Foods That Whiten Teeth
There are many factors that impact your teeth and leave them looking dull and discolored. Staining from the foods you eat is one of the most common culprits when it comes to your teeth losing their dazzle, but age plays a role as well.
Thankfully, there are ways to restore your teeth's brilliance, either on their own or with a little help from the best product for teeth whitening at home. If you're wondering how to whiten teeth naturally, there are some foods that you can eat.
Foods that Whiten Teeth
1. Strawberries
So, do strawberries whiten teeth? Happily, the answer is yes! They contain an enzyme called malic acid that can remove stains from the surface of your teeth. Not only can you eat them, but you can also mash them up and rub them onto your teeth. They'll need to sit for five minutes, then you can rinse out your mouth and brush and floss as usual.
2. Apples
We all know the saying about doctors and apples. But do apples clean your teeth? Luckily for everyone, they absolutely do! Since they require a little more effort to eat, your mouth produces more saliva to help break down the fibers. Saliva is your mouth's natural cleansing agent, so having more of this being produced can remove stains and bacteria that hang out on your teeth.
In addition, the crunchy part of the apple scrubs your teeth, which can be helpful in removing stains on the surface. The scrubbing action can also remove bacteria that causes bad breath, so eating apples as often as possible is beneficial in so many ways!
3. Milk
All your life, you've been told to drink milk, and you may be wondering: "Does milk make your teeth white?" Lactic acid and calcium are elements that keep your teeth strong and dazzling, and milk contains both. It's never too late to start drinking milk, so grab a glass and do something good for your teeth and body!
4. Watermelon
Did you know that watermelon can help whiten your teeth? Watermelon has more malic acid than strawberries, and this malic acid could play a role in lightening your teeth and promoting saliva production. Some people also say the fibrous texture of watermelon scrubs your teeth, which helps remove stains.
According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), malic acid is an alpha hydroxy acid that's used as a cosmetic ingredient. The NIH says that research has shown malic acid is useful as a skin exfoliant and may be helpful in treating oral thrush, which is a fungal infection in the mouth.
There are several ways you can use watermelon to help whiten your teeth. If you eat watermelon, make sure to let it sit on your teeth before rinsing or brushing your teeth. This gives the malic acid time to work its magic. Make a paste with watermelon pulp and brush it directly onto your teeth. You can do this by mashing up some watermelon with a fork into a pulp and then using that as toothpaste for about 3 minutes at a time. Rinse your mouth out with cold water after eating.
5. Pineapple
Your teeth are covered with pellicle, or a layer of salivary proteins. Your pellicle layer protects your teeth, but it also absorbs pigments from food. This can lead to staining. But there is hope! Some foods naturally dissolve pellicle and help clean your teeth. One of these super foods is pineapple! Pineapple contains a proteolytic enzyme called bromelain. Proteolytic enzymes can break down proteins, including those in your pellicle layer. So the next time you're ready for a snack, reach for some pineapple instead of some potato chips and know that you're doing something good for your smile!
6. Papaya
Did you know that papaya, like pineapple, contains an enzyme that breaks down protein? This is great news for your teeth because it helps your toothpaste break down the bacteria in plaque more easily. It also helps with staining and keeps your teeth healthy in a few ways. Papain, the enzyme in papaya, breaks down protein. This degrades your pellicle layer, which protects against plaque formation and reduces stains. Papaya also contains potassium, which helps keep teeth clean and shiny by preventing them from becoming dull or yellow.
A Brighter Smile
Your teeth lose their brilliance over time and from staining, but there are foods that whiten teeth naturally. However, if you're hoping to get results faster than you can by eating teeth-whitening foods, you should also be using products from GLO Science. Check out what we have to offer today!
