13 foods to help get pearly white teeth naturally
A beautiful smile can be your biggest asset, and as strange as it may sound, you can get pearly whites by adding some foods to your diet! Our diet plays a key role not only in improving our health but also our teeth. A balanced diet that includes vegetables, fruits, water, and dairy products will not only guarantee an optimum weight but also a ravishing smile.
Top foods that help whiten teeth naturally
Strawberries: They contain an enzyme known as malic acid which is known to whiten teeth naturally. You can mash strawberries and apply it on the teeth. After around five minutes, you may rinse it with water and floss.
Apples: Apples are one of the foods that help whiten teeth naturally because chewing it produces a scrubbing effect. Apple contains high amounts of malic acid, a common ingredient in toothpaste. This stimulates saliva production which acts as a self-cleaning agent and helps destroy bacteria that are responsible for bad breath.
Pineapple: It contains bromelain which has cleansing and anti-inflammatory properties; this is why it is used for making stain-removing toothpaste.
Broccoli: Being rich in fiber, broccoli helps reduce inflammation of the mouth. When you eat raw broccoli, your teeth are automatically cleaned and polished. The European Journal of Dentistry states that iron in this vegetable builds a protective wall for your teeth against acids which can degrade the enamel. So, broccoli is one of the foods that can help whiten teeth naturally by removing stains and preventing cavities.
Raisins: They may be sweet but they protect your teeth. When you eat bran cereal with raisins, you can cleanse your mouth much faster. Moreover, chewing raisins stimulates saliva secretion and thus prevents the growth of plaque, cavities, and stains.
Carrots: Chewing carrot increases the production of saliva in the mouth which cleans it; moreover, vitamin A in carrots boosts enamel growth.
Shiitake mushrooms: They contain lentinan which is a sugar that can stop tooth decay by thwarting plaque-building bacteria from invading your mouth.
Salmon: This contains vitamin D which allows your body to absorb phosphorus and calcium, both of which help strengthen teeth.
Basil: Basil can help keep your teeth white and clean because it has bacteria-inhibiting qualities that stop cavities from forming.
Garlic and onions: These must be eaten raw in order for them to produce bacteria-inhibiting compounds. These foods can promote healthy teeth and stop plaque formation. Since they have no color, they will not stain your teeth.
Cheese: It is known to make teeth stronger as it provides minerals like phosphorus and calcium which protect the enamel. The lactic acid in cheese is also an effective guard against tooth decay.
Yogurt: It can help fight tooth decay because it has lactic acid. Research shows that the proteins in yogurt bind to the teeth, thereby preventing any harmful attack by cavity-causing germs.
Oil: Oil pulling is an age-old tradition where oil is swished inside the mouth to get rid of bacteria and improve oral hygiene. While sesame and coconut oil is the best in this regard, any other oil can also do the job. There is, however, no scientific proof that this exercise will whiten teeth.
These are some of the foods that can help whiten teeth naturally.
Alternatively, you can try a whitening toothpaste, which uses enamel-safe abrasives to remove surface stains physically. Some products also contain other active ingredients like hydrogen peroxide to bleach teeth and dissolve stains. Some of the best whitening products are Colgate Total Whitening Toothpaste, Crest Pro-Health Gum and Sensitivity Gentle Whitening paste, and Bite Toothpaste Bits.
