10 Surprising Foods that Whiten Teeth

Everyone wants a bright, white smile. Yet, you may also wonder about how the food you eat affects the color of your teeth. 

These 10 foods are surprisingly effective for keeping your teeth white and are worth adding to your diet.

1. Strawberries

These juicy red berries are most notable for their lovely flavor. You may also assume that their highly pigmented juice would stain teeth. While you wouldn’t want to get strawberries on a white shirt, they are great for teeth whitening. Strawberries contain malic acid, which breaks down debris on the surface of teeth that creates the appearance of stains.

2. Bananas

This fruit contains high levels of potassium, manganese and magnesium. These are all great for your tooth enamel. Eating a banana also helps to scrub away surface stains. However, you may still need a deeper cleaning or whitening treatment to reach stains that are in the pores of your tooth enamel.

3. Hard Cheese

Dairy products are always great for teeth since they contain calcium. Hard cheeses take it one step further by also providing an abrasive action. Each bite of hard cheese brushes food debris and stains away.

4. Apples

An apple a day can also help to keep stains away. Apples also provide gentle abrasion that removes surface stains. They are also slightly acidic, which can help to break down biofilm that stains teeth.

5. Cauliflower and Broccoli

Fresh cauliflower and broccoli take a long time to chew. They are also slightly hard while still being soft enough to not cause damage to the enamel. As you chew cauliflower, your mouth produces more saliva. This helps to further wash away staining agents that can collect on your teeth.

6. Seeds and Nuts

Crushed nuts and seeds are sometimes used in beauty products as exfoliators that remove dead skin. This same gentle abrasion also helps to brush away stains on your teeth as you chew.

7. Onions

Onions might not do your breath any favors but they are great for your teeth. Onions contain sulfur compounds that break down tartar and plaque. This food works best when it is eaten raw, so chop one up and add it to your salad or burger.

8. Oranges and Pineapples

Citrus fruits, such as oranges and pineapples, help to whiten teeth in several ways. First, their tart flavor increases saliva production. They also contain acids that break down stains. Pineapple also contains bromelain. This is a compound that breaks up proteins on your tooth enamel that come from stain-causing foods.

9. Celery

Eating raw celery is one of the best things that you can do to get whiter teeth. Celery has a high water content that works with your saliva to wash away stains. The cellulose, or fibers, in celery also acts as a natural toothbrush.

10. Basil

Herbs have many benefits for your oral health. One of them is that basil serves as a natural antibiotic. Reducing the bacterial populations in your mouth lowers the amount of stain-collecting plaque that develops on your teeth. It also helps to prevent decay that can cause your teeth to look stained.

The enamel of your teeth is porous, and it can slowly pick up pigment over time. While these foods help, be sure to keep an eye on the color of your teeth. If they are yellowed or stained, you may want to call our Tempe dentist office - professional teeth whitening is an option that restores their brightness safely and effectively.

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