oral health habits of brushing twice a day, flossing daily, and visiting your dentist every six months for cleanings and exams.
Sweet Strawberries
Strawberries make a healthy snack or a tasty, low-sugar dessert, and children often love them. They also can help you enjoy whiter teeth. An enzyme called malic acid, found in strawberries, works as a natural astringent that helps remove discolorations and gives you whiter teeth. Although you may be tempted to steer clear of strawberries because of their dark color, the malic acid offers those natural whitening properties, so consider them a berry that’s safe to eat if you want a brighter smile. Toss them in your cereal, in desserts, in your salad, or try mashing one up and using on your toothbrush like toothpaste.
Crunchy Fruits and Veggies
Reach for the crunchy fruits and veggies if you want whiter teeth. Apples, celery, and carrots are just a few options that all do a great job of increasing your saliva production to help wash away bacteria and food particles that have been left behind. Just remember, you need to eat these crunchy veggies and fruits raw to get those effects. Since they help get rid of bad bacteria in your mouth, they’re also a great choice if you want to nix bad breath. Crunchy fruits and veggies may be a great snack for your child, too, that you can feel good about giving them.
Pineapple Power
There’s nothing like a nice slice of delicious pineapple. Take a bite, and all that flavor just explodes in your mouth. At the same time, you’re getting a healthy dose of bromelain when you chow down on pineapple. Bromelain is a protein used in many natural toothpastes to help eliminate surface plaque and tooth stains. Grab a piece of pineapple for dessert after a meal to deliver a quick dose of bromelain right to your teeth to fight stains. What a tasty, tropical way to enjoy a brighter smile.
Dairy Products
You probably heard your parents tell you to drink your milk for stronger bones, and it turns out that dairy products are great for your teeth as well. Not only do dairy products like milk, yogurt, and cheese contain calcium – a mineral that helps fortify tooth enamel – but they contain lactic acid as well, which helps strengthen and whiten your teeth while protecting against tooth decay and enamel erosion. Biting into hard cheeses stimulates saliva production, which helps wash away food particles and plaque, and harder cheeses also help to exfoliate your teeth. This works to remove plaque buildup and bacteria, fighting tooth stains.
Now remember, this isn’t an excuse to raid the ice cream aisle with your kids at the store in the name of whitening your teeth. Ice cream is usually packed with sugar, which is harmful to your teeth. So stick to dairy products that are low in sugar, like plain yogurts, cheeses, and milk.
Raw Onions
Onions can help you out if you’re working towards whiter, brighter teeth. The catch – you have to eat them raw. Onions contain sulfur compounds that help keep plaque from forming on teeth, and plaque can eventually lead to stains. Toss raw onions in your salad or put them on your burger or other sandwiches. And there’s more good news: you’re more likely to brush after you chow down those smelly onions. It’s a win-win for your smile.
Munch on Nuts and Seeds
Nuts and seeds make a healthy snack, and they’re known for being heart-healthy and packed with essential vitamins. They also offer some benefits for your teeth. That abrasive texture of cashews, walnuts, sunflower seeds, almonds, and other nuts, help remove those surface stains on your teeth. Basically, they exfoliate your teeth as you eat them. So, think of eating nuts as snacking your way to more beautiful teeth.
Talk to Your Dentist About Dramatic, Fast Whitening Options
Adding these foods to your diet can help you battle surface stains, and over time, help you enjoy a whiter smile. However, for deeper stains, simply adding these foods to your diet may not give you the results that you want. This is where your dentist can help. In-office whitening solutions offer a fast way to brighten your pearly whites quickly. Most in-office treatments take an hour or late and can whiten your teeth by several shades, so you feel more confident about your smile. Of course, these treatments aren’t for everyone, so be sure to talk to your dentist about the best whitening treatments for your unique situation.
If you’re ready to enjoy a whiter smile or you’re dealing with dental pain and need relief quickly, contact us at A Healthy Smile Dentistry in Florham Park today. Give us a call at 973-377-2222 and we’ll help you set up your next appointment.