Imagine finally getting your dream car. It’s beautiful, it’s sleek, it’s almost too nice to drive. How would you treat it? Would you immediately go out and drive it in the rain, or a hailstorm? Do doughnuts in the parking lot?
It sounds silly, but you do the same thing when you shell out for teeth whitening and then don’t take care of your mouth. If you spend the time and money to get your perfect smile, you should do what you can to keep it. Of course, brushing and flossing are important, but you also should be eating the right things if you want to keep your smile at its brightest.
Everyone knows coffee and wine can discolor your teeth, but did you know some foods can actually help you remove stains? Here are a few examples.
Food #1: Strawberries
When you think about avoiding stains, strawberries are probably not what comes to mind. Surprisingly, however, they can do the job pretty well. They’re full of an enzyme called malic acid that can help with whitening. They’re so effective that some people recommend rubbing a strawberry puree on your teeth, leaving it for five minutes, and then rinsing and brushing as normal for a brighter smile.
Food #2: Oranges
Our mouths are remarkably effective at keeping themselves clean if we let them. Our saliva in particular is expert at breaking down food residue. Tart fruit makes our mouths water, which facilitates our natural cleaning process.
That said, be careful of eating too-sour fruits like lemons and limes. The amount of acid in them can actually do damage to your teeth over time. Fruits like oranges have just the right amount of tang.
Food #3: Yogurt
A study in the oral medicine journal Dentistry measured the level of tooth decay in children who ate yogurt four times a week versus those that ate none. It was shown that children who ate the yogurt had better outcomes than the control group.
Some researchers believe this is due to the lactic acid found in many dairy products, which may help protect against decay. In any case, yogurt and other dairy products can do wonders to protect your oral health.
Food #4: Baking Soda
Here’s one you’ve probably heard before. Baking soda has long been a home remedy for yellow teeth, and people have mixed it into their toothpaste for years. However, it wasn’t until 2008 that clinical trials showed that toothpaste infused with baking soda was more effective than that without it. Since then, many kinds of toothpaste have incorporated this mild abrasive into their products. Give them a try, they work!
You should put the same level care into your smile as you would a car, or anything else you care about. Eating these foods won’t solve all your problems, but when paired with brushing and flossing you can start to see results.
About Our Practice
At Denton Dental Center, we hope to help your whole family feel confident about their smile. We personalize our services to each patient and take the time to listen to their needs. Under the leadership of Dr. Todd Balington, we’re sure of our ability to offer the highest quality dentistry to patients of all ages. If you have any questions about teeth whitening, feel free to reach out on our website, or give us a call at (940) 383-3300.