You know what they say – a smile is a powerful weapon. And indeed it is. You can accomplish so many things with it as a warm smile goes a long way. Also, some studies found that people who smile often progress in their careers faster and generally to higher positions. However, a base for a genuine smile is good-looking, pearly white teeth. Not many people in the world can actually boast with perfect teeth. Rather, it is something we need to be proactive about. What can happen is that you are not satisfied with how your teeth look. You can also feel embarrassed to smile due to the poor condition of your teeth. If you feel any of these, it’s definitely high time you did something about that.
There are a few ways you can approach this issue. First of all, you should visit a dentist and have them repair your teeth and do everything they can to make your teeth look nicer. This means changing your old fillings, fixing broken teeth or filling cavities. When you finish all of these, you can opt for a teeth whitening procedure. What is essential afterwards is maintaining your oral health by brushing and flossing regularly, using the right products as well as eating the right foods. Yes, that’s right – besides the foods to nurture yourself inside and out, you can also eat some foods that have the natural ability to whiten your teeth.
1. Its majesty – the strawberries
Due to containing malic acid – an enzyme that acts as a natural astringent, strawberries are able to remove discolouration and whiten teeth. However, if you’re one of those people who dislikes strawberries, you don’t even have to eat them at all. You can use them to create a paste for your teeth. You can do that by mashing some up and mixing them with baking soda. After doing that, you need to let the paste sit on your teeth for 5 minutes, which should be followed by regular brushing and flossing. Nevertheless, if you’re dealing with misaligned teeth, then strawberries won’t be able to do that final little, but essential touch up. In this case, you should consider perhaps using Invisalign aligners to straighten your teeth.
2. An apple a day…
The old but gold ‘an apple a day keeps the doctor away’ can also refer to keeping the dentist away as well. Generally, eating crunchy fruits and veggies such as carrots and celery has some specific and yet beneficial implications. The crunch factor scrubs teeth clean. When we eat such food, we increase saliva production, which in turn helps in washing away food particles and bacteria. And this is beneficial as by removing them, you’re decreasing the chances of discolouration. It can also eliminate bad breath. Apples are also high in malic acid, similarly to strawberries. No wonder an apple is a common go-to veggie for people at work.
3. Cruciferous veggies
Cruciferous veggies, such as cauliflower and broccoli are coarse and high in fibre. These characteristics make them a perfect natural abrasive for cleaning teeth. The same is true for this group of veggies, chewing them raw stimulates the production of saliva, which removes plaque. Saliva, in combination with firm vegetable texture, has the ability to clean your teeth in the same way a toothbrush does. Remember that broccoli is also one of the best superfoods for boosting immunity.
4. Dairy products
Dairy products such as milk, cheese and yoghurt are also considered to be teeth whitening. This is so due to the fact that these dairy products are high in lactic acid, which helps prevent enamel erosion and tooth decay. It also aids teeth whitening. For instance, eating hard cheese acts as a gentle exfoliation of teeth. The exfoliation process has removing bacteria and plaque buildup for its aim. And by removing these, you prevent teeth staining.
5. Juicy tropical pineapple
Pineapple is one of the top favourites when it comes to tropical fruit. Besides being yummy, it’s good to know that it also has some beneficial implications health-wise. Namely, it contains bromelain. You’ve probably never heard of it, as many people haven’t. It is actually a protein that is often found in toothpaste as it is good in removing surface stains as well as plaque. Only one piece of pineapple after a meal is sufficient to do the job.
Foods and drinks to avoid
In the same way, as there are foods that whiten your teeth, there are also foods that stain your teeth. In order to maintain pearly white teeth, you should steer clear of these teeth-staining foods that cause discolouration. Limit the intake of coffee, dark dressings such as Aceto balsamico, red wine, some kinds of tea, dark berries, tomato sauce and sweets. Or if you do take them, make sure that you wash your teeth right after consuming them.
Optimal dental hygiene extends far from nice-looking white teeth. Unhealthy and damaged teeth can cause other health issues and vice versa. So, we should take really good care of them in order to maintain our general well-being.
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